Bryce Canyon, Utah

After the ugly dance our car had with the icy roads of Montana the night before, we decided to minimize our chances of another heinous performance. (You win this time, Treacherous Asphalt.) We waved good-bye to our original plans to drive to wintry Wyoming and headed down to Utah and Arizona to watch the scenery melt from snow-capped mountains to dry plains and red canyons instead.

Lucky for me, I was traveling with Derik: an earth science expert, geology guru and trivia extraordinaire. He can explain the evolution of the earth’s crust, make you appreciate the handiwork that nature put into America’s landscapes, and school you on Mariah Carrey titles from the 90’s––all in one breath. Despite our slower than anticipated drive, we took a detour to Bryce Canyon to marvel at the alien spires carved by millions of years of erosion. Talk about epic.