Dunes Montage

July 7th, is Aaron's birthday. This year, we drove to Rock Springs to see the movie Inside Out. As we drove through town to the theater, we got to see first hand all the mud and rocks from the recent mudslides. There were more thunderstorms and flash flood warnings that afternoon for Rock Springs, something I found bizarre-- as RS isn't really flash-flood country. So I thought. The movie was cute and as we headed home, we decided to go see the sand dunes, as they were on the way. The dunes were AWESOME. And the view of the storms?! Incredible. A little too incredible, maybe...what happens when you are in a basin, and the only way out is up and over dirt roads...as a raging storm moves in?  Yeah.

Below: Boar's Tusk from the dunes

 A little soccer on the dunes...

The storm, south of us.

Something about apples not falling far from the tree?

Except for the occasional mud puddle, the roads were DUSTY. Dry. I promise...then...

The lightning show was astounding!

 Nothing like a good ol' wild and wicked Wyoming summer storm!

No worm-sign. ;)

We tried to race and beat the storm,  to get out of the basin before it hit. 

Let's just say:  Storm =1, Preeces=0, Guardian Angels=10

The only way we got out of there in one piece was Divine intervention. I kid you not. After we traveled about 100 yards without any steering, just floating along on the mud and clay, we prayed our guts out. Somehow we were not sucked off the road into the 3 foot ditches...and we climbed out and up--all through a downpour that you would only see on the news. Or out in the middle of nowhere. I may have seen my life flash before my eyes--through the muddy windshield. 

After our near-death experience, we all needed a little pick-me-up. We stopped in Farson on the way home, and got waffle cones, with a "single" scoop of their delicious hard ice cream. When I ordered a single scoop, I didn't know it would be the size of my head.

If you are ever on your way to Pinedale from UT, take the slightly longer route and visit the dunes, then get a waffle cone. Totally worth the extra drive time. :) Just check the forecast first. 

And, one of Aaron's birthday gifts (for his office) was this little beauty--sand dunes in a frame! Hours of fun.... ;)