I was super excited today to get to Zion National Park.  It was another day to make you melt (hello, 105 degrees).  Getting into the park was a driving adventure.  We passed a van that had given up towing a camper up the switchbacks…I can’t even imagine trying that haul!   We managed to find a place to park and walked over to the visitor center to get our bearings.  The park is mostly accessed by bus, so we hopped on and headed over to the museum for a ranger talk.  The kids earned their Junior Ranger badges, and we were off to explore more of the park!

Many of the trails were closed, some very recently due to storms and with the heat we decided to skip many of the hiking opportunities and bee line to the Narrows.  On the hike there, we came across fat squirrels despite all the signs that site fines for feeding the wildlife!  They were not shy in the least, and Lily loved having them come right up to say hello.  The highlight of our visit was hiking The Narrows, and by the joy in my kids’ faces I have determined that playing in rivers is a major hit, once again!  After our last river walk, I decided to just wear my tennis shoes in (plus they could use a good washing).  There was potential for flash floods, so we didn’t travel too far upstream but it was such a cool experience!

We tried getting out of the park at a decent hour so we could pack up camp to leave in the morning and still ended up staying longer than anticipated.  It takes a long time to get around in Zion!  It would be late when we got back to the camper, so we grabbed dinner at Thunderbird Restaurant, Home of the Ho-Made Pies.  The sign was made to save money back in the day, and the family owned restaurant decided to capitalize on the modern interpretation.  The kids got Wiki Stix and they made many creations with them.  Lily stuck hers to the car window and, well…wax.  I need to remember to clean that before we get back home!

Today we set out to see Capitol Reef with the trailer in tow.  We had to pass by a few turnouts including the Fruita Orchard area because we couldn’t park, but found the Welcome Center.  We stamped our passport, watched the park video, and made sandwiches out in the camper.  The next stop was the Ripple Rock Nature Center for a geology talk.  After they earned their badges, Ethan was certain that he had discovered an arrowhead near one of the displays, and the ranger went with him to check it out and praised him for not disturbing potential artifact!

We drove the scenic drive to Capitol Gorge, and we got a bit nervous about our drive out because of the potential for flash floods…while pulling the camper!  We avoided any treacherous situations in the washout paths, then nearly sunk the trailer what I thought was a dirt parking lot (which turned out not to have a second exit).  So there’s a little more mud on everything.  We went into the Gifford Farm house and got some ice cream and culinary souvenirs.  Out back was a fenced in area that deer had decided to hop into and were rearing up to eat the apples off the tree.

It was time to move on, so we checked out the river and I hugged the giant Harry Potter looking tree on our way out.  I was trying to call along the way to make reservations for our next stop and a few days ahead of us getting to the Grand Canyon, but I kept losing signal.  I was looking online, and had pulled up what appeared to be the last spot at the North Rim campground.  Silly me, I decided to call and make payment over the phone and while on hold (forever), we missed out on the reservation.  So, we might have to drive around to the south and we’re making plan B.

We drove out through the Dixie National Forest with yet another layer of red dirt on the Suburban and camper.   We passed by the childhood home of Butch Cassidy, and landed at OK RV (yes, there are a lot of OK RV Parks) in Hatch, Utah.  It was already dark when we arrived, and we were warned…but, boy the mosquitoes were fierce!  We were dancing as we got set up and sprinted to the bathrooms and back but still managed to get feasted on!

We started off our day at Arches, and the kids turned in their packets and earned their Junior Ranger Badges.  We took another drive through the park and stopped at several turnouts to take in the beautiful formations.  We did a drive by of Windows, and knew if we didn’t cut our time short we would end up spending the whole day there.  One day, I’ll be back…I’m sure of it.

We drove back into Moab and had lunch at Quesadilla Mobilla (an awesome food truck), swung by the post office to send out some postcards then headed out to Canyonlands. There were some dark skies looming, but we hit the Visitor Center so the kids could work on their Junior Ranger packets.  There was a serious case of the giggles (even the ranger couldn’t control it) when they were sworn in, and I think we’re all a bit slap happy!

