Arches National Monument, UT
One natural area of interest I never managed to visit during my 2005 Great American Road Trip was Arches National Park in eastern Utah near Moab. So when I found myself driving my Foglio Green Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce from Colorado down to Ironman Arizona in April 2006, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to finally see it.
The graceful, arching rock formations I had only admired in photos were every bit as striking in person. I stayed overnight in the park and woke to a calm, mild morning that made the scarf I had thrown on completely unnecessary.
Wanting to stretch my legs before a long day of driving, I set out for a quick run through Devils Garden, where I passed cool rock formations, hardy desert trees, and the impressive Tunnel Arch—its opening carved cleanly through sandstone like a window into the blue Utah sky. The combination of quiet trails and surreal shapes rising from the desert floor made the run unforgettable.
When I returned to my car, I began the splendid 22-mile drive back through Arches toward Moab, savoring every twist of the road and each new vista of glowing red rock. It was a short visit, but a memorable one, and a perfect bonus adventure tucked into a trip otherwise focused on getting to Ironman Arizona.
