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20080706-IMG 0827

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:38:20, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.004sec (1/250), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 551031, filename: 20080706-IMG_0827.jpg

20080706-IMG 0859

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:52:59, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.004sec (1/250), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 328728, filename: 20080706-IMG_0859.jpg

20080706-IMG 0858

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:52:35, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.008sec (1/125), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 556269, filename: 20080706-IMG_0858.jpg

20080706-IMG 0857

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:51:56, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.006sec (1/160), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 536689, filename: 20080706-IMG_0857.jpg

20080706-IMG 0856

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:51:21, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.003sec (1/320), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 376542, filename: 20080706-IMG_0856.jpg

20080706-IMG 0855

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:51:11, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.004sec (1/250), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 498466, filename: 20080706-IMG_0855.jpg

20080706-IMG 0854

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:48:37, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.003sec (1/400), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 305673, filename: 20080706-IMG_0854.jpg

20080706-IMG 0853

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:48:06, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.005sec (1/200), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 379778, filename: 20080706-IMG_0853.jpg

20080706-IMG 0852

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:48:00, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.004sec (1/250), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 389112, filename: 20080706-IMG_0852.jpg

20080706-IMG 0851

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:47:53, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.003sec (1/320), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 512025, filename: 20080706-IMG_0851.jpg

20080706-IMG 0850

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:47:30, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.002sec (1/500), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 434008, filename: 20080706-IMG_0850.jpg

20080706-IMG 0849

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:47:22, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.002sec (1/500), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 523577, filename: 20080706-IMG_0849.jpg

20080706-IMG 0848

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:46:47, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.001sec (1/1000), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 310288, filename: 20080706-IMG_0848.jpg

20080706-IMG 0860

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:53:48, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.002sec (1/500), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 474255, filename: 20080706-IMG_0860.jpg

20080706-IMG 0846

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:44:51, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.005sec (1/200), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 530450, filename: 20080706-IMG_0846.jpg

20080706-IMG 0845

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:44:45, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.003sec (1/320), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 603201, filename: 20080706-IMG_0845.jpg

20080706-IMG 0844

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:44:26, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.002sec (1/640), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 350421, filename: 20080706-IMG_0844.jpg

20080706-IMG 0843

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:44:11, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.002sec (1/500), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 405240, filename: 20080706-IMG_0843.jpg

20080706-IMG 0842

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:42:57, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.017sec (1/60), f/2.8, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 933, filesize: 838730, filename: 20080706-IMG_0842.jpg

20080706-IMG 0841

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:42:46, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.003sec (1/400), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 545148, filename: 20080706-IMG_0841.jpg

20080706-IMG 0840

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:42:38, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.003sec (1/320), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 496229, filename: 20080706-IMG_0840.jpg

20080706-IMG 0839

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:42:21, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.003sec (1/400), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 465062, filename: 20080706-IMG_0839.jpg

20080706-IMG 0838

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:42:15, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.004sec (1/250), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 597706, filename: 20080706-IMG_0838.jpg

20080706-IMG 0837

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:42:10, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.003sec (1/400), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 528911, filename: 20080706-IMG_0837.jpg

20080706-IMG 0836

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:41:57, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.003sec (1/320), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 933, filesize: 822123, filename: 20080706-IMG_0836.jpg

20080706-IMG 0847

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:45:29, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.013sec (1/80), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 624336, filename: 20080706-IMG_0847.jpg

20080706-IMG 0834

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:41:44, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.006sec (1/160), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 603334, filename: 20080706-IMG_0834.jpg

20080706-IMG 0833

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:41:32, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.017sec (1/60), f/3.5, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 591814, filename: 20080706-IMG_0833.jpg

20080706-IMG 0832

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:41:13, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.013sec (1/80), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 933, filesize: 941948, filename: 20080706-IMG_0832.jpg

20080706-IMG 0831

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:40:44, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.002sec (1/640), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 377561, filename: 20080706-IMG_0831.jpg

20080706-IMG 0830

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:40:31, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.01sec (1/100), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 490294, filename: 20080706-IMG_0830.jpg

20080706-IMG 0829

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:38:37, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.002sec (1/640), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 344762, filename: 20080706-IMG_0829.jpg

20080706-IMG 0828

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:38:32, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.002sec (1/500), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 583045, filename: 20080706-IMG_0828.jpg

20080706-IMG 0835

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:41:50, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.005sec (1/200), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 933, filesize: 961183, filename: 20080706-IMG_0835.jpg

Rock bluffs, Garden of the Gods

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:38:20, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.004sec (1/250), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 551031, filename: 20080706-IMG_0827.jpg

Edge of the bluffs

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:36:32, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.002sec (1/500), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 933, filesize: 833337, filename: 20080706-IMG_0825.jpg

20-foot rock tower

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:36:26, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.003sec (1/400), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 440017, filename: 20080706-IMG_0824.jpg

Bluffs

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:37:58, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.003sec (1/400), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 493019, filename: 20080706-IMG_0826.jpg

Complex rocks

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:35:54, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.006sec (1/160), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 933, filesize: 795293, filename: 20080706-IMG_0822.jpg

Rocks ready to be climbed

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:36:16, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.003sec (1/320), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 546587, filename: 20080706-IMG_0823.jpg

First view of rock towers on the Observation Trail

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:35:22, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.013sec (1/80), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 933, filesize: 803856, filename: 20080706-IMG_0820.jpg