We made it out to the Natural Bridge, which the kids were quick to point out is actually an arch.  The views were so incredible, to see how expansive the land and canyons really are.  We saw the road that you can get a permit to drive on, which we might have to come back and do one day!

Back in Moab, we stopped at Rotary Park to check out the bridge at the trailhead and met a super cool pup who was there with his kayaking owner.  Lily grabbed my hand on the way back, and I know that it won’t be long before she stops doing that.  This time is flying.  So I made a deal with myself that every time she or Ethan does, I make sure I’m not the one who lets go first.

After a night at Chateau Walmart, we arrived in Moab at OK RV Park.  It was another lovely July day in the desert heat.  When we checked in, we shared our park visiting plans with the host and asked if she had any tips, or what order she would go in.  Her reply was that she wouldn’t go at all on a day like that, and she sent us up the road to the local watering hole (Mill Creek) with a waterfall in the rocks you can jump in from!  The hike out was hot and dry at first, but then was refreshing as the path became the river itself.  There were plenty locals and other visitors there.  I do regret that I didn’t jump in from the rock, but it was maybe six foot deep.  Andy was afraid he’d hurt himself, and I was wearing slip on sandals and I chickened out on the climb because of my footwear!

We got back to camp and lazed around a while, intending to hit Arches at night and hike to Delicate Arch.  Apparently, this is the best time for photos.  As you might guess if you know me, I will just say we did not make it.  We knew sunset was coming, but after getting to the park, there was still a long drive in the park to get to the head of the trail to hike up to the arch.  And it is a long hike.  And the sun was already setting.  I took off ahead of Andy & the kids, hoping to salvage a shot, but it wasn’t meant to be.  Half way up, I tried sending a text to Andy telling them to turn back but I wasn’t sure if it would even be sent with intermittent signal in the park.

When I got to the arch, it was beautiful.  And very nearly dark.  I had no tripod and no one to take photos of near the arch.  I was thirsty and nervous about the trek back down in the dark.  It was kind of a bust.  I took a few shots, and turned back.  I got just past the first bend when my family came walking up.  We went back up for a bit and had a rest before heading back down.  I thought maybe we should hang out with the crew of people that were prepared for a night hike with headlamps, but we got out in front of them and realized we could see just fine by the light of the nearly full moon.

It was serene and you could see every star in the sky.  We walked along together and found our way back to the path, and I stopped to try a few night shots (which I am aware I need more practice in taking).  I wouldn’t have planned for a night hike with the kids, but what I learned is that it is not always about getting the photo…the experiences will live much longer in your memory.

Today we said goodbye and left baby Sasquatch in our little oasis in Arco.  We had to backtrack on our path and in doing so, passed by the EBR-I museum again.  I confessed that I was a little bummed that we didn’t get to check it out, and Andy entertained my fancy even though we had the trailer in tow and lots of ground to cover!

The museum is what remains of Experimental Breeder Reactor No. 1.  The plant generated electricity using uranium and powered the town of Arco for about an hour, and continued to supply power to its own building for 12 years.  There were lots of cool things for the kids to do, including operating a robotic arm, powering a lightbulb with a stationary bike, tables of science activity things and the favorite – an ovaltine-like secret decoder!  We all grabbed a thermal color changing pencil and a postcard to send home.

Ethan declared that he marked something off his bucket list because he used the bathroom at a nuclear reactor plant!  The boy cracks me up…  He also got to push the SCRAM button, which we were told stands for Safety Control Rod Axe Man.  At one point, the way to deactivate the reactor was to cut a rope to drop the rod in.  I can’t imagine having that job!

Outside were a couple of nuclear powered plane engines that (quite literally) never left the ground.  In order to keep the crew safe and carry the engines, it would have been a massive plane that took 4 miles of runway, so the concept was abandoned.

We spent a bit longer than we anticipated at EBR-I, but it was very much worth it!  After more not-so-scenic driving, we made it into Utah and pitstopped for the night.

