February Family Adventure: Moab
Michelle and I have had a trip to Moab on our to-do list for years, and last week I up and decided it was time to cross it off. I took a page out of the kids' playbook and whined and cried until Michelle gave in. Just kidding - they never whine or cry, and Michelle never gives in when they do. But as ever, she was game to go along with my ideas.
The family picked me up at work about 3:45. I may have underestimated the length of the trip, but by the time Michelle figured that out, it was too late to turn around.
We stopped in Price and ate at the world's ghettoest Arby's. The paint was coming off the walls, the trash can holders were broken, and there were boxes everywhere. The staff was pleasantly inept, and the container that should have held the ketchup had a homemade sign that read "Arby's Sause." We thought this was the worst restaurant we would eat at during the trip. We were wrong.
We pulled into the Super 8 in Moab about 9:30, and none of the kids were asleep. The hotel was nothing special, but the rooms were recently updated and were pretty nice. After some snacks, Add and Bryn fell right asleep but Leah was ready to party. She finally checked out a little after midnight, after several screaming fits and two extremely grumpy parents.
Nonetheless, Saturday morning found us all in relatively good spirits and ready for action. We didn't know it when we planned the trip, but entrance to all national parks was free this weekend, which may have contributed to the crowds. Breakfast in the lobby was packed; I think half the Wasatch Front came to Moab for Presidents Day (I hear the other half went to St. George). The weather was colder than advertised. It was overcast and chilly all day, but still warmer than we've been all winter.
First stop was Delicate Arch in Arches NP. The trail starts with a bridge and a little side trip to some Ute petroglyphs, which the kids thought were awesome. I was proud of all three (to say nothing of my hardcore third-trimester-pregnant wife) for rocking the 3-mile hike, including some good elevation gain. They all fell down here and there but after a few tears were back on their way. The view at Delicate Arch was stunning, even if the hordes of kids scrambling around the ledges made me and Michelle break out in cold sweats. We had a picnic lunch of PB&Js, pretzels, and apples. On the way back, the slickrock was really fun to play around on.
When we got back to the parking lot, it was time for a visit to the pit toilets. Add fearlessly entered one (after I assured him that it wasn't worth waiting for a different stall, that they did in fact ALL smell that bad) and proceeded to take his sweet time (as per usual). After awhile I decided it was time for an intervention, so I went in - and found him completely naked except for one shoe and sock, from which hung his pants. The rest of his clothing was strewn around the unimaginably nasty floor. It was a wonderful parenting moment.
After Delicate Arch we drove over to Double Arch, and while Mom and Leah napped in the car, me, Addison, and Bryn had fun scrambling around the boulders under the arch. They also played in the sand and had a blast.
Certain characteristics of our three kids were highlighted on the trip. Addison will not be hurried, and he is fascinated by scientific facts. His mind was pretty much blown to learn that Landscape Arch was the longest arch in the world. We did a bit of research today and discovered there is a longer natural bridge in China, but he knows the difference between an arch and a natural bridge (the latter has water running under it), thanks to our earlier trip through canyon country. Bryn is fearless - perhaps reckless - and loves to climb and jump. She is also the last to complain and does not want to miss an adventure. She could have used a nap in the afternoon, but no way was she going to miss out on another hike to get one. Leah likewise doesn't want to be left out, and she always wants to be in control. On the Landscape Arch trail, she alternated between demanding to walk, be carried in my arms, and ride on my shoulders, about every 30 seconds. At that point in the day, I could do little but obey.
The last hike of the day was almost two miles to Landscape Arch and back. The trail was wet and snowy in some places.
On the way home we stopped for dinner at the West Winds restaurant in Green River. I should have known something was amiss when we couldn't find a parking place anywhere, but I figured that just meant it was delicious food. The only space available was at the bar - not one where they serve alcohol, obviously, as that would have been illegal - and just what sort of parents do you take us for, anyway? The kids liked sitting on the swivel chairs, and that was about the only positive thing about the experience. There was some sort of celebration going on, and there must have been 150 cowboys and wives there, hollering and partying and generally making themselves merry. Service for the few other people in the restaurant was terrible, we couldn't hear a darn thing, and halfway through, a live band started playing second-rate country classics. I swear it was a deleted scene from Dante's Inferno. And my $7 hamburger consisted in its entirety of a burnt 2-oz patty on a bun that dwarfed it, with week-old shredded iceberg lettuce and unsalted french fries on the side. And Michelle may or may not have had to make a couple emergency trips to the ladies' room during her breakfast-burrito dinner, and there may or may not have been a woman in one of the stalls puking her guts out. Really, the price we paid for that meal was nothing in comparison to the memories it left us with.
The family picked me up at work about 3:45. I may have underestimated the length of the trip, but by the time Michelle figured that out, it was too late to turn around.
Wind turbines at the mouth of Spanish Fork Canyon
We pulled into the Super 8 in Moab about 9:30, and none of the kids were asleep. The hotel was nothing special, but the rooms were recently updated and were pretty nice. After some snacks, Add and Bryn fell right asleep but Leah was ready to party. She finally checked out a little after midnight, after several screaming fits and two extremely grumpy parents.
