Travelogue

I feel like every time I write about a stop on this trip, I'm calling it a favorite, but that's kind of what this trip was--a "Best Of" journey through Utah and a bit of Colorado. Breckenridge wasn't even a planned stop--it was just an attempt at finding something fun to do on our long drive home on I70. I had read that the village had a free skateboard park, and I knew the boys would definitely be interested in that.

Andrew and Tommy on the Blue RiverWhen we exited I70 and stopped at a Visitor Center, we weren't given much hope as to finding a campsite in the area. It was Saturday, and half of Denver spills out into Summit County on the weekends to take advantage of the countless recreational opportunities. We decided to drive the 10 miles into Breckenridge anyway, just to see it and spend the afternoon there.

Along the way, we found Tiger Run RV Resort, which had to be the most beautiful commercial campground I've ever seen--large, spacious sites, with concrete pads to park on and a manicured lawn around them; an incredible 12,000 square foot clubhouse, complete with indoor swimming pool, two hot tubs, game room, TV lounge, laundry facility, bathrooms with showers and dressing area; and million dollar RVs as far as the eye could see. It was like RV land for the rich and famous. In fact, since that time, we have seen Tiger Run featured on the Travel Channel as one of the top campgrounds in the country.

Needless to say, we didn't have much hope of getting one of the few transient sites--most of the sites were owned as a vacation getaway. Having nothing to lose, we stopped in the office to inquire on availability. As the girl was checking the book, we happened to notice a TV on the wall showing a view of the parking lot. There was our cute, yet classy, Lazy Daze on the screen. We must have passed muster because they found a site for us after all.

Gaidus family with the Lazy Daze RVBefore heading into the village on our bikes, we decided to head over to the clubhouse, which was right across from our campsite. While the kids played ping pong, Herb and I plopped our butts in the hot tub. I was having a lovely time until we were joined by a teenage figure skating team that was in Breckenridge for a competition. Just my luck. Herb grinned like an idiot as he sat there surrounded by the young, nubile group of giggling girls. I practically hurt myself trying to suck my 47-year old gut in. Well, I was ready to move on, so I extracted the unwilling Herb from the hot tub and we gathered the kids to go exploring.

After biking around the campground and checking out all the fancy RVs and chalet rental units, we headed out on the Blue River Bikeway towards the village of Breckenridge. The boys had their skateboards strapped to their backpacks, anxious to find the skateboard park I had read about. It was a beautiful day and the drive through the meadows along the Blue River was stunning. When we got to the village, we quickly found the Recreational Center. The kids almost died when they saw the skateboard park, which they informed us was a very impressive one--and it was free! We knew this was the end of their exploring, so we left them at the skate park for a few hours while Herb and I continued on. We did try to hang around awhile and watch them, but they seemed a little embarrassed by our presence, especially when Herb started videoing them.

Not far from the skateboard park was a kayak skill center. The Blue River flowed right through town, and this piece of it had a man-made rapids section for kayak enthusiasts to play in. What an incredible place! Herb and I just spent some time sitting on a bench alongside the river watching the kayakers practice their Eskimo rolls.

After what we thought was a sufficient amount of time and the promise to come back the next day, we collected the kids from the skate park and headed into the main part of the village. Unlike many ski towns, Breckenridge village was located literally at the base of the mountain so it seemed like you could ski right down onto Main Street. We found a place to lock our bikes up and wandered the streets stopping in shops along the way. Like Moab, there were lots of youthful, athletic types wandering the streets of the village and plenty of funky shops to browse in.

As we continued our bike journey, we failed to notice the pretty nasty clouds moving in over the mountains, and before we knew it our lovely summer afternoon had turned into a pretty intense hailstorm. It's amazing how fast the weather can change in the Rockies. We were totally underdressed and Herb, who has a body fat content of about 8%, was practically hypothermic. We desperately tried to find the shuttle bus that would take us and our bikes back up the road to Tiger Run. Finally, a bus came along, but it only had room for one bike. Since the kids and I really weren't that cold compared to Herb, we insisted that he go back ahead of us and that we would catch the next bus. I think Herb felt quite guilty leaving us behind, but he really was in bad shape and we were fine. Rather then wait for the next shuttle, the kids and I raced our bikes the 4 miles back to the campground. By the time we got there, the hail had stopped and the sun was shining again. I'm not sure if it had even stormed here at all. I think it might have just been localized in the village. Herb had taken a nice warm shower and was looking a whole lot better than when we last saw him.

