We originally planned to go to Canyonlands, but apparently everyone else in Utah had the same idea. So we came up with a plan B that in the end was probably better.
We drove to Goblin Valley on Friday afternoon. Its a little state park in a remote part of the state. The park is full of odd shaped sandstone "goblins" and is surrounded by a crescent shaped sandstone wall (as seen in the film Galaxy Quest, 1999). Spencer found us a route to the top of the wall so we could have a full sweeping view of the park. It almost seemed like Spencer had glue on his shoes the way he scaled the sandstone.
We camped outside the park in the San Rafael Swell by Temple Mtn. We set up two hammocks side by side in a little juniper grove, can I just say hammocks and camping are awesome (especially when we forgot our camp chairs). For dinner we had planned on making Navajo Tacos. When we camp we typically keep the meals super simple so cooking the Navajo Tacos made us all feel like iron chefs, doing a good deal of improvising. Lucky for us camping makes everything taste better; and those tacos were tasty!
The next morning we drove to Capitol Reef on Utah-24. We attempted our first ever canyoneering hike up Burro wash. Most of the hike in was up a less than scenic dry and sandy wash. Once the wash deepened, things began to get interesting. The deep sandstone wash would be worth the hike alone, then it abruptly turns into narrows, only about 2 feet wide.
Stepping into the narrows is a little eerie,its dark and cold and at the highest point the walls stretch 30 feet above you. What really gets your attention is the water at the bottom of the narrows, water you can't go around. So we waded into dark water and found to our delight that it was ice cold! Some went in more willing then others. Katie Jan got a ride on Spencer's shoulders but eventually she too was wet and freezing. The deepest pool was about four feet deep and SO COLD! Once on the other side it opened up again and we had lunch there. The group decided this was as good a place as any to turn around, so we headed back to camp.
We camped in Cottonwood Wash fittingly under some cottonwoods. Again the Hammocks went up, and again I have to say - AWESOME. This camp was some sort of lizard mecca. I am not talking about little lizards either, BIG lizards were spotted from the moment we arrived. Spencer made a raging campfire and the stars came out like they only do when your camping.
We had planned to stop and see Grandma and Grandpa B in Salina but we found out that morning that both were very ill and couldn't have company. So, we ate at Mom's Cafe. I have to say the place looked a little neglected, but the food was sooo good. Ever had home made sour cream blueberry pie?, you can get it at Mom's Cafe.
Going camping is great, you get to see amazing panoramic views, wildlife, and it lets us forget about our normal day to day worries. These are all good reasons why we love to go camping, but some of the best reasons to go camping are revealed in our thoughts when we get home. We take so much for granted in our comfortable life. Camping makes us notice how nice a bathroom with running water is, or how comfortable our bed is. When we return home and turn on the oven part of us marvels at how easy, and good, we have it. Of course we forget all of this too soon, so there will always be at least one good reason to go camping again.
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