Off the Grid....

We will be on the north rim of the Grand Canyon for the next three days and will have no WiFi or cell service. See you all on July 3rd!

Back to Arches for Sunrise and Canyonlands National Park

Day 7
June 29, 2016
A full day that began with sunrise shots, and led to dinosaur footprints, and a whale.

Sun rising in Arches National Park

Turret Arch

A Black-tailed Jackrabbit

Opposite side of Primitive Loop near the Windows Arches

Window Arches

 Copper Ridge -- Dinosaur footprint from the Jurassic Period

Brontosaurus or Camarasaurus footprints. They were big!

Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park

More cacti for Ian.

Whale Rock- they are harpooning it.

On top of Whale Rock in Canyonlands

Lizard!!!!!

Whale Rock - That's what we climbed on top of.

La Sal Mountains - Time to Cool Off!

Day 6
June 28, 2016
We decided to go up into the mountains into the Manti-La Sal National Forest.
The Loop Road was beautiful but had no guard rails and many sharp turns.

Wildflower-filled views of Arches in the distance.

Cows were free range, so we had to keep the gate closed.

Hiking in cooler weather- about 20 degrees cooler.

Columbine in La Sal Mountains

Tumbleweed blowing around during a sandstorm in our neighborhood.

Our condo - what a view!

Fiery Furnace 102 Degrees!

Day 5
June 27, 2016
More arches and blistering hot weather
For a full descrition of Fiery Furnace go to Dave's blog: http://sentenceofdave.blogspot.com/

Dinosaur tracks of an allosaurus.

We begin our ranger-led, three hour hike through the Fiery Furnace. It is 102 degrees at 5:00 p.m.

Ian volunteers to tie his shoes with no thumbs to show adaptations.

Crawl Through Arch - even Dave got through!

We climbed down that. This hike was strenuous with many obstacles and jumps.

Skull Arch

Yes, we are going in there.

Suck it in and squeeze through.

Views like this were around every corner on this hike.

Surprise Arch

Ranger Mike shared an emotional story about his difficult journey and how memories of Arches National Park "brought him back" after an illness. He told us to place a memory on a piece of paper and keep it in our pocket for a time that we need to be brought back. 

Again, our boys were amazing hikers. 

The more strenuous and difficult the hike,

 the more they love it!

Fiery Furnace at 8:00 p.m. still 100 degrees. Time for a beer!

Arches National Park at Sunrise

Day 4
June 26, 2016
For a full description of our day visit Dave's blog at http://sentenceofdave.blogspot.com/

Balanced Rock at 5:55 a.m.

We all got up at 5 a.m., so we could hike in the cool weather. The boys were troopers!

Beautiful sunrise shots!

My climber...

Landscape Arch

Dave and I were here twenty years ago.

Hiking over the fins of sandstone.

1, 2, 3, Push

Double O Arch

Ian spotted a snakeskin in the little crevice above his head. Thank goodness it was not the real thing. It could be a rattlesnake skin.

Still happy after about four miles and 2 1/2 hours of hiking.

Red-Spotted Toad

Almost back.. this hike from Devils Garden to Landscape Arch around the Primitive Loop took 3 1/2 hours.

Wile E. Coyote Land

Day 3
June 25, 2016
Arches National Park, Moab, UT

Park Avenue Walk

Our trek up to Delicate Arch, only 89 degrees at 7:30 a.m.

Ian couldn't wait to see cacti in the desert.

Delicate Arch

We made it!

Hold it!

Balanced Rock