My wonderful parks trip- Sept 24- Oct 3

[shaggy Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close shaggy]

Wed evening we picked up Kelli at work and off to Raleigh we went to spend the night at Days Inn where we were able to leave the car and take the shuttle to the airport!! . The trip includes my neighbors Bill & Betty & Kelli & me.

Thurs: Uneventful flight to Las Vegas (nonstop) the best kind. Grabbed the car from Alamo, white Monte Carlo, which Bill was not fond of. He didn't think it had enuff pick up. We stopped for lunch at Jack in the Box for Bill & Betty as they hadn't eaten there in years and I really didn't care. In Mesquite we stopped for a few minutes to get out and walk which turned into more than a few mins because I was winning playing blackjack. It was fun , esp when you are winning.

Finally found the resort ( we had left the directions) , grabbed the keys, put luggage in the room and on to Springdale to go on a sunset tour with Dustin of 4X4 Adventures. He is a biology teacher and really knew his stuff. It was a beautiful evening and a good way to start the trip. Back to Canyon Ridge where we all hit the sack and slept in the next day.

[shaggy Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close shaggy]

Friday/ Zion

Slept in late , everyone rested and on to Zion where I got a pass to all of the Nat'l Parks for free. TIP: If you are handicapped or disabled tell them and just a couple of simple questions and you are off and running. I found out quickly my brace and my leg did not allow me to hike like I had hoped. I did not make my goal of hiking to the Virgin River and up the slot canyon. I did take a gazillion pics which will be forthcoming. We stopped at the history museum for a geology talk . Betty really liked it, Kelli & I were bored. It was late when we started and we were still a little tired so drove back to St George and ate at the Brick Oven. Kelli & I had pizza and B&B had pasta which was all very good.

[RESORT2ME Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close RESORT2ME]

Welcome back.

We're listening!

[gophish Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close gophish]

Hi Shaggy, welcome home. sounds like a great trip and will be watching for more on it, especially the photos when you get them posted.

[shaggy Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close shaggy]

Sat: Scenic Hwy 12 /Sun Bryce

Started out early with a plan to end up in Torrey, see Capital Reef at Sunset or if to late to do it the next morning. The scenery was amazing!! It was beautiful, in fact any time any one said the word beautiful we would break out singing America the Beautiful. Our singing was anything but beautiful as we were all out of tune harmonizing with each other. Kelli was pleading for us to stop and would not join in on the fun. Remember the old gong show? We would have won the worst of the worst, you just had to be there.

We stopped at a little place called Paradise Grill. It was in the middle of nowhere (somewhere on hwy 12) . We were starving so went in and found a hidden gem. It also had a hotel and in the back there were bison. The food was different so Betty & I deceided to split the Buffalo chili which was out of this world. If I didn't know it was buffalo, I'd never had known. Bill had a buffalo burger and Kelli had a regular burger. We split something else that had buffalo in it and it was also delicious. The buffalo were grazing outside so we were hoping it wasn't there pet. The waiter was from Turkey and was studying French so we had a French Turkey for a waiter

Back to Hwy 12 where we skipped Kodachrome as we needed to get on up the road to Torrey as the lady in the escalante visitors center said we better get on the move as there was a motorcycle rally in Torrey and probably wouldn't get a room. She was right, not a room to be had so grabbed a quick bite at a grocery store/mexican restaurant that was recommended here. Food was great and we ended up in Beaver where we spent the night in a Best Western. I was unhappy that we didn't get to see Capital Reef but we went on to Bryce Sunday where we took up a detour road just to see what was there. It was at Red Rock Canyon . Very beautiful, but I didn't try to hike it as I was scared I'd slip on the loose rocks. Kelli & Betty got into WWIII and she threatened her with a trip back on the airplane. It got ugly but we worked thru it. Kelli mostly played video games instead of watching the scenery which irritated Betty and Kelli was so bored, she hated just riding in the car, wanted to hike and once on the trail everything was ok. Very tense for a couple of hours.

We went on to Bryce which was absolutely gorgeous. Afterwards we went back to St George via a scenic hwy via Cedar City as we didn't want to go back thru the tunnel in Zion. We were warned to look out for the elk, they were aggressive and wouldn't move out of the road. They forgot to tell us about the cows and the deer. The cows were just walking on the side of the road and the deer were everywhere!! If we saw one we must have seen 100. Hunters were also out, the road was curvy,. curvy, curvy, worse than the tunnel and we made absolutely no time at all. I thought it was fun tho as I wasn't driving We were happy to see the condo and just made sandwiches as we were all exhausted. Lots of nice photos tho.

[MargeS Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close MargeS]

wow. I miss a day on my computer and have quite the catch up!
How old is Kelli? curious.

When my son was 13, it was our first visit out west and to grand canyon. It was off season, we had the place almost to ourselves. It was so serene and beautiful (w/o other tourists). Tommy got out of the van for the first 2 stops, then refused, saying, "you've seen one big ditch, you've seen them all." I could have killed him.

Years later, I get some beautiful photo's sent to me, with the message about how great that trip was, etc. I responded "who is this?"
Now HE cannot wait to recreate that trip with his family!

[shaggy Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close shaggy]

Kelli is 37 but acts like a teenager. She is EMH ( emotional mentally handicapped) but to see her you would think she's just a young girl. She really is a wonderful girl and has a heart of gold but when she get's upset watch out. EX: Last night she was playing bowling on Wii and when she'd screw up the program would say something and she'd yell back at the tv saying she knew how to do it-- shutup!! She has a sense of humor that won't stop and is the best traveling companion I know. She holds down a full time job but doesn't drive as her reaction time isn't that good. shaggy

[IreneLF Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close IreneLF]

Hi Shaggy,
Enjoying reading about your travels. I was last in Utah when we drove cross country 30+ years ago and want to go back.
Interested to read more, keep it comin'

[MargeS Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close MargeS]

Thanks for the update. I have been following your travel tales this past year or so, but "joined in" too late to hear details. I only knew that I liked your style of writing, and that you had many wonderful and fun trips with your daughter!