Flying to Not-Vegas…
A friend was horrified to learn our summer vacation plans. You’d think I had confessed we’d be spending the week cleaning out the basement (which we need to do) or identifying and polishing our hodgepodge of tools and hardware items! She’s headed to total indulgence on the Pacific coast. Which sounds lovely. Shore vacations slow the pace to where family members can recalibrate connections, within and amongst themselves. I love the beach and the soothing sounds of the surf… It’s just that my oldest will be a junior this fall, and I feel the need to extend his experience beyond the sand this year. So… We’re headed to Utah.
SIDENOTE: A week after I finalized flight plans, I found out that Matt had informed his class that Mom was taking him to “Vegas” for his summer vacation. Funny one, Matt. I fine-tuned it a little, “We’re FLYING into Las Vegas, Matt. Then we’re DRIVING to Utah.” I don’t even bother to explain things to Matt’s teachers anymore. I gave that up after he announced in second grade that I took “drugs” (antibiotics!). I figure I’m in the classroom and on enough field trips that the other parents have plenty of opportunities to observe me for odd tics and nervous behavior. And Matt is still getting invited to plenty of birthday parties, so we must check out OK…
Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef… We have the basics in place so that we can explore the twisting canyons and cliffs as curiosity leads. It will be hot, so we’ll do a lot of stream hiking, splashing our way to cooling waterfalls. We seem to hike better when there are boulders and barriers to climb over and water to fall into. The kids get tired on the easy trails but beg for more when the trail stretches ahead like an obstacle course. There should be plenty of the right kinds of challenges for us on this trip.
A camping trip through Bryce and Zion National Parks some thirty years ago with my own family etched permanent pictures into an impressionable mind. It’s time to return there with my own children. Southern Utah is a vast and inspiring blend of playground and vista. My biggest challenge so far is to not load the itinerary with every park in the area. But the goal of this trip is to introduce, not to conquer…
Because you can’t carry every book out of the library with one visit. Instead, you leave with an armload, knowing you’ll be back again to discover more.
UTAH!
“Adventures in Utah”
“Road to Zion (National Park, Utah)”
“Into ‘The Narrows’ (Zion National Park, Utah)”
“The Subway (Zion National Park, Utah) Part One”
“The Subway (Zion National Park, Utah); Part Two”
Court of the Patriarchs and The Emerald Pools of Zion (National Park, Utah)
“Hanging Gardens” (Zion National Park, Utah)
“Hoodoo Heaven” (Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah)
“Dogs and Cars -but not Cows…” (Boulder, Utah)
“Smokey the Bear and Tibetan Monks? I Must be in Boulder (Utah)… ”
“The Cows… Part One (Boulder, Utah)”
“The Cows… Part Two (Boulder, Utah)”
“Pictographs at Lower Calf Creek Falls (Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah)”
“The Goosenecks at Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)”
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>>and water to fall into
Better watch him in the airport…
Next thing you know, he drops a quarter in the slot, wins millions, and your known as the mom who took her kids gambling in Vegas for vacation.
You know it, Delmer! I try to view it as “cushioning.”
StewartAllyn,
Good thing I posted this first, huh? So…you’ll back me when I’m interrogated on Oprah?
Your trip sounds a lot better than staying in Las Vegas.
Jean-Luc,
That’s what I’m thinking! Can’t wait…!!
LOL! It’s like Dejavu all over again.
I have this thing of flying last minute rates through Southwest because sometimes they are so dirt cheap…. and I ended up in Utah for the weekend.
My boyfriend thought I grew another head when I said Utah. But it was so lovely! I really liked the trip.
I can’t wait to see some spectacular photos of Utah when you get back. I love landscape photos of wild areas.
My youngest recently moved to Bozeman, MT. He works in Big Sky. I can’t wait to go see him and the terrain. I’ve only flown over the Rockies.
Enjoy your trip!
Zion, Bryce, Cedar Breaks, all too cool. Loved it. Glad you got to go.
So I’m sure you’ll be having a great day there. Can’t wait to see your great photo shots again!
Have a wonderful time! I loved this post..lol. I also like the audio versions. I’m sure your son will appreciate Utah, once he sees it, and will be very excited to share his experiences when school starts again in the fall. I want to take my kids to Glacier National Park, but looks like this year is out. Maybe next year..
Sharon,
How fun to have that kind of flexibility! I’m always looking at those last-minute deals thinking “someday…” I’d be interested to know where you visited!
Suzanne,
I’m really looking forward to photographing some of those canyons (and my kids hiking and wading through them)!
Bob,
What a bonus when visiting “family” includes a destination like that! I had an uncle out there that we visited on our ventures west years ago. I remember “Big Sky” being an apt description…
Mo,
It’s been years since I’ve been there. If you have any tips or “don’t miss this” suggestions, let me know!
Thanks Land Projects UK,
Our departure date is approaching quickly, and we’re all getting pretty excited to check it all out!
Barbara,
Thanks much!
My dad took us to Glacier years ago; that will be a wonderful trip.
My youngest is bent on Alaska one of these years (as long as I don’t have to drive…)!
We love the beach! I’m originally from eastern North Carolina, and was just 2.5 hours from Atlantic Beach, also known as The Crystal Coast.
Because my wife insisted I live in the same place as she does, I now live in Arkansas, not too far from Little Rock. Once our 10th grader son graduates, we’ll be moving back to North Carolina - and thus closer to the beach!
In the meantime, we still make the trip to Atlantic Beach every summer, by mini-van, which makes for a 17 hour trip! But once we arrive and smell the salt in the air, it is so worth it!