Lonesome Beaver

I LOVE this picture, we LOVE camping, plus we are just so cute...yes?

We have been wanting to go to Capitol Reef National Park for awhile, and the last trip we were on in San Diego, we played a tournament of games if you will...card games...and we decided that whoever wins gets to choose where we go next. I won. I wanted to go to the Grand Tetons, but it's still freezing there, so I chose Capitol Reef, it's in Southern Utah, and we had heard some amazing reviews about it.

Friday I had an interview for a third grade teaching job, plus we got a slow start, plus it was rainy, plus the camp site we really wanted was a first come first served deal and we called and they were full and we were getting hungry and grumpy, and traffic was horrid, so we decided to stay the nigth with Nate and Amy. It was so fun staying up late and chatting, poor Amy had ankle surgery last week, so she needed some extra TLC, plus Jeanne was visiting, double bonus.

Friday morning after we had some of Nate's AMAZING pancakes (yes I ate a gluten free variety) we took off. Still rainy, but very pretty, lets be honest I dozed a lot of the drive, (sorry angel nugget beef cake!) ANYWAY we drove through the park, stopped at the visitors center to get some pointers about where we could camp, and to purchase my standard souvenir...a deck of playing cards and a patch for my backpack. We ate lunch and then headed through the rest of the park. John really wanted to find a campsite called "lonesome beaver" but it was out in the middle of NO WHERE, and it said on our guide that it was gravel then dirt roads. It had been rainy for like four days straight, against my better judgment we headed for the Lonesome Beaver. Have you ever driven in slushy snow like in a paring lot and on purpose spun around a bit, just to feel the thrill. John LOVES doing this, and the mud was about six-eight inches deep, so we were sliding around like crazy. Honestly we should still be stuck out there, but John maneuvered his way through it, until we got too close to getting stuck and the mud got deeper, then we decided to turn back. It was hilarious to watch the GRIN on John's face while we slipped around, I might have been more terrified but it was just so funny, and I trust John's sweet driving skills. :)

So happy/ So...terrified?????

This picture does NOT do it justice, it looks like there is just some mud on our car, it was THICK MUD, all over, even on the roof!

We thought, maybe we should just stay in a hotel...funny idea. Every clerk we talked to at the hotels laughed and said we wouldn't be able to find a room OR a campsite on memorial day weekend without reservations...BUT a funny old lady at a travel office showed us where we could find a camp spot...in her words: "It's just forrest land, you kin camp anywhare you see fit, it's just a big ole field!" Thank you ma'am. So we were either going to check it out or drive home, we really wanted to stay and hike the next day though, the "big field" was more like wide op[en space with trees and huge majestic rock formations, it was heavenly. We found a spot, set up camp, and went exploring. We roasted wieners and had dutch oven apple blackberry cobbler. it was SO good.

This stream was right by our campsite, it was SO beautiful, everything, and the thunderclouds created this mysterious slash beautiful fog around the tops of the mountain/rock/formations

Coolest waterfall, it reminded me of something out of Willy Wonka...mmmm...chocolate!

Next morning we went for a three hour exploring expedition, we saw a BADGER and some lizards and made some walking sticks, and talked and enjoyed the sunshine and scenery. It really does my body and soul good to be out there. Oh so wonderful! We drove through the park again and took a scenic route, and then headed for home, stopping of course for a milkshake, mine was caramel and butterfinger, delish.







So Monday was BUSY! We worked in the yard, pulling weeds, I went for a run, mowed the lawn, played tennis, went for a pretty bike ride with John and Jana, had a waterfight with John while washing the cars, and had a barbecue with James' clan. It was a wonderful memorial day weekend, and for family night John gave a lesson about the meaning of Memorial Day, it was a really great day.