We left last Friday for the long drive down, loaded down with snacks and beverages to keep us occupied until we got there. The drive wasn't too bad. We saw some elk and deer through Spanish Fork Canyon. It was kinda snowy, but nothing we couldn't handle. We pulled into Moab around 7:30 p.m. and stopped for a quick bite and headed to Monticello where we had reserved hotel rooms. Let me tell you, I have never stayed in a place more disturbing than that place. The room looked pretty clean until I walked into the bathroom and saw the ants. Kinda disturbing, but there were only a couple of them, so I didn't worry about it too much. The three of us decided to go for a swim, and there were dead ants in the pool. Yeah, let's just say if you're ever going to Monticello, give me a call before you decide which hotel to stay in.
The next day, we decided to head back down to Moab and head to Arches National Park. I've never been there before. It was so much fun. The best part is just seeing all of the different formations that red rock make. Here are some pictures for you to enjoy!
Then James decided if we were going to go on any hike that Delicate Arch was the one for us. He also said it was just a quick jaunt around the bend. What he didn't say was it was one of the strenuous hikes in the Park. By the end, my back was killing me, but the hike was beautiful.
We made it!! It was so windy (hence the hair) and cold, but it was definitely worth the effort and the fear of heights to see it. Once we got down from there, we decided to just drive around the park and find things. We found lots of things to take pictures of.
That night, because it was Valentine's Day, James took both of us ladies to dinner. He's such a nice guy. We then went to Kristene's parents house. I was excited to meet Kristene's dog, Tucker for the first time. Unfortunately, as soon as we opened the car door, we could tell the Tucker had been sprayed by a skunk. So, needless to say, he didn't get the loving he wanted. He's still a cute dog, hopefully the smell won't stick with him for long.
The next day, we were off. We decided we had had enough of that hotel, so we headed down to Moab to find a new hotel to stay in. The Motel 6 in Moab is the place to go. It was nice and refreshing to be in a clean place. On our way to Moab, we made a couple of stops. We stopped at Wilson's arch first.
We then went to this place called Hole 'n the Rock. It's amazing. This man and his wife in the early 1950's inherited land, so he dynamited and basically he and his wife lived in this rock until the day they both died. Unfortunately, we weren't allowed to take pictures of the inside of the home. It was pretty fun though. They had running water and electricity in this home too. Amazing!
Then we all went to our hotel and James wanted a nap. So Kristene and I went on a Sunday Walk. It was so nice and peaceful.
We walked for a while until we noticed it was getting dark. We headed back to the hotel for some R&R.
We went to a nice Mexican restaurant for dinner that night. I felt pretty bad that it was Sunday, but next time I'll be planning ahead so we don't have to break the Sabbath.
That night we went and sat in the hot tub for a while. After a couple of minutes a couple from Colorado joined us. They were making small talk and asked us where we were from and where we worked. All of us work for the Church, but I didn't think anything of it until later. I got up and left a few minutes later because I was sufficiently cooked and went to my hotel room. I guess Kristene left a few minutes later for her and James' room. The gentleman from Colorado turned and asked James if it was okay that he drank a beer while sitting in the hot tub. James said it was not a problem, he had his own problems to deal with. The guy then looked and James and said, "Well, yeah, with you bringing two wives down here, that must be rough." James had a great opportunity to explain that we don't have multiple wives anymore. It was kinda funny to think of though because I was sitting pretty far away from James and Kristene in the hot tub. I guess you never know what people are going to think.
The next day we packed up and headed for home, not before we stopped off in one more place. We went to Moon Flower Canyon. It was a beautiful little walk.
It was a great trip. I hope to go down there again when we have more time to explore the treasures down there.