As we were barbecuing that evening on our perfectly manicured campsite, we noticed a large crowd gathering in the Clubhouse pavilion right across from us. Soon the sounds of country music started drifting over to us. Herb and I grabbed a glass of wine and went over to the pavilion to check it out. A nice fire was going in the big stone fireplace and the guitar player was actually quite good. I coaxed the kids into joining us--country isn't exactly their favorite music genre, but it was the only game in town. It was really a very enjoyable evening and my first experience with live entertainment at a campground.

The next morning we drove into Breckenridge village once more to wander around again. It really is a beautiful place. After a little more skateboarding and a little more shopping, we got back in the RV to continue our journey east towards home. I don't think I'm going to be able to pull out another surprise stop like this one.

Travelogue

When we entered Arches National Park, we were shocked to find out that there were still a few sites available in the Devils Garden Campground, the only campground in the park. The campground is located at the very end of the 17-mile scenic drive, so we skipped all the sightseeing for now, and high-tailed it down to the campground to claim one of these highly coveted spots.

Lolo approaching the Delicate ArchOur campsite was absolutely fabulous, surrounded by spectacular red sandstone rock formations. The only problem was, it was over 100 degrees out and there were no hookups, which meant no air-conditioning. We knew we would be okay when the sun went down, because nights really do cool off in the desert, but we didn't know how we would make it through the afternoon. Hiking mid-day was simply out of the question, so we decided to put off our hike to Delicate Arch until late afternoon. Instead, we spent the afternoon spraying ourselves with the RV outdoor shower and enjoying the few refreshing minutes before it evaporated.

Around 4:30 we headed over to the trailhead for Delicate Arch. It was still so terribly hot that we soaked ourselves once more with the outdoor shower before heading out on this fairly strenuous 3-mile hike, most of it along slickrock. We were pretty motivated though--we really wanted to see and photograph Delicate Arch. We had been to Arches before, but hadn't gotten the chance to do this hike, which is supposed to be the most scenic one in the entire park--and that's saying a lot. Towards the end of the hike, we came to a narrow section along the edge of a cliff with a rock window through which we got our first view of Delicate Arch--very awesome. After much picture taking, we continued along the top rim of a slickrock bowl and sat beneath this incredible 45-foot-high arch, which sits at the very edge of a steep drop-off. We shared the shade of the arch with a group of French tourists. We were kind of hoping they would move along so we could get some pictures of just us under the Arch, but they weren't budging. Things were beginning to cool off so the hike out was much more pleasant than the way in.

Windblown family reaches Delicate ArchThat evening back at the campground, we had the good fortune of seeing a spectacular thunder and lightning storm over Devils Garden. We waited for the cooling rains to come, but they never did. No wonder the desert is so dry--even their thunderstorms don't have rain.

When the sun set, things did cool down nicely. We strolled over to the campground amphitheater with a few other fellow campers to listen to the Ranger Talk, which that night was on the flora and fauna of Arches. It was interesting because plants and animals are not usually something you think about in the desert. However, that night we learned that although the desert might look pretty barren, it is actually teeming with creatures and organisms that have learned to adapt to this harsh environment.

Family on Fiery Furnace hikeThe next morning before leaving the park, we went on the 3-hour ranger-guided walk through the Fiery Furnace, a maze of narrow canyons created by tall, red sandstone. We usually don't like going on guided hikes and sharing our wilderness experience with about 30 other tourists, but this time there really wasn't much of a choice. There are no marked trails through the Fiery Furnace and it's quite confusing, so a guided hike is the recommended way to go. There is a fee for this hike and reservations are recommended--we had made ours the day before. The hike was quite interesting and we got a chance to learn a bit more about what an arch actually is. By definition, a natural arch is any rock that has a hole completely through it formed by a natural process (no drilling allowed!), leaving a rock frame behind. Most of the 2,000 arches in the park are not quite as dramatic as Delicate Arch and Landscape Arch--some of them are only a foot or two high. If you discover a new one, you get to name it, but that wasn't very likely in this highly trafficked area.

