The color of the soil in this photo, taken at Cedar Breaks National Monument in southern Utah, is caused by iron oxide. Parts of it have turned white through "bleaching", a natural process wherein water dissolves the iron oxide and strips its color. Pretty interesting: http://geology.utah.gov/online/pdf/pi-77.pdf
They do things differently in California...
Air travel always amazes me. For thousands of years, travel took large amounts of time and was fraught with danger. Now we fly high above it all, passing miles every minute. Truly, flight is incredible. Taken over northern Nebraska, United States.
