Moab

[Photo-John]

Just back from God's Country. For all you heathens, that's Moab, Utah

First some flowers.

[Photo-John]

Now, some rocks.

[Photo-John]

And some heavy skies.

[Liz]

Welcome back, John

Wow! What a place.....Nice photos....I love the rocks and the dirt ribbon. It looks like you had a great time. It makes me remember how much I need to get away to a place of beauty and solitude.

Liz

[CaSousa]

from what I hear, Moab is like dying and going to MTB heaven... these shots really speak to that. Great perspective on all of them... I'm partial to the one with the flowers in the foreground, and love the shot of someone coming down the singletrack where you can see the trail winding up into the sky behind them.

Great stuff...
(makes me wish I wasn't home sick today...)


~Chris

[mwfanelli]

Great photos!

I visited the Moab area a couple of times.I was hiking/backpacking rather than bicycling though (sacrilegious). It was amazing to see just how much life thrives there. Lizards galore, snakes, weird looking insects. Nice place.

[jorgemonkey]

Mmm, Moab. I miss that place, and your shots just make me miss it more! I'm hopefully gonna be goin to St George/Gooseberry Mesa in October or so for some riding.

[Photo-John]

It makes me remember how much I need to get away to a place of beauty and solitude.

Thanks, Liz! But don't let these photos fool you. Moab is really busy right now. And most of the "trails" where we bike are also jeep roads. So there are jeeps, motorcycles, and ATVs all over the place. It wasn't really that serene. I've gone a couple of times in the late fall and it's very quiet then. If you ever do get a chance, you should try to make the trip. In spite of the crowds, it's a special place. Arches National Park is just out of town and Canyonlands is nearby, too.

[mtbbrian]

In spite of the crowds, it's a special place. Arches National Park is just out of town and Canyonlands is nearby, too.

That is so true...
I have many fond memories of many things in Moab..
You could almost consider the deserts in Moab spiritual.
Brian

[MikeG]

at frist glance I thought that was you in the lycra ... thank god we'll never see that happen. looks fun. did you guys camp?

[Photo-John]

And a ribbon of dirt, a gift from God, descending from the skies.

Give thanks.

[mtbbrian]

What I want to know is..
Why you didn't invite me!
;)
Glad you had a great ride!
Brian
Ride On!

[greghalliday]

I think I'm going the week after next. My only problem is I am usually a solo. And so I don't have any good subjects. I guess I could just set up a self timer, but any one who has done this knows how exceedingly difficult it can be. If there will be anyone there that you know of to be a good partner, let me know. The wife has to work, bummer.

[OldSchool]

Nice John,

I think you should submit that cactus in bloom with the rider in the bg to some of the magazines.

Cheers,
Tim

[Asylum Steve]

For all you heathens, that's Moab, Utah...

As always, nice pics PJ...

Guess I'm just a COASTAL kind of guy. Deserts do absolutely nothing for me. Sorry, but none of the shots I've ever seen of these places really make me want to go there. What I mean is it looks like a pretty interesting place visually, but I'm just not drawn to it...

Yeah, I know. It's me...

But give me an ocean with pounding waves and an off-shore storm approaching, and I'd die a happy man...

[Ultra Magnus]

But give me an ocean with pounding waves and an off-shore storm approaching, and I'd die a happy man...

It's hard to ride a bike in the ocean!

From this dererst rat (beein living in one for 22yrs) I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. Mostly good weather, though a little hot sometimes, next to no bug, really a pretty tolerable place to be. And if you are into outdoor activities, it's a little hard to get lost. You can see forever in any direction, unlike a forest of trees that all look the same.

BM

[Photo-John]

it's a little hard to get lost. You can see forever in any direction, unlike a forest of trees that all look the same.

That's true of a lot of the Mojave, but not the desert around Moab. Distances are very deceiving there and the rocks and canyons sort of blend together. You might look across what appears to be a flat expanse of desert and not be able to see that there are many deep, impassable canyons between you and wherever you plan to go. People strike out across the desert and don't make it. There's little room for error. Actually, that goes for any really wild place.

[another view]

Great shots, John. You can tell through your work that it's a favorite place.

I'll side with Steve though on being near water. And around here, we call "God's country" the north woods...

[Old Timer]

Some very nice images. I really like these two with the flowers in the forground. Show some very nice planning and execution on the shots.

[racingpinarello]

Hey John,

These images probably have the most saturation and contrast from most of the images that you posted. Still extremely clean and well composed, and the higher saturation brings a different feel and mood to the shots. Very nice....

I like the shots.... and one day I have to get my Jeep or bike out there.

I owe you an Olympus!!!

Loren

[Photo-John]

These images probably have the most saturation and contrast from most of the images that you posted. Still extremely clean and well composed, and the higher saturation brings a different feel and mood to the shots. Very nice....

Thanks, Loren. Glad you like them. These were all taken with the Olympus Stylus 720SW point-and-shoot. There is a lot of noise, but I find it's pleasant noise and I don't mind it much. Of course, all of the images have been adjusted for color and contrast with Photoshop masked adjustment layers. I think I probably pumped up the saturation a bit on some of them, too.

I have some more, taken with the 10D, that I haven't set up yet. I'm going to try to do a couple this afternoon.

I know I need to pick up that camera. I will give you a call.