Santa Jorge

We left my grandparents on Thursday around 1 and arrived in St. George around 5.

We were here for 3 reasons: 1. to meet up with some friends who had recently moved to California; 2. Greg really likes mountain biking and there is good mountain biking in St. George and 3.  sometimes it's nice to do things with just our family.

Shortly after arrival, the little kids and I hit the pool, while Rex watched TV and Greg went to get dinner.  Then on-time bed times for everyone because we had an early morning the next day.

Friday: Zion's.

We left the condo at 8 am, so as to arrive at Zion National Park by 9 to get parking--only 1 lot is open during the summer.  Then we stood in line for about 45 minutes waiting to get on a shuttle to get into the park.  Then we drove up the canyon on the shuttle for another 30 minutes.  We got out and did a 1/2 mile there and back hike on a paved trail.  Got back on the shuttle, went to a tiny musuem, got back on the shuttle, got in the car and drove back to the condo.

That night we went to Swing--another huge disappointment--and the temple, not a disappointment.

It was a bit of a let down.  Don't get me wrong, the canyon is beautiful.  Stunningly so.  But it felt like Disneyland with the parking, and the line waiting, and the shuttle ride with the cheer, recorded tour guide.  With all the Disney vibe going around, my mind didn't want to believe the canyon was natural--it felt more like something good ol' Walt himself built to attract tourist.  It wasn't the natural experience I was going for.

When the Procuniors arrived that night, we decided that Zion did not sound like a fun place for me and Lexy to take all the kids while the boys mountain biked.  I was relived.

The next morning Jared and Greg set off early for some mountain biking.  Lexy and I met up a bit later, after breakfast, to do something nature-y.  By the time we got together, we decided to just wait for the men to get back and go together.

Eventually we ended up at Snow Canyon hiking the butterfly trail to the lava tubes.  Worth the heat and the hike.  This felt like a completely different world.  Aside from the fact that I was still breathing oxygen and was still alive, I would have believed that I was on Mars.  A lot of places look a lot the same--corn fields, pine trees, sky, some hills or mountains.  The red rocks of St. George are completely different.  Just think what the pioneers thought as they came over the last bluff and saw the red rocks sticking out--confusion, awestruck--I don't know but I'm sure it wasn't, "Oh this reminds me of home."  Anyway, Snow Canyon was the nature-y hike I was looking for.

Can you spot Rex climbing the mountain?

When we got back, naps for the littles, pool time for the big kids, followed by amazing, authentic tacos and a huge rainstorm.  Then the kids jumped on beds and we packed up to leave yet again.  Lots of packing and lots of leaving on this trip.