Arches was a great stop, but now it was time to head east and start our journey home.

Travelogue

Andrew modeling the Hendrix bathing suitMoab is another one of those towns like Whistler, Breckenridge, and Jasper, that attracts young (and young at heart) outdoor enthusiasts in great shape, who come here to enjoy its seemingly endless recreational opportunities. It's a town with attitude, and I mean that in a positive way. There's such a sense of vitality and enthusiasm here that it's contagious.

After our very unpleasant experience last night with the heat and the gnats by the river, we were certainly enthused to be here. Fortunately, we were able to get one of the last sites at Canyonlands Campground, right in the heart of downtown Moab. Normally, we prefer campgrounds in more natural settings, but we had had enough nature last night to last us for quite awhile. All we wanted to do tonight was close up the windows, crank up the air conditioner, and get a good nights sleep.

But first, Tommy's birthday dinner (he had turned 12 today). As per the recommendation from our shuttle driver the day before, we headed over to the Fat City Smokehouse on West Street, a local hangout specializing in Texas-style pit barbecue. It was a great choice--lively, upbeat atmosphere and delicious food. Most importantly, Tommy enjoyed it. He really was growing up. Instead of ordering chicken fingers or a burger as usual, he ordered the trout. He said it was almost as good as the one he had caught and prepared for himself back at Flaming Gorge, and that's saying something.

Windup Dancing PenisThe next morning before heading over to Arches National Park, we decided to explore the town of Moab a bit and do some shopping. What a great place! By far the favorite stop for all of us was Ruby's, a funky store that sold everything from Jimi Hendrix t-shirts and bathing suits to erotica novelties such as Jell-O molds in the shape of breasts and windup dancing penises. I'm embarrassed to admit that we purchased several of the above items. Andrew still cherishes his vibrantly colored Jimi Hendrix bathing suit, and the dancing penises were (and still are) a big hit back home.

Travelogue

We reached Moab late afternoon and stopped at the Visitor Center to try to figure out some rafting options down the Colorado. It's a good thing we did--there's nothing like a little local knowledge. They confirmed that my plan to raft the 15-mile stretch from Hittle Bottom to the Big Bend Campground was a good one and hooked us up with an outfitter (Coyote Shuttle) who agreed to shuttle us and our raft up the river early the next morning. Things were falling into place.

7:00 AM, waiting for the "Coyote Raft Shuttle"We headed up the very scenic Utah 128 (Colorado Riverway) towards the Big Bend Recreation Area, one of several primitive campgrounds run by the Bureau of Land Management along this stretch of the river. The drive, which was quite spectacular, took us along the eastern shore of the Colorado River through some very stunning red sandstone canyons.

The view from our campsite was exceptional. Although we couldn't see the river because of the thick tamarisk bushes along its shore, we were surrounded by spectacular red sandstone cliffs and rock pinnacles. It was the perfect spot for one of our "classic" Gaidus family shots--the four of us smiling happily in front of the RV with great scenery in the background. During the photo setup process, both Herb and Andrew were bitten on the legs by some feisty red fire ants.

After dinner, we found a trail through the tamarisk--this stuff really was thick--and went down to the river for a swim and to watch the sun set over the canyon walls. A young female outfitter rowed past us. She said she was bringing her raft back downriver to Moab. I think she had a long night ahead of her--Moab was 8 miles away and the river south of Big Bend is really slow. Somehow she didn't seem to mind.

Tom smiling before his close callWhen the sun went down, the gnats came out big time, forcing us to spend the rest of the evening inside. This is when things began to get ugly. It was terribly hot still so we had to keep the windows of the RV open for some ventilation or we would suffocate. Meanwhile, the gnats were having no problem navigating their way through the screens, which they did in droves. Our only choice was to turn out the lights and get under the covers, which wasn't particularly pleasant in this heat. Poor Tommy got the worst of it. For some reason, bugs have always found him quite tasty. To make matters worse, tomorrow was his 12th birthday and tonight was to be part of his birthday celebration. It was the worst night I have ever spent in the RV. There was no way we were going to spend another night here, no matter how beautiful it was.

