On this page we focus on dinosaur country in eastern Utah.     Please click here to go to the Amazon link to learn more about my books. Supporting the efforts of the Poetical Journal is greatly appreciated! To support, click here. (Scroll down to the donate button.) For Unique Poetical Gifts click here! Questions? Email me. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This originally was PJ: VOLUME XXI – Issue 7: Sunday, August 28, 2022 (252nd Issue) Opening Comments from Bob Two Poems: It Begins and Personal Rain Dance Bonus Poem Section: Pilgrim's Journey Vignette: Dinosaur Land in Eastern Utah Please support my efforts for this publication by donating or purchasing merchandise. Recommendations Subscription information   Janice on the road to Vernal, UT. ...Opening Comments from Bob This Issue: Jan and I recently visited eastern Utah, once home to millions of years of dinosaurs, the original Jurassic Park. I conducted a Tai Chi workshop in Roosevelt, Utah, and the next day we toured the resort center on dinosaur history, located in the Vernal, Utah area. Nearby is the National Dinosaur Monument which attracts thousands of tourists a year. For those interested, the vignette below provides more information regarding this area. The two poems are It Begins and Personal Rain Dance. The Bonus Poem speaks to a personal journey. To become a friend on Facebook, click on this link. ------------------------------------------------------------ PLEASE! Supporting the efforts of the Poetical Journal is greatly appreciated! Any amount of donation is appreciated. To support, click here. SPECIAL Thank You to Jim from Yellow Springs, OH, for his monetary support toward the PJ. -----------------------------------------   A full-size replica of the wholly mammoth. Note Jan to the right for perspective. One of the displays in the kid friendly museum, Utah Fieldhouse of Natural History State Park in Vernal.   Two Poems + Bonus   Comments: No great thoughts! We are still aware of our dependence on the whims of nature. As you undoubtedly know, much of the West is in drought. While the rain dance described in the poem was imaginary, it is very real to the Native Americans of the region. The rain dance usually takes place in the driest month of the year, so usually this ritual is performed in mid to late August ever year. The Native American rain dance is performed by both the men and women of the tribe, unlike other tribal rituals where only men are allowed.   Bonus Poem: On Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram I have been running a daily series of my poems accompanied with an appropriate picture. I will show a favorite in this section each month. This poem first appeared in VOLUME III ISSUE 6 - Sunday, July 25, 2004 (35th Issue). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ One of the displays in the Quarry Exhibit Hall. Archaeologists cleared the rock away from one of the skeletons in the Quarry Exhibit Hall. Sections are still encased in the rock. Vignette this Month: Dinosaur Land in Eastern Utah Since moving to Utah I was aware of the this fascinating historical area but had never visited it. A Tai Chi workshop I taught in nearby Roosevelt provided the opportunity to spend time learning about the land and its heritage. If you decide to visit, I suggest you use Vernal as your base and be sure to visit first the fantastic museum, Utah Fieldhouse of Natural History State Park, then head out to the Quarry Exhibit Hall and the National Dinosaur Monument. Provided you have allocated enough time, drive some of the roads within the park. You do not need to take the long route into Colorado in order to gain a true flavor of this land. In 1906, paleontologist Earl Douglass discovered this incredible find of dinosaur remains encased within the rock quarry. Until the state and federal governments created protections, many of the bones were excavated and now appear in museums and in private collections throughout the world. It is believed that this huge cache of bones occurred when the rivers dried up and many dinosaurs died in the once-plus river basins. Later, the waters returned flooding and encasing and preserving the bones in cement-like sediment. At the time of discovery by Douglass, this was the largest find of dinosaur bones in the world. It is estimated that the original event occurred approximately 149 million years ago. To provide a bit of perspective, paleontologists argue that dinosaurs ruled the land for approximately 165 million years (This estimate varies among scientists.) while humans (homo sapiens) have existed a mere 300,000 years.   A partial view of wall within the Quarry Exhibit Hall . You are viewing the remains of original dinosaur bodies. Wall of flowers surrounding the larger Utah Fieldhouse of Natural History State Park in Vernal. The park is actually a very well-done museum. We visited this small, free museum in Vernal by accident. Besides being free, it was worth the short visit. Recommendations Few outside of Utah realize that dinosaurs ruled this land for over 100 million years. Most visitors think only of our famous national parks. However, if you have any interest in these ancient residences and the geographic history, I encourage you to visit Vernal and the National Dinosaur Monument and the Utah Fieldhouse of Natural History State Park. While the Monument extends into Colorado, if your time is short, a must visit is the Quarry Exhibit Hall (part of the Monument) a dozen miles outside of Vernal. Hundreds of floral baskets in downtown Vernal Please take a look at the online book and gift pages. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Vernal is about 136 miles from my home. However, the terrain becomes more arid and the mountains take on different shapes. Despite the climate change there are still fertile areas assisted by irrigation and the Green River that is a jewel to farmers and orchards,   The Green River is the main water source. This picture was taken within the National Dinosaur Monument grounds. Turtle Rock also within the Monument grounds. Some of the rock formations within the National Dinosaur Monument are over a billion years old, the oldest known on earth. Tai Chi Corner An instructor workshop I attended via ZOOM. Contact Bob for a name of an instructor near you. Subscription: To unsubscribe, click on your individualized unsubscribe e-mail at the end of this newsletter. (Not appropriate for this web page.)   Bob Casey Poetical Journeys P.O. Box 319 Midway, UT 84049 bob@poeticaljourneys.com If you are reading this and have not signed up for your free subscription to the Poetical Journal, please click here.   Back to Westward Ho Top Click on the icon to go to the homepage.