NOTE: It was difficult to narrow down pictures to post as there were so many we loved.
Fri May 7
We packed up and headed back toward home today. On the way we stopped for a visit to Utah’s Canyonlands National Park. We traveled the thirty-some miles into the south entrance to the Park on Utah highway 211. On the way we stopped at Newspaper Rock where there is an impressive display of ancient petroglyphs. Once into the Park we found the campground full and little other place to camp. Dave and Laurene were heading home early next morning so they retreated to Moab for the night and we and the Liljenquists stayed in a tight campsite just off the highway on the Lockhart Basin Road about 5 miles outside the Park for the night. We then went back into the Park to drive all the improved roads, stopped at lookouts and took a couple of short hikes. This area of Canyonlands is known as the Needles District and the many-spired rock formations tell why. Back at camp we played Liljenquist's Sequence game prior to bedtime.
Sat May 8
This morning we drove back into the Park, stopped at the visitor’s center and then drove out to Elephant Hill. There is an improved gravel road for 3 miles and that’s where the weak at heart stop at Elephant Hill. This is an extremely challenging 4-wheel drive, rocky and very steep climb of several hundred feet in about a quarter of a mile that leads to a number of 4-wheel drive roads at the top of the mesa. One switchback is so tight that one must pull onto a small flat spot at the corner, back up and turn around to start the ascent up the next grade. Lynn stated emphatically that neither she nor their dune buggy was going up so Gene got in with Dad after they had scouted the first half of the grade and they took Little Red Dune Buggy slowly and carefully bouncing, chugging and picking their way to the top while Lynn and I waited (and prayed) at the bottom. Dad admitted that is was a little nerve-racking but they made it and then came slowly sliding and bouncing back down. Dad said this was definitely near the top of the most challenging places we have ever taken Little Red. We then returned to camp and drove about 5 miles on down the Lockhart Basin Road. At a stream crossing about two miles in we stopped for lunch and viewed a waterfall just below the crossing. Upon returning we packed up and headed for home. Prior to reaching Moab we stopped to view Wilson Arch right along the highway. Then to make life interesting we detoured up Scenic Highway 128 just north of Moab to follow the Colorado River up it’s canyon along a narrow winding road northeast toward Interstate 70. The canyon was beautiful in spite of shadows from the late afternoon hour. After that it was hightailing it for the Provo area where we planned to spend Mother’s Day. We arrived at Laurie and Evan’s home at 10 PM tired after a long but fun day. We then waited up to meet Kristina Ockey’s just-announced finance, Jared James, but gave it up at 11:30 at went to bed.
Sun May 9
This morning we met Jared and were very impressed. He and Kristina seem to be a match made in heaven and they have set an August 14th wedding date. We then attended meetings with the Ockeys where sacrament meeting had both song and talks that were spiritually touching in honor of mothers.
We packed up and headed back toward home today. On the way we stopped for a visit to Utah’s Canyonlands National Park. We traveled the thirty-some miles into the south entrance to the Park on Utah highway 211. On the way we stopped at Newspaper Rock where there is an impressive display of ancient petroglyphs. Once into the Park we found the campground full and little other place to camp. Dave and Laurene were heading home early next morning so they retreated to Moab for the night and we and the Liljenquists stayed in a tight campsite just off the highway on the Lockhart Basin Road about 5 miles outside the Park for the night. We then went back into the Park to drive all the improved roads, stopped at lookouts and took a couple of short hikes. This area of Canyonlands is known as the Needles District and the many-spired rock formations tell why. Back at camp we played Liljenquist's Sequence game prior to bedtime.
Sat May 8
This morning we drove back into the Park, stopped at the visitor’s center and then drove out to Elephant Hill. There is an improved gravel road for 3 miles and that’s where the weak at heart stop at Elephant Hill. This is an extremely challenging 4-wheel drive, rocky and very steep climb of several hundred feet in about a quarter of a mile that leads to a number of 4-wheel drive roads at the top of the mesa. One switchback is so tight that one must pull onto a small flat spot at the corner, back up and turn around to start the ascent up the next grade. Lynn stated emphatically that neither she nor their dune buggy was going up so Gene got in with Dad after they had scouted the first half of the grade and they took Little Red Dune Buggy slowly and carefully bouncing, chugging and picking their way to the top while Lynn and I waited (and prayed) at the bottom. Dad admitted that is was a little nerve-racking but they made it and then came slowly sliding and bouncing back down. Dad said this was definitely near the top of the most challenging places we have ever taken Little Red. We then returned to camp and drove about 5 miles on down the Lockhart Basin Road. At a stream crossing about two miles in we stopped for lunch and viewed a waterfall just below the crossing. Upon returning we packed up and headed for home. Prior to reaching Moab we stopped to view Wilson Arch right along the highway. Then to make life interesting we detoured up Scenic Highway 128 just north of Moab to follow the Colorado River up it’s canyon along a narrow winding road northeast toward Interstate 70. The canyon was beautiful in spite of shadows from the late afternoon hour. After that it was hightailing it for the Provo area where we planned to spend Mother’s Day. We arrived at Laurie and Evan’s home at 10 PM tired after a long but fun day. We then waited up to meet Kristina Ockey’s just-announced finance, Jared James, but gave it up at 11:30 at went to bed.
Sun May 9
This morning we met Jared and were very impressed. He and Kristina seem to be a match made in heaven and they have set an August 14th wedding date. We then attended meetings with the Ockeys where sacrament meeting had both song and talks that were spiritually touching in honor of mothers.
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