Vacation Pictures (finally!)

Well, I thought it was about time I put up some pictures from our camping trip to Utah. Michelle, Kathy and I went to Zion National Park and had a great time catching up and doing some amazing hikes! Hopefully you can see just a little of this beautiful place even though these pictures don't to it justice.

Michelle and I spent our first night in Mesa Verde National Park on our way down. It was interesting to see how much of it I remembered from when we went there as kids. We got there rather late in the afternoon and only had time for a short hike, but we got to see some of the ruins.

On Sunday we picked up Kathy in Arizona and continued on to Utah. After a disappointing speeding ticket at Lake Powell, we arrived at Zion and set up camp. Our first hike on Monday was called the Narrows. It's a 8-10 hour hike through the Virgin River and the gorgeous canyon it carved. The water was pretty chilly and the rocks were slippery, but the views were amazing.


A nice picture of Kathy and Michelle on the bank of the river.

Michelle and I navigating our way through deeper water. The hiking poles came in quite handy!

On Tuesday we did our most difficult hike. Angels Landing is a tiny little rock at the top of a very tall mountain. It's a 2.5 mile hike up to a spot called Scout's Lookout, and then another half mile up to Angels Landing. Kathy decided she didn't want to go all the way up, and Michelle's fear of heights only got her a little way up. I guess the fact that the trail is only 3 feet wide and there's a 800 foot drop to your right and an 1,100 drop to your left is a little intimidating. But I finished the hike and the view from the top was worth it! A challenge, but with a great payoff.

Coming down we realized just how steep the hike up was. There are 20-some switchbacks, all of them at a pretty steep grade. One section is called Walter's Wiggles and the name pretty much describes the direction of the path! We just went slow and steady and dealt with the blister as they came! :)

On Wednesday we did our last hike, Hidden Canyon. There was lots of scrambling up rocks which was fun. The park had bolted chains to the side of the rock for easier climbing, and at times it was definitely needed! We were told there was this great arch at the end of the canyon, but we were sorely disappointed when we got there - it was pretty puny. But the hike was nice and there were lots of great designs in the sandstone.

After our hike we went and sat in the river to cool off. If my memory is correct, that's where Emily lost a flip-flop when we were little! I remembered some of the park from when we went there as kids, but I don't think we did the more difficult hikes. Angels Landing would be pretty tough with little ones!

After Zion, we went back to Arizona to drop Kathy off and stayed with some friends of the Dainings for 2 days (no ticket through Lake Powell this time!) I was rather fortunate that the woman we were staying with is a doctor on the res. I had gotten some blisters on the river hike, and then smashed 2 of my toes in the river on the last day. They all had gotten infected from the water and I got a nasty, swollen case of cellulitis. It was providential because Julie had a cupboard of antibiotics and got me started on them right away!

It was a great trip - and very nice to get away for a week. But now I'm back to 4-5 shifts a week to make up for it! The nice thing about summer is lots of overtime!

Bonus picture: Yes those are Juniper berries in my nose. Just for you, Mom.


Extra bonus picture: It was Joshua's first birthday on June 10! We had a party for him and he thoroughly enjoyed his green frosting cake! He's getting so big!