Our outfitter arrived right on time early the next morning to transport us up the river. The drive up the Colorado Riverway was wonderful and our driver pointed out some interesting sites along the way, such as the giant rock that they lowered a Chevy pickup down onto for a car commercial--you've probably seen it on TV. He also told us how he had moved here from California about 5 years ago and had no intention of ever moving again. As far as he was concerned, Moab was the best place on Earth. When we inquired about the weather forecast for the day, he gave an interesting response--"If you're lucky, we'll get a thunderstorm. It'll cool things off nicely and everyone in town will come out to the Riverway to see the canyon walls change colors with the rain." Wow, they really do have a different set of priorities our here. I can understand why he'd never want to leave.

Herb and boys at a riverside campgroundBefore dropping us off, we made sure we got a recommendation for a good place to have dinner that night--after all, it was Tommy's 12th birthday. "Fat City Smokehouse," he told us. "It's off the main drag, but it's where all the locals go."

The trip down the river was great--the scenery was probably the best I've ever experienced on a raft trip. During the flat portions, we would just lie on our backs in the raft or float in the very warm waters of the river and watch the rock formations go by. When we hit some rapids, we would often don our preservers and bounce our way through them. It was much fun.

I think we got a little careless and forgot how dangerous a river can be. The kids and I were out playing in the water when we saw the ripple of some rapids ahead. It didn't look so bad, so urged on by Andrew, we decided to stay out of the raft and swim through them. Well, right after these ripples, the river made a sharp bend to the left and entered a section of Class III rapids. It was now too late to get back in the raft. We got whipped along and separated from each other. I was yelling to Herb to pick me up on the raft, but seeing that I was not in any immediate danger but just not having a good time, he chose to ignore me and take off after Tommy whose head had disappeared underwater. I can't describe the sense of relief he felt when he saw that little blonde head popup further downstream. Tommy was quite shook-up by the experience. He had gotten caught in an eddy, which kept pulling him down. Luckily, a large wave pushed him enough to knock him downriver out of the eddy. I can't believe how stupid we were to let such a close call occur. Andrew, somewhat oblivious to what had just occurred, wasn't sure why we looked at him the way we did when he said, "Boy was that fun!"

Tommy didn't leave the raft for the rest of the trip, and we only let Andrew out on the sections of the river where we could see what was coming. The mood had definitely shifted from one of exuberance to quiet contemplation. It really had been a frightening experience. To drive it home even more, we came across a small white cross on the side of the river marking the place where a 5-year-old boy had drowned earlier that season.

When we got back to Big Bend, we deflated the raft and had a bit of a tough time dragging it up through the tamarisk bushes to our campsite. Although the campsite looked quite appealing, we knew only too well what would happen when the sun went down, so we high-tailed it out of there and headed into Moab to get a campsite in town.

Travelogue

Lake Powell holds the distinction of being our family's unanimous choice for best place ever visited. It was stunningly beautiful--but so were many of the other places we had seen. What set Lake Powell apart for us was that not only was it nice to look at, but it was so much fun to play in.

Romance on Lake PowellLake Powell had long been a dream destination for us. We had been thwarted the previous year when Herb became ill with an undiagnosed fever, forcing us to cancel our houseboat reservations. Now, we had finally made it and we were quite enthused to be here. This year, however, our plans here were a bit more modest. Our friends who usually travel with us were unable to join us this year, so instead of renting a houseboat, we were going to spend 3 nights RV camping on the lake at the Wahweap Resort and Marina in Page, Arizona. We had our faithful Avon inflatable raft with 6 hp motor to explore the lake in and a ski boat reserved at State Line Marina for a day of water sports.

Since we were actually arriving a day earlier than planned, our first order of business was finding a campsite. I suggested just moving our reservation up a day at Wahweap; however, Herb wanted to check out the primitive beach camping on Lone Rock Beach on the westernmost end of Wahweap Bay. I must admit, the Lone Rock location was stunning and we were definitely tempted. However, the intense heat (with no electricity for air conditioning) and the soft sand (to trap our motor home in) persuaded us to head over to Wahweap.