Rock formations with graffiti, Observation Trail

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:35:00, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.006sec (1/160), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 533575, filename: 20080706-IMG_0819.jpg

Closer view of rock tower

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:35:28, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.017sec (1/60), f/3.5, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 392369, filename: 20080706-IMG_0821.jpg

An early view of what's ahead

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:34:53, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.003sec (1/320), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 518478, filename: 20080706-IMG_0818.jpg

A shot of the Stop No Disposables sign, entrance to the Observation Trail

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:32:23, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.02sec (1/50), f/2.8, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 639655, filename: 20080706-IMG_0816.jpg

Another shot of the first part of Observation Trail

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:32:49, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.017sec (1/60), f/2.8, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 670934, filename: 20080706-IMG_0817.jpg

Beginning of the Observation Trail

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:31:17, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.017sec (1/60), f/2.8, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 552793, filename: 20080706-IMG_0814.jpg

Tended through Time sign, Garden of the Gods

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:31:08, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.013sec (1/80), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 338875, filename: 20080706-IMG_0813.jpg

Butts on the trail

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:31:37, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.017sec (1/60), f/2.8, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 480956, filename: 20080706-IMG_0815.jpg

Garden of the Gods Recreation Area sign

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:31:00, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.013sec (1/80), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 358383, filename: 20080706-IMG_0812.jpg

Information signs at Garden of the Gods

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:30:37, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.017sec (1/60), f/3.5, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 395238, filename: 20080706-IMG_0810.jpg

You are here: Observation Trail, Garden of the Gods

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:30:51, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.01sec (1/100), f/4.0, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 335421, filename: 20080706-IMG_0811.jpg

Entrance to the Observation Trail at Garden of the Gods

Photo captured on 2008:07:06 06:30:19, with a Canon PowerShot G9 at 0.017sec (1/60), f/3.2, 7.4mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 700, height: 525, filesize: 518034, filename: 20080706-IMG_0809.jpg

Entrance to Devil's Icebox

After visiting the amazing Convergence Journalism program at the University of Missouri, I had some time to kill.  What better way than to visit the Devil’s Icebox in Rock Bridge Memorial State Park, Missouri?

Photo captured on 2006:05:26 23:20:51, with a Canon PowerShot SD450 at 0.013sec (1/80), f/2.8, 5.8mm. Mimetype: image/jpeg, width: 740, height: 555, filesize: 472657, filename: IMG_0848.jpg

Climbing around, looking slightly downwards.
Forest and rock towers all around, Garden of the Gods
An ocean of forest
What's out there?

Here’s the scoop. 320 million years ago, standing from this spot one would look down upon waters of the Gulf of Mexico.  The rock features all around were built from mineral deposits left by rivers emptying into the ocean.  They remain here in Southern Illinois because the glaciers which flattened most of Illinois never reached this far south.

More moss/rock beauty
Observation Trail continues, Garden of the Gods
Climbing around rocks, Garden of the Gods
Part of the Observation Trail, Garden of the Gods
More rock textures
More towers
Moss thriving in rock
More rock features
Moss, lichen on rocks
Rock textures
Textured complexity

These features are great for traction while climbing the rocks. Also for scraping skin off knees…

More towers
More rock towers

It’s possible, fun, and a bit dangerous to explore the many spaces between and above these rock towers.

A trail through big rocks, Garden of the Gods
Rock giants, Garden of the Gods
Rock with character, Garden of the Gods
Rock patterns
Rock towers, Garden of the Gods
Garden of the Gods rock formations
More big rocks, Garden of the Gods
Looking back over the Observation Trail, Garden of the Gods
A view of the forest from the rocks, Garden of the Gods
More rock formations, Garden of the Gods
Sunlight with ghost image over big rocks
Sunlight over big rocks
Better sunlight over big rocks
Geologic features

Garden of the Gods has these things called big rock formations.  In Central Illinois where I’m from, these are considered unusual.

Butts everywhere

Yes, if you drop a cigarette butt on the ground, gravity will kick in and the butt will remain pressed again the earth.

Cigarette butts galore

Of course cigarette butts aren’t really litter, right?  If you smoke cigarettes, it is apparently your right to use the world as your ask tray.

Litter shot

One of about a million bits of litter.  I guess the signs aren’t enough, huh?

Another sign about this littering thing

No,really folks, please no littering!

Sign on the Overlook Trail, Garden of the Gods

The sign says no littering, right?

Jack and Rosanne

Us, celebrating our 20th Anniversary

Rosanne relaxing

Everywhere you turn, there is another bar.

Rosanne with fountain

There are almost as many fountains as there are bars.

Hiking through the resort complex

As Rosanne and I discover, the Grand Palladium is really four or five resorts in one.  The place is huge, and beautiful.

The Office

We decided this was our favorite section of the pool network: a swim-up bar.

Flamingoes

Kept apart from the crocodiles or course.

Pool survey

Rosanne gets a first look at the network of swimming pools throughout the resort.

Crocodiles

Behind a fence, fortunately.

Crocodiles on board

Warning: crocodiles are dangerous.

Rosanne being followed

...probably to the bar.

A raised walkway over jungle

Raised walkways run through jungle, leading to some secluded spots.

hotel path 1

A view of the hotel environment.

hotel path 2

Paved paths run for literally miles through the various parts of the resort complex.

Rosanne in hotel room

The lovely Mrs. Brighton celebrates arrival in our really great hotel room at the Grand Palladium Resort.

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