Nonetheless, Saturday morning found us all in relatively good spirits and ready for action. We didn't know it when we planned the trip, but entrance to all national parks was free this weekend, which may have contributed to the crowds. Breakfast in the lobby was packed; I think half the Wasatch Front came to Moab for Presidents Day (I hear the other half went to St. George). The weather was colder than advertised. It was overcast and chilly all day, but still warmer than we've been all winter.
First stop was Delicate Arch in Arches NP. The trail starts with a bridge and a little side trip to some Ute petroglyphs, which the kids thought were awesome. I was proud of all three (to say nothing of my hardcore third-trimester-pregnant wife) for rocking the 3-mile hike, including some good elevation gain. They all fell down here and there but after a few tears were back on their way. The view at Delicate Arch was stunning, even if the hordes of kids scrambling around the ledges made me and Michelle break out in cold sweats. We had a picnic lunch of PB&Js, pretzels, and apples. On the way back, the slickrock was really fun to play around on.
At one point, Leah planted herself in the middle of the trail and played in the sand for 10 minutes.
The final approach to Delicate Arch is pretty spectacular.
Look, Dad! It's just like on the license plates!
When we got back to the parking lot, it was time for a visit to the pit toilets. Add fearlessly entered one (after I assured him that it wasn't worth waiting for a different stall, that they did in fact ALL smell that bad) and proceeded to take his sweet time (as per usual). After awhile I decided it was time for an intervention, so I went in - and found him completely naked except for one shoe and sock, from which hung his pants. The rest of his clothing was strewn around the unimaginably nasty floor. It was a wonderful parenting moment.
After Delicate Arch we drove over to Double Arch, and while Mom and Leah napped in the car, me, Addison, and Bryn had fun scrambling around the boulders under the arch. They also played in the sand and had a blast.
Certain characteristics of our three kids were highlighted on the trip. Addison will not be hurried, and he is fascinated by scientific facts. His mind was pretty much blown to learn that Landscape Arch was the longest arch in the world. We did a bit of research today and discovered there is a longer natural bridge in China, but he knows the difference between an arch and a natural bridge (the latter has water running under it), thanks to our earlier trip through canyon country. Bryn is fearless - perhaps reckless - and loves to climb and jump. She is also the last to complain and does not want to miss an adventure. She could have used a nap in the afternoon, but no way was she going to miss out on another hike to get one. Leah likewise doesn't want to be left out, and she always wants to be in control. On the Landscape Arch trail, she alternated between demanding to walk, be carried in my arms, and ride on my shoulders, about every 30 seconds. At that point in the day, I could do little but obey.
The last hike of the day was almost two miles to Landscape Arch and back. The trail was wet and snowy in some places.
Michelle's artsy shot of the redrock fins with the white-capped La Sal Mountains in the distance.
An irresistible sand hill. These things must be climbed, even at the end of the second long hike of the day.
By the time we drove out of the park, it was getting close to sunset and I knew we wouldn't have time to make it to Canyonlands or Dead Horse Point, so we opted for some rock art instead. We visited a panel named "Bartlett" on the road to Canyonlands. This one is Ancient Puebloan and is said to be thousands of years old. One of the figures is midly famous because it has been used as "evidence" of alien life forms. Bryn was glad to get one more "rock climb" in, and the minivan was a champ on the sandy road.
On the way home we stopped for dinner at the West Winds restaurant in Green River. I should have known something was amiss when we couldn't find a parking place anywhere, but I figured that just meant it was delicious food. The only space available was at the bar - not one where they serve alcohol, obviously, as that would have been illegal - and just what sort of parents do you take us for, anyway? The kids liked sitting on the swivel chairs, and that was about the only positive thing about the experience. There was some sort of celebration going on, and there must have been 150 cowboys and wives there, hollering and partying and generally making themselves merry. Service for the few other people in the restaurant was terrible, we couldn't hear a darn thing, and halfway through, a live band started playing second-rate country classics. I swear it was a deleted scene from Dante's Inferno. And my $7 hamburger consisted in its entirety of a burnt 2-oz patty on a bun that dwarfed it, with week-old shredded iceberg lettuce and unsalted french fries on the side. And Michelle may or may not have had to make a couple emergency trips to the ladies' room during her breakfast-burrito dinner, and there may or may not have been a woman in one of the stalls puking her guts out. Really, the price we paid for that meal was nothing in comparison to the memories it left us with.
The scene of the crime. Do NOT enter.
All in all, a grand success. We even made it to church this morning at 8:59 despite getting home after midnight.
You guys are awesome. And Michelle is a champion for going when she's 7 months pregnant. ASTOUNDING.
ReplyDeleteApparently green river is just all around bad. On our way to Moab we went to a hotel there. Lets just say my brother in law had some choice words with them to get our money back and we skeeded outta there!
ReplyDeleteThis is awesome. Michelle- you are so brave! The pictures are great.
ReplyDelete