This morning before work, Jeanine and I dropped Maya off for her last day of horse camp. Most of the week, Maya rode a large horse named Charm. Today, she was paired with this tiny little fellow named Pepe. 

On the second leg of my journey home, I was fortunate to catch the Boston skyline backlit by a nice sunset. After a week on the road it is good to be home. 

On my return flight from Boston I was treated to some very interesting vistas. I am tempted to use Google Earth to trace my flight path through Denver so that I can identify this river. 

After three great days with Jeanine it is time to get back to work. Pictured here is Graham, my boss, in front of our trade show booth at the National Association of Broadcasters. Once the show begins, it is three greuling days with no time for photography. 

On the way back to Vegas to return my rental car, I pause to memorialize it. I was greatful it did not leave me stranded at the end of any of the long, isolated dirt roads I explored during my day in the park. 

I could easily spend weeks in this part of the country. My only regret is that schedules on this trip prevented me from taking advantage of golden light during the early morning and dusk hours. None the less, I was treated to a stormy sky and brief showers which added some interest to the sky and created some nice light patterns. 

Away from the lake, there is little water, but the plant life which abounds finds a way to survive and flourish. 

The rock formations here are every bit as fascinating as Zion. The same geological forces at play executed with an entirely different color palette. 

Lake Mead, formed by Hoover Dam is very large and with limitted time, I was unable to hike to high enough ground to get the perspective I was after. 

After dropping Jeanine at the airport, I need to switch into work mode and make a brief presentation to our sales team before our big trade show begins on Monday. As soon as that obligation is satisfied, I am back in the rental car and headed for Lake Mead National Recreation Area. 

This morning, we got up bright and early to make the two-hour drive back to Vegas so Jeanine could catch a flight back to chilly Boston. Having driven to Hurricane in complete darkness, the return trip was a completely different and thrilling experience. 

After having diner at the Zion Lodge, we head back to Hurricane, vowing that we will return to this park with the kids someday soon. 

All the canyons in Zion have been formed over the eons by water carving its way through the ancient sea bed. Flash floods are a real danger here and a small steam can turn into a raging river in a matter of minutes. 

Water and vegetation continue to shape the environment here and offer beauty in their own right.