After securing the home front and having our vehicular transportation repaired, we departed for our expedition Thursday at 4pm-hundred hours. It didn’t take too long for us to realize that our car’s fuse-thingy was fried which meant the kids could not silently watch movies on this 5 hour trip. The kidlets surprised us, and were actually quite chipper and happy for the drive. It is always a good thing when NAM sleeps for 3 of the 5 hours. No complaints here. Pocketmouse serenaded us almost continually. She’s really a cute crack-up. I love hearing her little adlib lyrics. After watching the sun set over the incredibly beautiful San Rafael Swell, we arrived at our destination at 9:15pm-hundred hours and proceeded to set up our shelter—in the dark—no problem, Wildman has a headlamp. During the process of the tent’s set up, we hear Pocketmouse let out a wailing screech. While running around the dark campsite with the other kids, she had turfed it, literally. Her face took the worst of it. Battle wounds below. Her belly and legs look similar.
Below is our tent (right) and the Thomas tent.
Below: The kids playing around the campsite...
After a very quiet night, where Wildman slept “like a rock”, we awoke to the most gorgeous morning. Perfect weather. We and our company (a bunch of friends from the Institute days) emerged to the morning light playing off the weird and wacky hoodoos. We spent the morning playing at our coolest campsite, and wandering around the Valley of Goblins.
Below: Wildman chillin' on the hoodoo...
Valley of Goblins...
Sneaky kids...
Funny kids...
The afternoon was spent cooling off in a fun “water hole” just inside Capitol Reef Ntl. Park.
Dutch Oven for dinner, and then a glow-stick light show from all the kids.
We headed for home after breakfast the next morning, and took a side-trip up Nine Mile Canyon (really more like 90 mile canyon) to see some Petroglyphs. We took a short-cut dirt road back to the highway (I’m so glad we didn’t get stuck in the mud pit…you should have seen the fire in Wildman’s eyes as he gunned it through the mud in our 2-wheel drive malibu). After stopping to see baby Jane on our way home, we arrived back at the ranch about 6pm hundred hours. We had a great time renewing old friendships with some of the funnest people. We are already looking forward to the next expedition.
The only petroglyphs we saw in Nine Mile Canyon, really cool.
2 comments:
Goblin Valley looks like an awesome place to explore.
So sad that your baby scratched up her beautiful face.
Those few scrapes on Pocketmouse only highlight her eyes. youve taken some great shots. Again. I wish I could have joined you; I love that Goblin Valley. I've been to the waterfall a couple times. Showered in it once, actually, back when I had my long hair. I remember Pulcheria braiding it for me after I washed it so the black flies would have a more difficult time devouring my scalp. What fun you guys must have had! Good. You've waited long for it and most definitely deserve the break.
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