Boy's demonstrating use of the mudslideNot only were we able to get a campsite at Wahwap a day early, but we got what I consider to be the one of the best sites--all the way on the end with an unobstructed view of the lake--much better than looking out over a sea of RVs.

We couldn't wait to get out on the lake. The temperature was over 100 and the water looked extremely inviting. Down at the boat launch, we quickly inflated our 12-foot Avon raft and filled it with everything we would need for a day of fun out on the lake. While our 6 hp motor was not exactly going to zip us around the lake, it would enable us to do some slow-speed, close-up exploration of the many coves and canyons in Wahweap Bay.

Herb: "Doesn't get much better"The southern portion of Wahweap Bay, which we were on, is quite commercial and developed, so our goal was to cross the 3 miles over to the secluded canyons on the northern side of the bay. While the blowup boat is pretty slow--it took us about 45 minutes to make the 3-mile crossing--it really comes into its own as a means of exploring nooks and crannies.

Our first stop was at a cliff-like rock that the boys felt just had to be jumped off. After a dozen or so cannonballs, "eggies", and other assorted jumps and dives, we continued our journey into one of the side canyons off the main part of the lake.

I'm not sure what canyon we were in. The lake levels were so low from a multi-year drought that it was hard to tell on the map just where we were. Antelope Island isn't even an island anymore because the north side of it is now attached to the shore, and some of the coves and canyons are just beaches. The low water levels have been a really big problem for the marinas and many of them have had to extend their docks to reach the water. If things don't change soon, many people fear that Lake Powell will be gone someday soon. I certainly hope not. It took us so long to discover this wonderful place and I hope to have it to come back to for many years to come.

Lolo: "Doesn't get much better"We pulled our trusty craft right up onto the beach and spent the afternoon swimming in the warm 80+ degree waters of the lake. The warmth wasn't the only good thing about the water--it was this beautiful aquamarine color, like the Caribbean, and its reflection shimmered off the canyon walls. It was absolutely breathtaking.

Soon, however, the clouds began to build, and we knew we had better get moving fast or we wouldn't make it back across the bay before the storm. Well, we made it about halfway before the winds picked up and the rain began. What a difference. Now there were whitecaps and dozens of high-speed powerboats zipping past us in their attempts to outrun the storm. We, however, just kept putting along at 3 mph, wind and water whipping us in the face. Finally, an excruciating hour later, we putted into State Line Marina, looking like a bunch of drowned rats. I think they must have felt sorry for us because they let us keep our boat there overnight, for no charge. This was great. Now we didn't have to deflate it, pack it up, and then inflate it again to use tomorrow.

Avon Redshank with 6hp JohnsonThe next day was another hot and sunny one, as are most days here in the summer. After listening to a weather forecast and hearing nothing about storms that day, we went down to the marina, boarded our rubber yacht and headed back across Wahweap Bay to the canyon area we were the day before. This time we ventured further into the canyon and found an idyllic sandy beach and smooth rock to spend the day on. Without another soul in sight, we felt like castaways marooned on a deserted island. There was much there to entertain us for the entire day. The kids spent an hour spreading mud on a steep, slanty rock to create a mudslide, and then spent another hour sliding down it. When that was done, they created a game which involved chucking a "pinky" ball against the steep canyon wall next to the beach and seeing how many times they could catch it on a fly. There just wasn't enough hours in that day to do all they wanted to do.

As evening approached, we set out once again in our boat to cross the bay---this time for a much less eventful crossing. We putted our trusted little boat over to the public launch where we cleaned it, deflated it, and packed it away in its not-so-little bag. It had served us well, but we didn't need it anymore. Tomorrow was our day on the rental ski boat, which we all were quite excited about.

