Castle Valley is an area northeast of Moab off of the Colorado River National Byway (aka River Road or Route 128). The Moab area is mostly desert and has the characteristic orange color of sandstone found in the southwest that always contrasts well with blue skies. The sandstone is everywhere and there are some really cool rock formations that have been formed through erosion over the centuries. The formation in this photo is known as Castleton Tower. Often when I am in these serene places, my mind wanders and my imagination kicks in.
I can almost see a man lost in the desert that has been surviving without water. He comes over the crest of a dune and spots this oasis and wonders to himself, "Is that really water or is it a mirage?" That is the thought in my mind as I click the shutter button to capture the moment. I know that this is not a mirage but real. Could what I imagined really have happened sometime in the past? Probably not, but who knows?