My trip to the American Southwest was an amazing experience that taught me many things. I learned in detail about the Ancient Puebloans, how they lived 1400 years ago, and how their way of life is kept alive today through modern tribes at Mesa Verde. I was face to face with millions of years worth of geologic formations at the Grand Canyon and I also learned many of the outlandish stories that were created on the Colorado River. I had a chance to experience a Southwestern adventure, hiking Angel's Landing and then getting the "local's special" while out on the town. I also experienced two weeks on the road which is half the fun of a trip like this.
However, despite all of these experiences, I feel that it was not enough to illustrate an adequate geographical discription of the Southwest. What about Bryce Canyon, Moab, Arches National Parks? And that's just in Utah! What about the deserts of Arizona and the dunes? What about Dinosaur Monument, Mexican Hat, and the Valley of the Gods? There is just too much that was left out!
So, I guess I will just have to deal with a partial discription of the Southwest and a decent discription of Zion, Grand Canyon, and Mesa Verde. I guess it just means that I will have to make another trip, and probably several more trips until I feel that I can adequately illustrate what the American Southwest is to me. Because that is what a good geographical discription is to me; being able to take all of the characteristics of a place and giving them meaning that allows us to connect with that location. If we, as individuals, cannot connect with a location then that place is meaningless to us as soon as we leave. To truly understand the geography of somewhere is to find the meaning of a location that speaks to you, personally. I feel that I did that for the places that I visited on my trip. It just left me wanting more in the end!
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