Gaidus Family photoThe next morning we awoke very early to make the most of our day out on the lake. We were at State Line Marina as they opened and out on the lake before 8:00 a.m. Knowing that skiing is best in the early part of the day when the lake is still calm, we immediately headed to Lone Rock in the westernmost part of the bay. It was the best ski conditions we had ever experienced--the lake was like glass and there wasn't another boat in sight. Also, the scenery wasn't too shabby. The kids had a great time skiing and wakeboarding around Lone Rock, the huge monolith that rises several hundred feet out of the lake. Despite the kids' urgings to try wakeboarding, I stuck with my trusty skis and enjoyed the best skiing of my life. I'm not the most experienced boat driver, but I really didn't want Herb to miss this opportunity. After convincing him that there was no other boat out on the lake for me to hit and promising not to smash into Lone Rock, he agreed to let me drive the boat while he skied. He was definitely glad he did--it was definitely a not-to-be-missed ski experience.

Boy's exploring the canyonOnce we had gotten our fill of skiing, we headed up the lake to do some exploring. The narrow portion of the lake that winds around the southern end of Antelope Island was very rough due to the heavy traffic of boats leaving the busy Wahweap Marina. As soon as we could, we got off the main part of the lake and headed south into the very beautiful Navajo Canyon, which is one of the bigger ones--it's about 10 miles long. Of course the kids wanted to wakeboard through the Canyon as they had vicariously done in a Playstation Game, but we kept telling them it wasn't allowed in the canyons. Finally, after we saw enough other boats doing it and felt it was wide enough to be safe, we let them have their second ultimate wakeboarding experience of the day.

We spent the few remaining hours we had with the rental boat back in Wahweap Bay at the beach we had discovered the day before. I'm sure that if the lake levels recover, this beach will be gone and the canyon will look completely different. However, with the help of our videos and photographs, it will remain in our memories as one of our favorite places on Earth.
.

Travelogue

If you've ever watched old westerns in the movies or on TV, you've probably seen Kanab. The rugged scenery surrounding Kanab has been used so often as a Hollywood set for westerns that it is the image that probably most of America has of the "Wild West."

They're really into the cowboy thing here--even our campground in town was called an RV "corral." Although we were corralled in pretty close to our fellow RVers, it really was a very nice campground with one of the nicest campground pools I've ever experienced. We spent the afternoon lounging around the pool, planning our next day assault on Lake Powell.

Travelogue

I think we would have appreciated Cedar Breaks much more if we hadn't just come from Bryce Canyon. Like Bryce, Cedar Breaks has a spectacular amphitheater filled with colorful hoodoos and interesting rock formations. However, unlike Bryce, there are no hiking trails that take you down and let you walk amongst the hoodoos. That's the part of Bryce that we loved so much.

Instead, visiting Cedar Breaks was more like a spectator sport. We drove the scenic 5-mile drive through the park stopping at the various overlooks along the way. The first one we stopped at was Chessman Ridge Overlook, where the rock formations below theoretically look like giant chess pieces. It was beautiful, but no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't see it. I guess I don't have a very good imagination.

Our next stop was the Visitor Center near Point Supreme where there was a truly spectacular view of the amphitheater. Unfortunately, all the boys could work up was, "That's nice, but I like Bryce better." I think they're getting a little too jaded. If we had come here before Bryce, I'm sure it would have been a totally different experience. To the boys' relief, an approaching thunderstorm prevented us from hiking the 4-mile Spectra Point Trail along the rim.

What did interest Herb and the kids more than the amphitheater was a motor home identical to ours, right down to New Jersey license plates, parked in the lot near ours. This might not seem like a big deal, but Lazy Daze motor homes are somewhat rare, especially in the East Coast, and their owners tend to be a bit fanatical about them. Anxious to meet our New Jersey Lazy Daze brethren, we stalked the parking lot watching for their return. Upon their arrival, we greeted each other enthusiastically and spent the next half hour exchanging Lazy Daze stories--all of which were good. What really floored me was that they were traveling with 5 kids in a motor home that I found to be quite intimate with 2. I give them a lot of credit. They looked like they were having a really good time.

Travelogue

Bryce Canyon is up there on my list of top ten favorite places to visit--definitely a place to come back to again and again. Although this was our 3rd time here and the kids' 2nd, we were probably even more excited about stopping here than the 1st time because we knew of the magic in store for us.

