Canyonlands + Engagement!

The surreal Green River Overlook

Us at Grandview Point

Engaged!

The ring!

After Arches, we spent a day mountain biking the great Moab Brand trails (until it started raining, at which point we headed to a coffee shop to hang out), had our standard Moab dinner, and planned our next day at Canyonlands NP.

Canyonlands had some of the most spectacular landscapes we have ever seen.  The Northern part of the park is situated on the Island in the Sky Mesa, which looks exactly as it sounds.  It’s a high plateau, with hundred mile views into mazes of canyons, cut by the Colorado and Green rivers and their tributaries.  It’s also remote enough (~30 miles outside Moab) that it’s empty most of the time.

Kristen knew something was up.  I was demanding to go to Dead Horse Point State Park for Sunset.  She asked, “why not the Green River Overlook for Sunset?”.  Nope, I wanted it to be Dead Horse – relatively unknown, more remote, and even lower chance of seeing another person.  The perfect spot!

We went for a quick mountain bike ride in the State Park, and then headed over to the Point to watch the Sunset.  I was nervous.  I had the ring in my pocket.  Storm clouds were brewing on the horizon and it was cold.  But the sun was hitting the clouds just so, the canyon lit up in the afternoon glow, and Kristen traced the path of the Colorado river left to right.  I took out the ring and put it in the path of her hand, just out of her vision, until she turned far enough to see it.  And she said yes!

As far as I can figure, it was a quintessential Jeff & Kristen moment.  We got engaged wearing cycling tights, matching wool beanies, and rain coats.

We spent a few seconds debating the merits of eating Indian packets and greens for dinner, but we thought better of it and went out for a nice meal.  What a day!