Next week, April 22, we celebrate Earth Day. Donna’s challenge focuses on the day that honors our home planet. For the challenge, she writes, “Join us to showcase anything from rocky landscapes to cobblestone streets. Are you a collector, a climber, or a creator of rock art? Maybe geology is on your mind, or maybe your motivation will come from local conservation efforts as Earth Day was intended.” Her post gives responders the freedom to interpret the challenge as they wish. You can read her entire challenge post here.

Over the years, we’ve traveled through many mountain regions and found many examples of rock formations that would qualify as meeting Donna’s Challenge. I’ve chosen eight photos from my gallery that reflect upon the literal meaning of “rock” and some figurative interpretations. On our first visit to the Garden of the Gods, several climbers challenged the large rocks with their climbing skills. I captured the opening image as a silhouette to emphasize the size of the climber’s challenge compared to his stature.

A Catholic Church, Saint Catherine of Siena Chapel, is constructed on a rock outcropping near Rocky Mountain National Park in Allenspark, Colorado. The Biblical phrase, “Upon this rock, I will build my church,” inspired its construction in 1936.

Tent Rocks, officially known as Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, is a geologic wonderland about 40 miles southwest of Santa Fe, New Mexico. The monument’s name comes from the Keres language, spoken by the nearby Pueblo people, and translates to “white cliffs.” The unusual cone-shaped rock formations were sculpted by volcanic eruptions 6 to 7 million years ago.

Another favorite place for rock climbers is located in south-central Idaho. City of Rocks National Reserve is known for its dramatic granite rock formations, which rise from the high desert plains. These formations were created millions of years ago by volcanic eruptions and erosion.

This tower in northeastern Wyoming is a unique volcanic remnant. It is thought to be the solidified remains of an ancient volcano. Unlike a typical volcano, however, it never erupted. Instead, molten rock pushed upwards through the Earth’s crust but never broke through the surface. Over time, erosion wore away the softer surrounding rock, leaving the resistant volcanic core exposed as the tower we see today.

The views from the top of this gorge are spectacular, high above the Green River that separates Utah and Wyoming. Just be careful where you walk. The area’s namesake is the Flaming Gorge, a deep canyon cut by the Green River over millions of years. The canyon walls are composed of colorful sedimentary rock, including vibrant red, orange, and yellow shades.

Surprisingly, there are two replicas of Stonehenge in Texas. This is the more famous replica, located on the Hill Country Arts Foundation campus in Ingram, Texas. It’s about two-thirds the size of the original Stonehenge and not oriented towards the sun like its British counterpart. It’s of concrete construction and features two additional 13-foot Easter Island head replicas, adding a quirky touch!

On our first visit to Arches National Park, we hiked along several trails to capture the many rock formations in the park. As we hiked, I snapped many photos of the beautiful reddish formations. When I got home from our trip and reviewed the images, I wondered why this spire appeared excited about something.

Of course, I could drag you through family photos of my wonderful wife, our children, and our grandchild, but the love of family truly has rocked my world. Instead, I will focus on personal discoveries. The following three photos focus on personal discoveries that have shaped my life.

While in high school, I discovered the world of photography. For many years, other than family photos, I resisted any urge to make it my life’s work. This display of a Nikon F camera was at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It is the gear used by Baron Wolman, the Chief photographer for Rolling Stone Magazine (1967-70).

I was introduced to aviation as a high school student. At an air show in Long Beach, California, I somehow lucked out to get a ride on a home-built experimental aircraft. That’s me in the yellow shirt hanging onto the seat for dear life. I don’t remember the year, but I genuinely remember the event in the late 1960s. I am thankful that a stranger who happened to take a photo still happened to be around when we returned to the airport. I asked if he would send me a copy of the image, and he obliged.

Aviation has rocked my world for more than a quarter of a century. In 1996, at the young age of 47, that aviation bug bit hard, and I started training to become a private pilot. When I got my pilot’s license in 1997, I looked for some way to turn my interest into a public service. I joined the Civil Air Patrol as a volunteer pilot, flight crew member, and aerial photographer. Eventually, I would become Commander of the North Dakota Wing, responsible for leading the membership, setting the wing’s direction and goals, and maintaining the state’s aircraft fleet. The image above is a self-portrait from 2011. I was sitting in the back seat on our way to a photographic mission, and I noticed my reflection in the mirror on the wing strut of our aircraft. If you’d like to pixel-peep at the HD versions of these photos, my Flickr album is here.

Thanks to Donna for a challenge focusing on our love for Mother Earth and whatever else Rocks our World. I loved seeing everyone’s edits in last week’s Before and After challenge. Next week, Ritva hosts. Follow her site here to find out next week’s challenge topic and join in. If you’d like to join us and aren’t sure how to get started, check here for details.

John Steiner