Tuesday, July 19, 2011

I'm licking my armpit . . .

Sums up the day!  End of post . . .
Id is faking it, but the other two passed out
Ok, I guess I should write something.  This was actually our shortest day of driving.  Last night we got in to Zion National Park at 12:15am and were completely exhausted.  We didn’t even get to enjoy the Lodge we were staying at.  After 5 hours and 4 miles of hiking at Zion it was on to the Grand Canyon. 
So, here’s what I learned about two National Parks in one day:
  1)      It doesn’t matter how far you make the children walk; they will be rambunctious and crazy.  We honestly expected 4 miles to take their toll.  Not on these children! 
                       a.       The funniest part of this part of the day was when Superego turned Id into her “horsey” and made her take various trips to the trash can with all of our car garbage.

   2)      When 5 people are confined to a small space for hours a day, there will invariably be a moment when you realize the wheels have fallen off.  It’s when you and your husband wake up accusing the other of being in a bad mood, and the noise in the backseat is so loud that you don’t even notice how loud it is.  When the laughing in the back seat is so hard that one of your children pees in their pants, maybe you should do something about the situation!  Or, maybe not – if they’re having that much fun.  J 

3)      Be sure to check what time zone Arizona is on during this time of year.  We were an hour early for dinner because we didn’t realize they were on California rather than Colorado time.  Ooops.

4)      When you see your child acting strangely in the rearview mirror, do not ask “what are you doing” . . . you may get the answer “licking my armpit”.  Words cannot express my pride in my oldest child at that moment.
On a side note - Oooops, she did it again.  It’s possible that Ego may have left her mark in the Virgin River in Zion National Park.  Again, the catheter is sounding great, and I’m not admitting anything.
When do I go back to work again?  Oh, wait, that’s right . . . .
Recommendations for today
        Zion Lodge – it was a bit pricey, but you are parked right in the heart of the park, able to access everything very easily, and they are open 24/7.
        Eat at Zion Lodge before heading out for the Grand Canyon.  There isn’t much between Zion and Grand Canyon, unless you’re ready to spend an hour ordering at the Subway in Mt. Carmel Junction or are ready to play restaurant roulette in Kanab, Utah.
Go to the Grand Canyon North Rim at sunset.  It is absolutely stunning.  But, don’t eat at the Lodge’s dining room.  The service was terrible and the food was only marginal.  There was a cookout that looked interesting, but I can’t say whether that is worth it.
Here’s something I would NOT recommend – staying at the Jacob Lake Inn, rather than the Kainab Lodge near the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.  Jacob Lake is 45 miles from the canyon and although that doesn’t seem like a lot, it’s an hour drive and that’s huge when you’re trying to get there and see everything.  Kainab is 18 miles from the park.  Much Better.   Jacob Lake Inn did have  a great cabin.  It was primitive and the floor was uneven, but it was a nice place to have a rustic adventure.

1 comment:

  1. Regarding #7 If the CIA wants an effective form of torture - they should put terrorists in a minivan at 4pm with three children who have not had a snack or a nap.

    I just wanted to tell you that I have a friend who is going into the CIA and I have told him that you would lend him your children at no cost when he needs them.

    ReplyDelete