Skip to main content

Ghouls Silently Dancing Along the Ridges

Many people in the USA live along the latitude of 40 degrees north. So did I for much of my life. Typically there was a nasty weather collapse near Halloween. Now living in the Southwest, I should be free of all that.

But not this Halloween. Actually I put it to good use. Blue skies can make scenic areas look too predictably pretty. And insipid. I rather like the moodiness of mesa and canyon country during storms.


Canyons also give you a little protection from blustery winds. Of course if it were raining hard, you would be wise to stay out of the canyon. So I took my dog, Coffee Girl, up some canyons that are parked right outside my camper's door.


I wonder who loves this more, she or I? But this time the experience was enhanced by the stormy weather and the possibility of rain on the walk. It sounds ridiculous to think that a little rain has become some great Malevolence to me, but I guess living in the Southwest will do that to a person.







Good luck put a little more mood into this Halloween. You see, I 'heard voices all night.' I am camped on the route of a 25-hour mountain bike race near Virgin UT. Despite the cold and the light rain, the race went on. They talked with their fellow ghouls sometimes as they rode by my trailer.

What amazing headlights these ghouls were wearing! They were visible a couple miles away, as they rose over a ridge for a few seconds, sparkling like distant and solitary jack-o-lanterns. Then, just as quickly, they vanished into the next dip. They floated along the just-barely-visible landscape, silently and eerily, like angry, wandering Souls of the Dead.



Comments

Jim and Gayle said…
Been noticing there are far too many photos on your recent posts;-)
Gayle
But I like photography. I just don't like photo cliches, one dimensional prettiness, and postcards. Or rather, I don't like the Idea that underlies that approach: the Nature's sole purpose is to provide eye candy for tourists from the big city.
I see no less than three postcards on this post!!! Why is it okay when you do it, but not when I do it???
See you at 10:30…then at the big "Game."
Box Canyon Mark
Sondra said…
You did an amazing job with your photos in this post...postcards or not I enjoyed looking them over.
It's OK for Me but not for Thee because when I do it, it is in accordance with proper philosophical principles.
Thank you, but remember that it's the ideas and philosophy that make any blog -- not the postcards.
XXXXX said…
You are correct, Mark. I think that kaBlOOnie character did it on purpose, just to tease you. He's a bit of a Wiley Coyote, he is. And you tease so well too.