Families are
cool. Cool activities are cooler with a cool family. Here are a few unrelated cool
things my cool clan has done together lately. (Yes, I know you are currently
questioning the coolness of this content.)
Afternoon Tea is an excuse to don a cute dress and request feminine company.
A group of the
ladies, and one unintentional man, went to Afternoon Tea at the Grand America
Hotel in Salt Lake City. This exceedingly-British affair featured elegant drinks
and miniature foods. Posh teas and cocoas, scones with clotted cream, cucumber
sandwiches, macaroons, madeleines, and harp music were all part of the tasteful
experience. We extended our pinky fingers like pros at pomposity!
Lagoon has been amusing patrons for over 130 years.
My parents paid
for our entire gang to spend a day at Lagoon together as their Christmas
present to us all. We went on a rather warm day with a large chunk of the fam
and enjoyed ourselves despite the sizzle. We screamed and laughed on the
Cannibal, Wicked, Colossus, Centennial Screamer, Tidal Wave, Rocket, Space
Scrambler, Spider, and Dracula’s Castle. One of our nephews informed us he was
officially a man because he had conquered the Cannibal, apparently the only prerequisite
for manhood these days. We played carnival games for cheap prizes. We ate Dole Whips,
frozen lemonades, and giant pretzels. We came home overheated and exhausted but
amused. On a side note, if you find yourself at Lagoon, I’d recommend eating at
the new beer garden. It offers large portion sizes of flavorful food and, more
importantly, plenty of shade.
The Weber River starts in the Uintas and eventually flows into the Great Salt Lake.
As a bonding adventure, the boys went rafting on the Weber River near Henefer. I received conflicting reports of this event with some depicting fearsome water and others a calm canal. The most accurate accounts indicate the river was fairly mild with Class II+ rapids on occasion. The only point all sources described as intense was the crossing of Concussion Bridge. This railroad overpass was so low to the water that everyone had to lie down in their boats, hence the headache. That nuisance didn’t dampen spirits though even if it dampened shorts. Splashing contests abounded, and the boys came back giggling and recounting incongruent tales of their exploits.
Don’t be jelly of
my cool relatives; jelly is what goes on scones with clotted cream.
Jason and I traveled to Colorado recently to attend a family
event and spend some time in Estes Park with said family. My sister, her
husband, and my dad were amongst those present. It was a short but fulfilling
trip with plenty of pines, climbs, dines, temperature declines… and other
things that poorly rhyme, which I will not mention at this time.
On route to Estes Park, we stopped in Fort Collins for a day
or so. Fort Collins is one of two towns that inspired Disneyland’s Main Street,
U.S.A. Its charming edifices surfaced unexpected cravings within me for
Matterhorn-shaped macaroons and tipsy pirates. Instead, we toured the New
Belgium Brewing Company, shopped in Old Town, and drank tea peacefully at a darling
teashop while lightning splashed the sky and thunder growled constant complaints.
I wasn’t making up that lightning storm bit.The Lawn Lake Trail continues for nearly 12 miles. We didn’t continue for 12 miles.
After our respite in Fort Collins, we were off to Estes Park
where we had rented a cabin situated in a hilly nook with log beams and room to
hang. We wasted no time heading out into the opulence of nature in Rocky
Mountain National Park, which is one of the primary reasons visitors swarm
Estes Park in the summer. We did the Alluvial Fan Trail, but it was too short
to satisfy. So, we followed the Lawn Lake Trail until darkness dissuaded us.
The Fern Lake Trail runs along the Upper Big Thompson River and affords ample magnificent scenery.The path to The Pool passes between two boulders the size of houses.
The next day, rain was in the forecast. We were confident we
could beat or outlast it, but I’m not sure there was any logic behind that
conviction. If logic wasn’t in our corner, at least luck seemed to be as we trekked
to The Pool on the Fern Lake Trail, about 3.5-miles roundtrip. We got back to
our car just before the showers picked up substantially. Some members of our
group ran (literally) the extra mile out to Fern Falls in order to catch that
cascade and still stay ahead of the downpour. It all worked out somehow. Beauty
was beheld, proper exercise was performed, and dowsing was delayed.
Does this historic facade look enchanting or sinister?
After our hike, we had prudently scheduled an indoor
activity: a ghost tour at the famous Stanley Hotel. The Stanley Hotel was built
in 1909 by Freelan Oscar Stanley of steam-powered-car fame. This 142-room resort
is famous for inspiring Stephen King’s The Shining and for providing a
set for Dumb and Dumber. The ghost tour was a little spooky but mostly
just fun and informative. Learning about the unusual history of the owners and
buildings was my favorite part.
Snow accumulated on the ground the night before we left. It felt like Christmas in an alternate universe.