Lolo and the boys hiking out of the canyonThere are lots of beautiful places in the west, but there is something special about Bryce--something unique and somewhat unreal. It's also a lot less intimidating than places like the Grand Canyon and much easier to explore. You can just sit on one of the benches on the edge of the rim and gaze down into the hoodoos in the amphitheater below, or if you're more adventurous, you can hike down into the canyon from one of the trails from the rim and wander around among them. We spent lots of time doing both.

This trip, we were lucky enough to get a campsite in the park at Sunset Campground, in walking distance to the rim.

We chose to do the same hike that we had done on our last visit (it really is the best hike down into the canyon), but this time in the recommended reverse direction. Believe it or not, going in the opposite direction makes it seem like a completely different hike. We started this time from Sunset Point and followed the steep switchbacks of the Navajo Trail down through the narrow walls of the canyon into the amphitheater. From there we connected to the Queen's Garden Trail which brought us to some of the park's most interesting hoodoos, including one that actually does look like Queen Victoria sitting on her throne. From there we followed the trail up to Sunrise Point and then walked along the Rim Trail back to the RV.

Sleepy family at sunrise on the rimAfter dinner that evening, we walked back to the rim and watched as the colors changed from the warm yellows and oranges of daylight to the more dramatic pinks and reds that come with the setting sun.

On the drive out the next morning, we just had to stop for one more peek from the rim and a few more pictures. The early morning light was just as good as last night's sunset.

What a great place! I'm sure we'll be back again.

Travelogue

Lolo being playful with Big StoneyIt's hard for me to think of Kodachrome State Park without getting this stupid grin on my face. The park is very beautiful and has over 60 beautiful, multicolored rock pillars called sand pipes that are found nowhere else in the world. The most prominent and by far the most interesting sandpipe is the very large, anatomically correct, phallus-shaped one that overlooks the campground. And as if that wasn't amusing enough, its name is "Big Stoney." It functioned like a magnet. No matter how hard I tried, my beach chair would always wind up being oriented right towards it. I think Herb was starting to get a bit insecure.

Seriously though, the park is a real gem and much less crowded than nearby Bryce. The campground is located in one of the most spectacular settings I've ever camped in--a beautiful natural amphitheater with views on all sides. There are only 27 sites, but we had no trouble getting one. I think it was because there were no hookups and most people don't like to primitive camp.

Lolo hiking the Eagle's View TrailAfter Herb pried me away from my beach chair, we headed out on our mountain bikes to explore some of the other less graphic sandpipes. Fortunately, the Panorama Trail, which we wanted to go on, allowed mountain bikes. It was the only trail in the park that did, but at least they had one. National Parks don't allow mountain biking at all on any of their trails. The trail took us through a pretty valley with some very colorful and interesting sandpipes, such as the Ballerina Slipper spire and a series of wide-brimmed pedestals called the Hat Shop. Very nice and what was even better--we didn't see another soul the entire time.

On the way back, we stopped at the camp store for some ice cream and had to search out back for someone to wait on us. Finally, we found a nice old lady that ran the place by herself. At first, we felt bad that she might be lonely out here, but after talking to her we realized that she was quite content with her remote surroundings. The town of Cannonville was only 6 miles away so that gave her a chance to be around people whenever she chose to. She told us about a Root Beer and Fiddler Festival they were having in town that weekend and said that she hoped we would be able to stay around for it. I really wish we could have. I think it would have been fun.

Nice Campsite in Kodachrome BasinThe next morning while the kids slept in, Herb and I hiked the Eagle's View Trail, a trail that I had read about and very much wanted to do. The guidebook described the trail as strenuous, narrow, and exposed. They weren't kidding. As we climbed higher up the 1,000-foot, steep cliff face, the trail eventually narrowed to less than a foot wide, with a very steep drop-off. Herb kept pointing out the spectacular view in an attempt to take my mind off of the possibility of my imminent death. "Look you can see the campground and the RV," Herb said pointing at what looked like a matchbox car. Not even "Big Stoney," which from this height wasn't all that big, could cheer me up at this point. I realized that the trail really was quite visible from the campground. In fact, if the kids had woken up and looked out the window, they could have seen their mother crawling on all fours along the face of the cliff in front of the RV. Not a very pretty sight. Fortunately, they didn't.