Ahh, south central Utah...

As y'all must know by now, I am obsessed with this place.

So, a natural starting place.

Convinced R to drive through Hanksville because I'd never done it before. 

And that led us straight into the heart of Capitol Reef NP!

Then spit us out on the Hogsback stretch of HWY 12 at the most magical moment.

Upon settling in at the Escalante place,

 

we went walking by the Escalante River...

 

 

and paid a visit to Lower Calf Creek Falls.

 

and had fires.

and watched some Gilmore Girls.

and did old newspaper crosswords.

and made breakfasts.

and generally reveled in the soulful refuge 

of a teeny town 

on the edge of GSENMonument 

in the middle of wonderful nowhere.

New Méjico, too!

In August my numba one gal pal, KKB, moved to northwestern New Mexico.

I've been frequenting ever since.

Farmington, NM  has the best thrifting.

Best bud pun'kin carving at Kylie's place.
(Mine's the cat one. Whiskers were added to compliment the accidental cleft.)

My best friend lives here!!
(Not so much in the dumpster as in Aztec, NM.)

We've been driving all damn day through eastern Utah canyon country!!
And by 'we,' I mean Ronnie. But still. Stuck in the truck. Together.
(We have a stupid amount of these kinds of pics.)

 

It turns out New Mexico sunsets are in fact the world's best.
Angel Peak, NM

Jemez Springs area hot pots.

(Glamorous) 

 

The most awkward pose imaginable.

These are my BFFs4lyfe.
On a log.

Ol' Colorady

Oh, hi! I've been in Colorado!

Hiking near Evergreen.

Staying with my dear Fulbright friend Rebecca in Denver.

Making Turkish ezogelin çorbası! 

Wandering around Downtown Denver.

(Thanks for the city recommends, Dallin!) 

Denver Film Festing.
(Saw The Informant, a wild documentary about revolutionary activism. Major thumbs up, and the director did the best Q&A I've ever been to. Look it up!)

International cuisine sampling--Peruvian, Ethiopian, the expansive Colorado beer universe, and Vietnamese. Who knew Denver was a late-night Pho hotspot?!

Hanging out and heart-to-hearting with Becca at the Little Red Wagon.
(Since Becca spends her days educating the underprivileged youth of America 
as a Teach for America 6th grade writing instructor (read: saint) I pretty well 
walked all the streets of Denver West Highlands and squatted at every 
coffee shop within a 3 mile radius of her place.)

Joining in on an early Thanksgiving feast, playing with babies, and hanging with life's-still-fun-and-we're-college-BFFs-at-heart-even-though-we're-thirtyish role models at Ronnie's aunt's ranch in 
BFN Northern CO.

Being gifted handmade knives!! What?!
(Mine's the little "lady" one.  Bad.Ass.)

Meeting some of Ronnie's fam! Such sweeties!

Driving three and a half hours through a snowstorm.
(Sorry for the cow sadness.)

As of this weekend it is winter in the mountains.

And I'm gettin' ready for the haul back to Yootaw. With this kid.
:)

November & Post Numba One-oh-One!

No longer abroad,

but still on the road

with one of my very best.