Andy started the day by making pancakes for us and we headed off to see Craters of the Moon.  We checked out the Visitor Center so the kids could work on their Junior Ranger badges and we could get the lay of the land.  There are caves here from the lava flows, and since we’ve already been in other caves, everyone had to wear different shoes and I had to wear my flats to help avoid any possibility of spreading White Nose Syndrome to the bats.  Today I sacrificed my baby toe in the name of bats.

There was a lot of hiking, and Andy used his laser thermometer to check the ground temperature which was a whopping 138 degrees!  So, to say the least…it was hot out.  We powered through, and checked out as many of the caves as we could.  It was not easy going for me, but well worth it!  Andy and Lily ventured back into Boyscout cave.  I stayed at the opening and it felt so nice and cool underground!  I ended up with a big ol’ blister, but I dedicate it with all my love to the bats.  <3

Back at the campground, we had beers with our neighbor and the kids played mini golf.  They were riding their bikes and found an injured bird that they helped rescue with assistance from our neighbor.  We went up to enjoy the campground restaurant’s famous rib dinner.  The kids wrote “Spivey Adventure 2018” on a dollar bill and we added it to the collection on the ceiling there.

After a day in the sun, bevvies and a big meal, I crawled into Lily’s bunk and took a fantastic nap!  But, there is no rest for the weary, so I ran out for groceries.  The sunset was gorgeous, and my curiosity about the numbers painted up on the mountain was solved when I saw a postcard of it and the cashier told me it was tradition in their small town for the graduating class to sneak up and paint their year!

After grocery shopping, it was time to catch up on some laundry.  I had three loads by now already, and most of the machines were out of order so it was good I took a nap as I was up past midnight waiting on the dryer!!  Many of our clothes are stained from our dirty excursions, and I certainly have a new appreciation for my home appliances!

Andy was up and about early and got the camper ready to roll and made coffee for me.  Lily had cuddled in with us at some point in the night.  Her bed was neatly made and it was nice to have her pressed against me on a chilly morning.  I stared at her for a while when I woke up, and still wonder how I was so blessed to be her mom and thought about the good parts of me that I hope I am able to pass along.

Our plan today is to roll out and get to Jackson Hole for the Tram ride.  We were not quite on schedule to leave, but bid the beautiful Lizard Creek campground adieu and again admired the Tetons as we drove south.  The scenery is truly magnificent!

We took the “long way” to avoid the dirt road with the camper in tow, and ended up spending a couple hours taking the Tram up and hiking around the top of the mountain.  The wildflowers were in full bloom and the mountain air was delicious!  The kids saw where some others had built stone cairns and made a couple of their own.  We were able to play in the snow atop the mountain and even enjoyed “The Englishman” waffle (lemon sauce, powdered sugar & whipped cream), which was delicious!

On the descent down, the dips at the towers were even more fun and the operator pointed out some of the ski runs and told us about some of the ski “legends” and how the runs got their names.  I was a bit sad to rush out of Jackson Hole so quickly, but we were not properly parked and had ground to cover to get to our next stop.

We left Jackson Hole and headed toward Craters of the Moon.  On the way out, we took the long way also (which only added about 30-45 minutes) to avoid a 10% grade going via 22.  We reserved a spot at a campground with all the amenities, and I am happy we’ll have a shower and a chance to refresh ourselves and the camper!

We drove through Targee National Forest and into Idaho.  The drive through Idaho was not exciting, and we went from a beautiful temperate mountain climate to hot, flat conditions.  I knit a bonnet along the way, because there wasn’t much to see or navigation necessary.  The big excitement was that we (for the first time) ran the fuel down to 1/8 of a tank because we passed up stopping in Idaho Falls and there was nothing in between!

When we arrived at our campground, we of course were pushing time to make it to Craters of the Moon before the visitor center closed, but we were super pleased that it was quite the little oasis.  The spaces weren’t cramped, there are shade trees, full hookups, bath & laundry facilities, a restaurant and even mini golf!  Such a treat after “roughing it” in the parks the past week!

We set out further into the Grand Tetons and it was a beautiful, scenic drive through forest and open land with rivers running along the roadside at times.  We went to the Visitor Center and spent time there while the kids worked on their Junior Ranger packets.

