Sunday, July 24, 2011

Last stop! 5,000 miles

Heading home. We hit 5,000 miles traveled near Denver. The entire trip
will be about 6,500.

24 hours driving time to Dunwoody. Another amazing tour that Robert
scheduled for us months in advance.

It's on the trip home that we usually pull out the road atlas and pick
a theme for next July. We have done the Southwest, the Lewis and Cark
Trail, and now California.

What's next ... Pacific Northwest? Northeast? Washington DC? I do know
we'll treasure these times and memories with our girls and each other.
Happy trails.

Hot Springs

Hot day, hot water.

Glenwood Springs Natural pool

July 23, 2011 Glenwood Springs, Colorado

Yay Glenwood Springs. No detail plans for our return route, but happy
to pick rte I 70 home (we've taken I 10, I 40 and I 70 at other
times.) Cooler. And pass thru GS.

Robert and I lived in Glenwood Springs in a 1 bedroom house just off
main street and it couldn't have been more perfect.

He built the hospital here and I taught third grade. Love this small
town bw Vail and Aspen.

Have hiked up the hill to Doc Holliday's gravesite many times when we
had visitors. And of course known for its hot springs pool.

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Moab main street

Decoding Indian pictographs

An Indian here told me to say "Indian" not "Native American." Comments?

Moab hasn't changed much in 20 years

July 22, 2011 - Moab, UT

Moab, Utah. Mountain biking mecca. Robert and I spent many weekends
here as young people.

We would drive over from Durango, later Parachute, Colorado, to bike the test
track Friday nite, then Slickrock on Saturday. GoFinally mom in room 2253 she s tired sleeping now looks good her ph is 4045012253od memories.

For this trip we did some shopping and out to the Moab Brewery for
dinner. Stayed at Canyonlands RV Park on main street.

Ranger Talk

Katie is highly motivated by reward, any reward. Here she earned her
11 th Junior Ranger Badge this summer by completing workbook activities,
collecting trash and attending lectures or park movies. She diligently
completed all tasks for this recognition, even missing playtime to do
so.

Abigail needed lots of encouragement, but in the end followed her sister's lead.

Katie and Robert, Canyonlands

Canyonlands National Park, UT

Our 11 th National Park this trip. Canyonlands National Park is very
close in proximity to Arches, but not bordering.

Formed by the Green River on the Colorado Plateau, or high desert.

This arch makes a picture window to the canyon beyond. Incredible.

Arches

Carins - stacked rocks

Started by Rangers for trail marking, now the public likes to stack
rocks too for art. They are pretty and sculptural. Make an impact as a
grouping.

Katie and Summer

Balancing Rock

We did walk here. Saw lizards and heard a sidewinder (little) rattlesnake.

Delicate Arch trailhead

Delicate Arch - too hot to hike!!

BB on binoculars

Looking for Big Horn Sheep.

Arches Visitor Center

Arches National Park, UT

Left Bryce early morning to drive 5 hours to Southern Utah. We are
able to get a couple hours down the road before the girls wake up.
This quiet time driving across wonderful landscapes is a favorite.

Arches National Park is red sandstone playground. Hot and desert-
like. We saw Balancing Rock and Delicate Arch.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

More s'mores

Double ovens!

Cowboy steaks and hashbrowns for dinner.

Hike to the lodge for ice cream!!

Bryce Canyon Lodge. Neat.

See Robert?

Summer

Summer and BB

A fading arch window

This was so cool!

Beliow Rim Trail

Girls

Robert and his "beard"

Makes me think of a lost city

Abigail and Mom

Bryce's Point

Hike to Bryce Point - spectacularly spikey

Katie working on another badge

Learning about erosion

Visitor Center Bryce Canyon

Bryce National Park, Utah

Bryce is stunning. Like sand castles or gigantic stalagmites. Once
all arches they have been worn away by wind and water equally until
just the "towers" of thexarch remain. Another national park with
another treasure, all its own.

Know locally as Bryce'sCznyon after the pioneer Ebeneezer Bryce who
Swttled here, the name stuck once officially made a national park in the
1920s.

We took Rim Hike to Bryce's Point with only some similarity to the Grand Csnyon.

It was getting late, so just a quick look at the Below Rim Hike. Looked amazing!