Convince me...

[Seraphim]

I read a lot of people raving how wonderful the desert is; no argument from me, I don't want this to be a debate thread,&nbsp;but I just don't see it. Perhaps I'm a mountain, aspen, forest type person. I just don't see the beauty of the desert. It seems all rock, sand and occasional vegetation.<br /><br />Descriptions, photos, to convince me otherwise?

 

[josephusminimus]

The desert's certainly a whole&nbsp;different experience.&nbsp; I've known people who thought the salt-water/ocean was the only place worth being.&nbsp; And a lot more who thought the only reason for leaving a city was to get to another city and everything crossed in between was just flyover country.<br /><br />Mountains are fun and interesting, a person can yearn for them if they're to his tastes, deserts are probably more diverse and interesting in other ways.<br /><br />Truthfully, there are a lot of types of mountain country I don't care much for, but the ones I like, I like as well as deserts of most descriptions.&nbsp; I wouldn't know which sort of desert to go on about trying to convince you though.<br /><br />Maybe you just haven't come across the right desert.&nbsp;

 

[Rollin]

I felt the same way about the desert when I moved out west. I&nbsp;couldn't&nbsp;understand the attraction. After time though being in it I guess you become&nbsp;accustomed&nbsp;to it and you&nbsp;begin&nbsp;to&nbsp;appreciate it&nbsp;more and more.&nbsp;<br /><br />Some of the most&nbsp;beautiful&nbsp;scenery&nbsp;that&nbsp;sticks&nbsp;out in my mind is spring time with the flowers in full bloom and the sweet&nbsp;smell&nbsp;of sage. Or how about seeing a&nbsp;major&nbsp;thunderstorm from a far...&nbsp;awesome!&nbsp;&nbsp;Regrettably I never was much of a photographer so I can't&nbsp;help&nbsp;you out there.<br /><br />I think each place on this earth hold it's own unique&nbsp;treasures.&nbsp;

 

[Seraphim]

Rollin<br /><br />A pity you have no photos. Sounds like you've seen some intresting sites.

 

[Les H]

Hi Jerry,
The great thing about meeting people face to face and talking with them is that you get a "read" on them, ya know? You know I have been an east coast traveler and mountain man all my life. I have only been out west once, and drove through some of the most beautiful areas this country has to offer. But the "commercial tour" of the Grand Canyon and Sedona only left me yearning for more. For those of you who wernt at the Ky RTR weekend, I told about how I turned off the paved highway somewhere in Az between Sedona and Phoenix and started to follow a dirt road into the desert ( in a rented 4 dr Kia Sephia, no less). I wanted to see where the row of power poles that stretched seeming forever went to. Well, after following them for 17 miles, I gave up and turned around. No one knew where we were and if we ran into trouble, we had no idea where we were either. Tuning around was prudent at that point. I WILL FIND THE END OF THAT ROAD SOMEDAY ( or at least another like it) the painted desert, Moab, the Colorado Badlands, the devils racetrack ( death valley) are all places that I can't wait to see and explore. Plus, I'm sure there are many others that I've never even heard of that , once there, I will discover and love as well. If , by some astounding chance, I get back out west and hate it, I turn around and point my hood east and drive till I run out of land ( an actual experience as a 20 something, left Albany ny bored at 10 pm and saw the sun rise over Boston harbor) jack kinda hit it on this one though, as for every taste , there is an area. If we venture outside our comfort zone, we may discover that we have a taste for areas that we never dreamed of. Trish and I WILL venture out west again, most likely spend some time exploring the desert, and would certantly invite you to make camp with us again. See you there?

 

[rvwandering]

<span id="post_message_">I'm a green trees and mountains person too but I love the deserts. They are very diverse so like Jack says maybe you haven't found the right desert. For instance west Texas is definitely not my kind of desert but southern Utah -wow! <br /><br />&nbsp;I'm not sure that I'm attaching the photos correctly but here goes...<br />&nbsp;<br /></span>

 

[mockturtle]

Maybe the very reason I love the desert is that I have lived all my life among mountains and trees.&nbsp; The stark beauty of the desert is such a contrast.&nbsp; Still love both.&nbsp; But if you don't like the desert, why go there?

 

[Seraphim]

Les

We're available any time after 6-1-13. We're getting the truck and TC ready.

