hocker headings . . .: April 2010

The minivan was rented, the car was packed both inside and topside, the seat belts buckled and after a good hot breakfast at St. Charles, we took to the open road heading east toward Ely Nevada. Arrival time was 9:30 PM only 13 hours after leaving Bend. The hours in the car were pleasant enough listening to children's books on tape, children's music, radio thater and Odyssey. The portable DVD player was well used and Corinne played for hours with a Sesame Street flannel book. We stopped at a park to play and make a pinic lunch from the cooler. We spent that night in a hotel which was a relief that we didn't have to set up camp in the dark and the freezing cold. We had hopes that the weather would be warmer further down the road.

Driving just 3 more hours the second day and we were there. . .at Zion National Park (just missing by minutes the annual St. Patrick's Day parade and festivities that would have blocked the only entrance road). It was breathtaking being surrounded by enormous rock formations in the midst of the canyon. It left a feeling that I was a really small being in this great universe that was created. We flashed our National Park Pass and checked out the visitors center and then planned a couple small hikes for the afternoon.

The road into Zion National Park. The red roads "are so peculiar."

This is the furthest that we could hike the Narrows.

Corinne hiked all the way back 1.2 miles. Elijah was a true hiker now and hike both ways. Well, it was a nice change from being in the car for a day and a half.

The Weeping Rock

Elijah catching some of the weeping rock's tears.

a view from the upper pool. . .wow that waterfall is TALL.

Our campsite in the snow. The lows each night were around 23 degrees. We planned for cold nights when we purchased a propane heater that could be used inside our tent, but the mornings were COLD and none of us wanted to stay outside and cook breakfast. The kids seemed to wake up at 6 AM every morning and would warm us with their laughter. They would play games in their sleeping bags and thier stuffed animals would be flying all over the tent. They would read/quote their favorite books of the napping house and the itsy bitsy spider and laugh some more. Every morning we'd boil water for some wonderful starbuck's microground coffee and we'd eat our continental breakfast of bagels, yogurt and hardboiled eggs in the warmed-up minivan. It was a system that worked pretty well.

The kids found that nature has the best toys. All sizes of rocks were chosen to throw into the snow banks to make "decorations" at the campsite.

Listening to the sounds of the Grand Canyon at the bookstore.

This is Corinne taking a picture of her big brother at the Grand Canyon.

Corinne peering out of the watchtower window. . .one that was just her height.

Taking in the sunset at Lipan Point. . . just breath taking!

This was our view from the Bright Angel Trail. We hiked about 3/4 miles down until we ran into too much packed ice that was too dangerous for our hiking outfit.