Toward the end of August, friend Lois MacKenzie from Silverton and I loaded up in her little blue Toyota pickup and headed for the back-country of eastern Utah...the land of huge red rocks and muddy rivers.
We stayed with the Rozman family (Lois' cousins) on their cattle ranch which is situated NW of Moab on the Green River---a long way from anywhere or anyone. What a wonderful time we had seeing their cattle, horses, and irrigated fields which are emerald jewels in the desert.
Next it was on to Moab where we enjoyed a very cozy and elegant B&B. The annual music festival was just beginning so we took a jet boat down the Colorado River to a sandstone grotto below the horseshoe bend in the river which is below Deadhorse Point (for those of you familiar with this area).
We walked through a tree tunnel of willows pulled back carefully with ropes and found ourselves in the grotto which has a US Park Service capacity limit of 125 people. There we found seats for 75 guests and wonder of all, a beautiful Steinway grand piano, parked on the sand, ready to play!
We enjoyed an afternoon concert of Classical music as well as a contemporary horn solo
(played from a ledge far above us, with long rests so we could hear the echos of the horn),
and a Columbian harp piece (do not think angel music!). The acoustics were amazing; I could
hear the first violin breathing during a Beethoven quintet!
After the program we enjoyed wine and elegant appetizers with the musicians and then all
had another boatride back to Moab. Probably the most unique concert setting I have ever
enjoyed---right up there with seeing the opera "Aida" staged at the Baths of Caracella
in Rome.
Our final day found us loading firewood, a log-splitter, and a chain saw into Lois' truck
and heading back home to our cool mountains. Great trip---hope we go next year!
The Rozman's Irrigation System with river water
Feeder Cattle Having Breakfast with a Stone Corral in the
background that was used for wild horses at one time
Lois and Kerry loading hay for the cows
Jetting along the Colorado enjoying the cliffs
The huge red cliffs are seemingly endless...
Arriving in the Grotto Area
Boats preparing to let us ashore...
Lois heading into the tree "tunnel" that led into the grotto
The piano just within the shade of the grotto
In the grotto---lots of photos taken!
Lois and Penny with the piano
Ready to begin...
Some of the excellent musicians, Columbian harp below
