Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Utah Vacation
We have returned from our vacation to Southern Utah. We had such a great time! I have saved the photos on www.photobucket.com under luckystryke. Hopefully I can download the slideshow at the bottom of the page. If not you should be able to view them on photobucket.
We started off with a great visit with Coby...he and Steph we gracious enough to let us invade their home not once, but twice on this trip. The next morning we left for Zion in totally crappy weather. It snowed nearly the whole drive but it wasn't cold enough to stick to the road so it was just like driving in the rain. Magically however, when we hit Cedar City it was sunny and clear and beautiful.
We arrived at Zion to 60 degree temps and gorgeous blue skies. We hiked and took lots of pictures for the 2 days we were there. Ryker even attempted to take Kai'le on the Angel's Landing hike (if you aren't familiar with it do a google search for Angel's Landing pictures...it's worth the view). She did great up until the switchback section and decided it wasn't for her. I personally don't blame her :-) We saw beautiful waterfalls and caught 1200 year old water on our tongues. It was great.
Then we were off to Bryce Canyon. The kids loved the drive because it involved several tunnels - one a mile and a half long. Upon our arrival at Bryce, we had 4 hours before we could check into our hotel so we decided to make the best of it. We braved the Navajo Trail...with a stroller. Ryker took the brunt of the punishment hiking back out of the canyon pushing Brodee in the stroller through sticky, slippery red mud. Kai'le and I took a trail ride to the canyon rim, which was a blast. I had the worlds slowest horse and I think my legs hurt more from trying to kick the air out of his lungs that they did from not riding in 6 months. The view was worth it though - it was spectacular and our wrangler, Keziah, took a liking to Kai'le and made her ride very enjoyable. On our way out of Bryce we stopped at Mossy Cave. It was a gorgeous hike and the cave was amazing. It practically had a glacier inside of it from the water freezing during the winter. There were ice stilactites and stilagmites everywhere.
We then took the 120 mile drive of our lives to Capitol Reef. Stopping along the way at a petrified forest in Escalante. Highway 12 is a site to behold and if you ever get the opportunity to drive it in it's entirety as we did, I highly recommend it. It takes you through some amazing landscape from deserts, to canyons, aspen forests, pine forests, elevations over 9000 feet and sheer cliffs on either side of the highway! It was simply amazing.
Upon our arrival in Capitol Reef, we were taken aback not only by the landscape but the amazing food that is available in Torrey. The have two of the best restaurants I've ever eaten at...and you know how I like my food. Big kudos to the chef's at Cafe Diablo and The Rim Rock. At Capitol Reef we saw petroglyphs, an amazing natural bridge and took my truck off-road for an 30+ mile dirt road trek down the Waterpocket Fold. I also nearly lost my lunch leaning over the fench to get a good picture of the Goosenecks and once again we took Brodee's stroller places it wasn't meant to go "Moab Style" as Ryker called it - over rocks and stairs - he loved it, the crazier the better.
Finally it was time to head home, but the fun wasn't done. We stayed in Heber City at the Homestead Resort where Kai'le and Ryker swam in the Crater that they have there. I can't describe it - it's just wierd. You can check it out online though...very cool. We also stopped in Park City and rode the Alpine Rollercoaster. It was a blast and both kids loved it! The nice guy that was running it let us go again for free - so it was a killer time not once, but twice.
Grandpa Bob, Grandma Jami and Stephanie met us in Heber to ride the Heber Valley Railway. Brodee was in heaven and I spent way tooooooooooooooooo much money on Thomas products in the gift shop. We spent a nice Easter morning with Rod, Staci and Timmi. Rod made breakfast for us and Coby and Steph came as did Amanda and Cort and those cute little monkeys Hank and Jack. The kids enjoyed an Easter Egg Hunt and we headed out for home. We stopped at Shoshone Falls along the way - which is currently at full capacity and then took a detour through Thousand Springs. It was certainly a trip to remember!!!!
We started off with a great visit with Coby...he and Steph we gracious enough to let us invade their home not once, but twice on this trip. The next morning we left for Zion in totally crappy weather. It snowed nearly the whole drive but it wasn't cold enough to stick to the road so it was just like driving in the rain. Magically however, when we hit Cedar City it was sunny and clear and beautiful.
We arrived at Zion to 60 degree temps and gorgeous blue skies. We hiked and took lots of pictures for the 2 days we were there. Ryker even attempted to take Kai'le on the Angel's Landing hike (if you aren't familiar with it do a google search for Angel's Landing pictures...it's worth the view). She did great up until the switchback section and decided it wasn't for her. I personally don't blame her :-) We saw beautiful waterfalls and caught 1200 year old water on our tongues. It was great.
Then we were off to Bryce Canyon. The kids loved the drive because it involved several tunnels - one a mile and a half long. Upon our arrival at Bryce, we had 4 hours before we could check into our hotel so we decided to make the best of it. We braved the Navajo Trail...with a stroller. Ryker took the brunt of the punishment hiking back out of the canyon pushing Brodee in the stroller through sticky, slippery red mud. Kai'le and I took a trail ride to the canyon rim, which was a blast. I had the worlds slowest horse and I think my legs hurt more from trying to kick the air out of his lungs that they did from not riding in 6 months. The view was worth it though - it was spectacular and our wrangler, Keziah, took a liking to Kai'le and made her ride very enjoyable. On our way out of Bryce we stopped at Mossy Cave. It was a gorgeous hike and the cave was amazing. It practically had a glacier inside of it from the water freezing during the winter. There were ice stilactites and stilagmites everywhere.
We then took the 120 mile drive of our lives to Capitol Reef. Stopping along the way at a petrified forest in Escalante. Highway 12 is a site to behold and if you ever get the opportunity to drive it in it's entirety as we did, I highly recommend it. It takes you through some amazing landscape from deserts, to canyons, aspen forests, pine forests, elevations over 9000 feet and sheer cliffs on either side of the highway! It was simply amazing.
Upon our arrival in Capitol Reef, we were taken aback not only by the landscape but the amazing food that is available in Torrey. The have two of the best restaurants I've ever eaten at...and you know how I like my food. Big kudos to the chef's at Cafe Diablo and The Rim Rock. At Capitol Reef we saw petroglyphs, an amazing natural bridge and took my truck off-road for an 30+ mile dirt road trek down the Waterpocket Fold. I also nearly lost my lunch leaning over the fench to get a good picture of the Goosenecks and once again we took Brodee's stroller places it wasn't meant to go "Moab Style" as Ryker called it - over rocks and stairs - he loved it, the crazier the better.
Finally it was time to head home, but the fun wasn't done. We stayed in Heber City at the Homestead Resort where Kai'le and Ryker swam in the Crater that they have there. I can't describe it - it's just wierd. You can check it out online though...very cool. We also stopped in Park City and rode the Alpine Rollercoaster. It was a blast and both kids loved it! The nice guy that was running it let us go again for free - so it was a killer time not once, but twice.
Grandpa Bob, Grandma Jami and Stephanie met us in Heber to ride the Heber Valley Railway. Brodee was in heaven and I spent way tooooooooooooooooo much money on Thomas products in the gift shop. We spent a nice Easter morning with Rod, Staci and Timmi. Rod made breakfast for us and Coby and Steph came as did Amanda and Cort and those cute little monkeys Hank and Jack. The kids enjoyed an Easter Egg Hunt and we headed out for home. We stopped at Shoshone Falls along the way - which is currently at full capacity and then took a detour through Thousand Springs. It was certainly a trip to remember!!!!
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