Tonyan dKaren

Some very nice shots. The one quick looks like it was from a mesa reminds me of Montana, northwest of Bilings.

 

[Seraphim]

Mock turtle

To see what's there...

... And to meet a few people.

 

[angeli]

I love high desert.&nbsp; Good painting country.

 

[citytravelfotos]

If you want to see deserts, come to Arizona. &nbsp;Arizona made me intrigued with deserts, because they are so much better than at least the California deserts I was used to seeing. &nbsp;Arizona deserts are not barren looking deserts, they have lots of vegetation as well as the Iconic Saguaro Cactuses that usually line hills and mountains, and the mountains and other geography are distinct looking as well. &nbsp;Some examples:<br /><br /><img src="http://cactuslovers.com/cactus-scenes/arizona-desert-scenery2.jpg" alt="" /><br /><br /><img src="http://www.terragalleria.com/images/np-desert/sagu32849.jpeg" alt="" /><br /><br /><img src="http://cdn.c.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000cjnq9gAkpFU/s/860/860/M016A509.jpg" alt="" /><br /><br /><br /><br /><img src="http://pics4.city-data.com/cpicc/cfiles22185.jpg" alt="" /><br /><br /><img src="http://www.visualphotos.com/photo/1...rt_in_bloom_Cholla_cactus_and_gold_3W5163.jpg" alt="" /><br /><br /><img src="http://www.natureofthingsphotography.com/Arizona/Arizona/AZ-0656-02-08-10/1073672841_CYkap-L.jpg" alt="" /><br /><br /><img src="http://www.arizona-leisure.com/gallery/sunsets/az-sunset-05-lg.jpg" alt="" /><br /><br /><br />

 

[citytravelfotos]

Even without vegetation, such deserts can still look impressive. &nbsp;Another place is Utah:<br /><br /><img src="http://www.swarpa.net/~danforth/photos/greenriver/parkave.jpg" alt="" /><br /><br /><img src="http://www.delsjourney.com/images/news/news_02-07-01/2-3816_Cedar_Breaks.jpg" alt="" /><br /><br /><img src="http://www.go-utah.com/media/photos/UT-GreenRiver-SanRafaelI70-630x420.jpg" alt="" /><br /><br /><br /><br />As well as back in Arizona:<br /><br /><img src="http://www.americansouthwest.net/utah/photographs450/north-window2.jpg" alt="" /><br /><br /><img src="http://www.wef.org/uploadedImages/M...rce_Center/WEFMAX_Meetings/sedona-arizona.jpg" alt="" /><br /><br /><img src="http://blog.aapg.org/learn/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/grand_canyon_scenery-12355.jpg" alt="" />

 

[SoulRaven]

Here is a reason, the SW is the only place that you are not to freeze your rear off, if full timing it... AZ is amazing as with all of the SW as the pictures show... Spring in the SW is just amazing... Then it is time to head back up to the high altitudes of the many NF for beautiful cooler summers and scenery...

 

[mockturtle]

Exactly!&nbsp; I guess you could go to Florida or TX, but the desert is the best.

 

[Seraphim]

Some beautiful photos. We got into the very northern part of AZ by Lake Powell


Sand-Dunes-2 by jglennhart, on Flickr

Never got far beyond Colorado, though. That's where our hearts seem to lie.

 

[Seraphim]

Anyone else have images or photos?

 

[cyndi]

Seraphim, My heart lies in the northeast woodlands and the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. I grew up skiing and love the winters. But, now that my fun has been curtailed in the winter I appreciate the southwest winters, for sure. The summers? Not so much.

 

[mockturtle]

Buckskin Mountain State Park, AZ<br />

<br /><br />Bryce Canyon National Park, UT<br />

<br /><br />Catalina State Park, AZ<br />

<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />

 

[rvwandering]

Thanks for the additional photos! The second shot, with the stream and background mountains, looks like an interesting spot.

<br /><br />&nbsp; Yes , that's a beautiful spot and it's free! It's right outside of Winnemucca ,Nevada , a BLM campground. <a href="http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/res/Edu...s/go/adventures/watger_canyon_recreation.html">http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/res/Edu...s/go/adventures/watger_canyon_recreation.html</a><br /><br />&nbsp;Prefect for your truck camper!

 

[angeli]

Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, CO.&nbsp; Good painting country. (testing to see if I can actually do this right)<br /><br />Tiny watercolor about 2.5 X 3"