Roughin' It in Red Rock Country!
This past weekend, we took a little mini-vacation down to Moab. I love Moab! Growing up with a biker dad, a trip to Moab was always on the calender at least once or twice a year. But, I realized my kids had never been down there...and there is no better place to take two little boys than to a place where they can run around & throw rocks to their heart's delight! So, Nana & Poppy, along with the 4 of us, piled into the car and headed down there! We were there for 4 days, and each day was a blast!
Day One: Playing at Park Avenue & Pasta Joe's
We got to Moab on Friday afternoon & went straight to Arches National Park. I love Arches. It is probably my favorite national park...with Grand Tetons & Zions coming in a close second & third. It was kind of a windy day (as can be seen by the above picture), so we didn't stay long, but we did stop at Park Avenue for about 45 minutes. Park Avenue is a canyon in the park where the rocks just shoot straight up at a 90 degree angle. They look a lot like skyscrapers lining the canyon, so as you walk down it...it looks a lot like you are walking down Park Avenue (hence the name). The kids had a blast climbing into caves & making statues out of rocks.
After playing in Park Avenue for awhile, we went & checked into our hotel & then went to eat dinner...where Mike fell in love with a guy named Joe. Yes, it's true...Mike fell in love with Pasta Joe's. It's this little Italian restaurant in downtown Moab. The second Mike looked at the menu he was hooked. Every other time throughout the trip that we were looking for a place to eat, Mike would say, "We could go to that pasta place again!" I swear we heard that exact statement at least 7 times throughout the weekend.
Day Two: Sweet Revenge
Mike & my dad started out each day with a bike ride. On day two, they went up to Klondike Bluffs. Apparently, they had a great time because they were gone for 5 hours...and they had the car with them! Which left my mom & I to entertain two little boys all morning long without any wheels! We ended up trying to walk into town on some back roads, which didn't work too well. But, don't worry...we got the men back (take a look at the picture below):
We made them carry the kids on a 4-mile hike that afternoon through Negro Bill's Canyon (or if you care for the PC version--African-American Bill's Canyon). The kids actually did okay for about the first half-mile or so, but after that both of them were saying, "Carry me! Carry me!" To be honest, I don't know how Mike & my dad carried them almost the whole way. It's a fairly strenuous hike to do by yourself, let alone with a kid on your back. And, we did all that work for this:
A natural bridge! I did all that work for a natural bridge? For a 4-mile hike I better at least get an arch! No, just kidding, it was pretty cool. And, the kids had a great time throwing rocks into the little pond under the bridge.
Day 3: Wocks & Wa-Butts
Afterwards we hiked to the north & south windows and Turret Arch. But, then we went to our favorite arch...Sand Dune Arch. It is only about 1/3 mile off the road & is basically a walk at the beach...literally. Most the hike is through some of the finest sand I've ever seen in my life.
After Sand Dune Arch, we hiked on about another mile to Broken Arch. This should have been a short hike; however, Aiden kept looking for wocks (rocks) & wa-butts (rabbits). Every time he would see a rock he wanted, someone would have to stop and pick it up...only to have him throw it at a log or cactus a few minutes later. On top of that, he kept seeing jack rabbits. And, with each one, the whole group would have to stop and watch it until it hopped off. Then, he would proceed to remind all of us on a regular basis that we had seen a wa-butt. It was pretty cute, but made for a long hike.
Afterwards, all of us went back to Arches to attempt the Delicate Arch hike. I love this hike! You can't go to Moab without going to see delicate arch! It's a 3-mile hike, and it's not an easy one...but we were going to attempt it. Unfortunately for us, Mother Nature had other plans. Just as we were getting to the slick rock part of the trail, it started raining. But, we kept going. Then, we heard the dreaded sound...thunder! Slick rock is not a good place to be during a thunderstorm. It gets very slippery & there is NO shelter. So, this was the end of the trail for us. Instead of seeing Delicate Arch, we saw this (see below):
You can kind of see the arch in the distance. Oh well! Overall, it was such a fun weekend! We'll have to make it a regular on our calender from now on! I've put more pictures below...and even more on Facebook! --Lindsay
On the hike through Negro Bill's Canyon
Connor helping hold up Balanced Rock! You can't go to Arches without getting this shot!
Aiden between a rock & a hard place...well, okay, just two large rocks!
Mike & Connor scaling the narrow canyon walls
3 comments:
Instead of seeing Delicate Arch, we saw this (see below):
NOTHING - AN X WITH A WHITE BOX AROUND IT!
SWEET!!!!!
sounds like fun, stuage.
I think Mike needed to add some details about his mountain biking advertures, such as finding dinosaur tracks, standing on the edge of 1000-foot cliffs, meeting up a girl biker who had hairy legs I have ever seen, and Mike's cool downhill crash (after I warned him not to try it). Aiden and Connor were great fun (only a few time-outs!)
It sounds like you guys had so much fun! I'm so glad. However, I am a bit upset that you guys had such a good experience at Pasta Joe's, while we had such a horrible one the last time we were down there! The waitress was such a snot to us! Yet she was nice as can be to the couple next to us who looked very much like Moabites. Ha ha, don't they use that word in the Bible? Of course, Dad is basically a Moabite so maybe he was your "in." Hopefully, the next time you guys go we will have more money and can go. It's doubtful, but we can always hope! ;) Luv ya!
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