Although it was May, a winter storm warning was issued for
the Estes Park area the next day, and we barely missed the worst of it when we
headed out. Cute Colorado supplied much to jolt our systems: May snowstorms, historical
phantoms, fermented concoctions, and quirky company.
This year’s anniversary festivities fell to me for the
planning. I’ve been curious about Monument Valley for years. On this occasion,
as it often does, curiosity got the better of me. So, Jason and I were soon off
on a monumental adventure.
A rock can be balanced by a bow.
We stopped at Arches National Park on our way to Monument
Valley. I was hoping to photograph the slew of wildflowers anticipated after Utah’s
unusually wet winter and spring, but the blossoms were just starting to pop
out. Arches was far from a photographic bust though. I happened to be shooting
Balanced Rock at sunset when a double rainbow unexpectedly materialized over it.
Shot score!
You may recognize this hill from a famous running scene.
The following day, we proceeded into the middle of nowhere
because nowhere is exactly where Monument Valley is located. Although remote,
the drive to Monument Valley passes some stimulating scenery like Mexican Hat, a
massive rock that looks like a sombrero stuck upside down.
Goulding’s Trading Post Museum makes for an interesting interruption.
Before heading into Monument Valley, we stopped at the
Goulding’s Trading Post Museum to learn a little about the over 100 movies that
have been filmed in Monument Valley. Don’t remember any? Perhaps you recall Forrest Gump, Back to the Future III,
National Lampoon’s Vacation, The Lone Ranger, Mission: Impossible II, Wild Wild
West, and Starman? Four John Wayne movies placed Monument Valley on the
cinematic map and countless others have kept it there.
Most hiking in Monument Valley requires a guide. The Wildcat Trail is an exception.
Monument Valley is a mystifying mix of fantastic buttes and
crowds. The nine stops you can make on the 17-mile Valley Drive without a guide
are gorgeous but might test your patience. They may be packed with tourists taking
50 pictures of themselves doing the exact same jump over and over again in
front of a butte you are waiting to photograph. (Yup, that happened, and no, 50
isn’t an exaggeration.) If you want to avoid the surplus throngs, I’d recommend
using your feet.
This overlook in Monument Valley is named after John Ford, the Hollywood director that made Monument Valley legendary.
There are only a couple places you can hike without a guide
in Monument Valley. One of them is the Wildcat Trail that circles the West
Mitten Butte. Despite the masses at the visitor center, we saw exactly seven
people and two equestrians on this four-mile trek. Hallelujah for hominid
lethargy!
Buttes erode into pointy beauties.Spring flowers bloomed around the Three Sisters.
Our last day in Southeastern Utah began with a visit to the
Bluff Fort Historic Site. Bluff is a tiny town of 320 surrounded by a
challenging landscape. Its fort was the first Anglo settlement in the Four
Corners region. These initial settlers came from Escalante in 1880 via the Hole
in the Rock Trail. Their story is pretty remarkable. The recreations and
restorations at the fort are maintained with obvious pride and love. It’s a
great place not only to gather historical tidbits but also information on points
of interest in the area. The staff is knowledgeable and plenty of maps are
available. As an added bonus, admission is free.
The only unguided driving one can do in Monument Valley is on a loop with just nine stops. Each one is magnificent though.
The rest of our day was packed with Native art and ancient
structures. We stopped at the Sand Island Petroglyph Panel first. This panel is
easy to access and continues for more than 100 yards. It features varied rock
art between 800 and 2,500 years old.
The Wolfman Panel is distinct and sophisticated… and a distinct reminder that humans are often disappointing creatures. Bullet holes? What the!
Next, we visited three ruins and some petroglyphs along
Butler Wash, which is now part of the Shash Jaa Unit of Bears Ears National
Monument. Through Butler Wash many archeological sites can be accessed. We
chose to investigate the Wolfman Petroglyph Panel with its nearby edifices,
Split Level Ruin, and Monarch Cave Ruins.
We encountered pictographs, petroglyphs, metates, and pottery shards at the ruins we visited.
Although we hiked to three ruins, none of them felt like repeats.
The ones near the Wolfman Panel contained a number of compartments. Split Level
included hand pictographs and petroglyphs. Monarch’s curved structure reminded
us of the buildings at Hovenweep National Monument. None of the required climbs
were particularly long, ranging from about a mile to just over two, but we were
rained on repeatedly at surprising moments during our treks.
Rain dampened our weekend numerous times, especially during our trek to Monarch Cave.
Our trip to Monument Valley encompassed areas beyond that
epic basin. We explored many parts of Southeastern Utah previously unseen. You
don’t have to journey across the world to experience new things; just around
the four corners wonders await.
Recent Comments