Whether you live in a metropolis, or a smaller city or town, the sound of human activity is ever present. Even if no people are around, no children yelling gleefully at play, and no vehicles or machines generating noise, the other residents of our world remind us of their presence. Dogs bark. Birds chirp, squawk, sing. Insects buzz. It's rare to find a place, and a moment, in which one can experience utter silence.
We were not the only visitors to Red Rock Canyon State Park. Several cars and trucks came and went during our stay there. Sometimes the occupants got out, stretched, took their dog for a walk, or visited the unroofed restroom. Others got out and explored the dry, colorful landscape. But in the eastern half of the park, separated by the highway that runs through it, there were many trails to explore. We rarely saw others, and they usually branched off between the Yucca trees in another direction before we reached those we spotted.
After awhile, we headed back to the car, not tired of what we saw, but unsure how far the trails led, and thus, how long it would take to return. We sat in the car and ate our lunch, enjoying the unparalleled view.
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| Salt: Master, you need to get more sun. Dragon Dave: Be nice, or I won't give you another Twiglet. |
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| The carvings in the metope of a Greek temple? |
A bird winged along the cliffside--back and forth, back and forth--as if guarding the nest it had secreted in one of the crevices. Shapes and forms suggested their own tortured histories. Boulders sat at the foot of the cliff, promising that sooner or later, the entire cliff must give way to the powerful winds that sweep through the desert every afternoon. Set below the level of the road, we neither felt nor heard the wind. Nor did the noise of the vehicles' passage along the highway reach us. Once, we spotted a contrail overhead, reminding us of our visit to Edwards Air Force Base. By increasing the magnification of our photo, we made out the tiny white shape of the jet fighter. But the roar of its engines proved incapable of reaching our ears.
As beautiful as it is, few people will ever visit Red Rock Canyon State Park. It's too remote to attract the casual weekend traveler, too small to plan a family vacation around. At the risk of sounding off-putting, perhaps that's a good thing.
Dragon Dave
