Title: The Soothing Solace of the Desert: How the Great Basin and Colorado Plateau Uplifted Me
As I sit at my desk, staring blankly at the same four walls that have begun to feel like a prison, a wave of restlessness washes over me. The weight of the world starts to suffocate me, and the endless sea of concrete and steel begins to shrink around me. It’s times like these that I crave a respite, a sanctuary where the stresses of modern life lose their hold, and my mind can clear. For me, that sanctuary is the desert.
Specifically, the Great Basin and Colorado Plateau have become my go-to escapes. There’s something inherently grounding and inspiring about these vast expanse of arid landscapes. Every time I venture into their midst, the dust devils and rugged peaks seem to whisper secrets, reminders of the beauty and power that lies beneath the surface of our busy lives.
Driving down the winding roads, the wind in my hair, and the sun baking the landscape, I feel like the desert is slowly unwinding my frayed nerves. The desolation, at first glance, is harsh and unforgiving, yet, as I delve deeper into this unforgiving landscape, it begins to reveal its subtle nuances: the rusty red hues of the earth, the wispy clouds that defy gravity, and the silence so profound it’s almost palpable. These are the things that revitalize me, that remind me I am but a small part of an even larger tapestry.
During these desert sojourns, I find myself lost in thought. As the miles fly by beneath the wheels of my car, I ponder on life’s mysteries, and the ephemeral nature of our existence. I remember to breathe, to observe, to listen. The desert may seem barren, but it’s brimming with life, from the hidden underground aquifers to the myriad insects that call this dusty expanse home. And the beauty! Oh, the staggering beauty! The towering mountain peaks, the vast expanses of flat plains, the ever-constant dance of light and shadow…
Whenever I’m feeling down, the prospect of embarking on a desert adventure propels me forward. I map out my route, pouring over ancient topographic maps, searching for routes both familiar and unknown. The route takes me through valleys cloaked in mystery, where the whispers of eons past echo through stone walls, and the wind carries with it the whispers of ancient people.
Perhaps it’s the vast openness that I find so breathtakingly beautiful. The Great Basin and Colorado Plateau are vast, empty expanses of land that defy any sense of confinement. They’re freedom’s playground, where the wild still roams, and the landscapes are shaped by the relentless rhythms of weather and time. In these expansive skies, I find solace and, more importantly, perspective. From these heights, the problems plaguing me seem diminutive, inconsequential, and, therefore, conquerable.
As I stand tall in the midst of this unfurrowed landscape, the weight lifts. The desert, with all its brutal beauty, reminds me that sometimes we need to strip away the extra, to simplify, to reconnect, to feel the earth beneath our feet once more. Whenever I’m feeling down, this expanse of arid and arid-adjacent terrain is where I head; this is where I rediscover the pulse of life, where I recharge the energy and the spirit, and prepare for the next chapter in life’s grand adventure.
In its unforgiving yet sublime terrain, the Great Basin and Colorado Plateau, I find solace; and whenever I’m feeling down, a gentle breeze whispers, gently urging me to return, to ride the currents of wind and dust, to unravel the tangled threads of my thoughts beneath the clear blue skies of our world’s most majestic and unfurrowed landscapes.
Download image Whenever I am feeling down I head to the desert. There’s something about the Great Basin and Colorado Plateau is very grounding and inspiring. [OC][5355×3137] by tssouthwest