Patterns In Stone - Checkerboard Mesa

Located near the Zion National Park East Entrance, this formation is made of Navajo Sandstone and has two sets of line forming the checkerboard pattern. The horizontal lines (crossbedding) represent layers of wind-blown sand that build up into sand dunes. These dunes were then buried, and the sand grains are glued together chemically (right up your alley Deb) to form sandstone. The vertical lines are actually shallow cracks that result from stress and erosion on the rock surface.
Pretty neat what nature can do!