Today was our day to explore the area, and it seemed like many of the points of interest were to the south, so we headed down to the Jackson Hole area.  We missed the chance to take a tram ride, but purchased tickets for the first run in the morning and will go on our way to our next stop.

We ended up in the bustling downtown area of Jackson Hole and searched for a place to eat.  We waffled quite a bit about where to go, since it was a bit of a treat to go out for lunch as we have had sammies on the go or out on trails most days.  We decided on a spot, but it turned out that there was a pretty limited menu so we got an appetizer of fried okra and a couple local beers and promised the kids we’d find another place.

After a bit more waffling, walking through more shops, and random axe throwing we landed at Café Genevieve.  We ate outdoors and enjoyed some delicious candied bacon, and we all devoured our amazingly tasty meals.  Andy even ordered me a glass of wine, and it was such a pleasant meal together!

On the way back to camp, we took a different path back to get a different view but hadn’t realized that the route is mostly a dirt road!  We were glad that we weren’t pulling the camper, and it made us look more closely at our path to the tram ride for the morning!

It was our final day at Yellowstone.  We fondly said goodbye to the campground and made a final stop in Mammoth Springs to send our postcards and check the shop out there.

We drove south through the construction zone again and added another layer of dirt to the truck and camper.  We saw what we could of the paint pots, as we couldn’t stop and park easily with the camper in tow.  Then, the grand finale…Old Faithful.  It was faithful as ever, and we debated hiking to see if we could catch the Grand Geyser but the timing was doubtful and we needed to get to where we could secure our next camping spot.

The kids turned in their junior ranger packets and earned their patches.  One of the staff at the store there had informed us that the kids get a free ice cream when they earn their patch, so they happily claimed their prize, which even came in a souvenir ranger hat!

We drove in on and stopped at the visitor center for the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Highway and got a recommendation on a campsite for the night in the Grand Teton area.  It was a gorgeous drive into Tetons, yet totally different than Yellowstone.  We squeezed into the last site at Lizard Creek campground, and were thrilled with the location.  It was dry camping, but the campground was in the forest and peaceful.  The kids made friends with the off-duty campground host and kept riding their bikes back to see her cat.  We actually had a campfire, and made a super informal dinner of roasted hot dogs and topped it off with s’more cones!

This morning, we decided to stay at the campground another night so we can take a much needed reset day. We had a slow morning and made a delicious breakfast of bacon and eggs.  I actually sat outside at the picnic table for a minute with my coffee in the morning, taking in the fresh mountain air.  We slowly got ourselves together and headed into Mammoth Springs to get stamps from the post office there.  There were so many elk hanging out in town!

We went back into Gardiner, and found the Wash Tub.  We all had showers, and my skin drank up lotion after the many days of heat and sunscreen.  Andy took the kids to get Subway while the clothes were drying, and I started sorting through the many photos I had already taken on the trip.  Before I knew it, it was folding time and Andy and I were going to grab some lunch for ourselves.  We found a place that served elk & bison burger and as soon as we pulled up, it started to rain and Andy remembered that we had left the vent over our bed in the camper open!

We had to rush back to camp, but we were ahead of the rain and were able to avert disaster.  We turned around, went back into Gardiner again and had our lunch.  I did some computer work there, but still wanted to use WiFi a bit longer, so they went through the souvenir shops while I sat at one of the coffee shops and got a few blogs posted.  I caught up with the family, popped into a couple shops myself and we retired back to camp.

We debated taking a dip in the Boiling River, but the threat of amoebic menengitis after our first shower in days had me wimping out.  We do live near Flint, and Legionnaire’s isn’t on my bucket list!  We did stop for a photo at the 45^th parallel (half way between the equator and north pole), so there’s that!

We hit the general store in Mammoth, and there was a herd of elk hanging out!  Back at camp, the kids rode their bikes around and went up to the amphitheater for the nightly ranger program with their friends at the campground, and we made hot ham & cheese sandwiches over a campfire in the sandwich iron.  We prepared the camper to get up and head out early in the morning to see Old Faithful and head south out of the park towards the Grand Tetons where our next adventure awaits.