Day 11- Zion

Oh, Zion!


We leave at a kind of reasonable time of 9 to try and make the 10am parking lot cut off. We make it in at 10:01 and we see one last space at the end of the RV line. Unfortunately another RV with a couple in it are taking up 2 spots and need to move over for us to fit. We pull up and roll down our windows and they say they are saving the spot for a friend. Their accents are German. The woman is in the passengers seat just shaking her head at us after mouthing a "no" with a cold stare in our direction (bitch, please. I've been mugged by thieves with machetes. Your best blue steel look doesn't faze me). I do NOT want an altercation, but this sucks. I want to just go back to town and get the free shuttle but Mike takes a stand. He says, "Sorry but you can't reserve spaces. We're parking here." We both roll up the windows and just sit in our RVs not moving. It's an old fashioned stand off. We are like the north and south going Zaxxs. Mike tells me, "they will eventually move if we wait them out." And he was right! Whoo hoo! We got the last spot!



Mike wins in a test of will with a German. He has NEVER been hotter.

Now that we're on the last day everyone is content with their carseats.

We do our longest hike yet in Zion- 3.5 miles roundtrip. It's perfect for our little explorers because it's a wide paved trail along the river at the bottom of Zion Canyon (Pa'rus trail). This means we can bring the stroller and the Ergo if they both get tired, but let them wander with no steep drop offs.  For the rest of the day I think Zion is my favorite part of the trip, but I think it was just the beauty of the logistics that made me so happy! The boys were energetic troopers and loved running the trail, seeing puppies and bikes and finding lizards. It took us forever with their "hiking style" but we literally had all day. There were 6 bridges to cross on the trail (over the Virgin River) which was a fun bonus as Arlo LOVES bridges. The weather was beautiful and 80 degree all day. So nice!

Maybe if you'd wear sunglasses or a hat this picture wouldn't be so painful Lo.

Naps back at the campground allow me time to try a run. Bad idea. The dust and dry air makes for super crappy running conditions (paired with drinking and not working out for 12 days I'm sure helps!).  We get a little down time which is nice and relaxing.  After a nice final camp dinner, we do late night shuffleboard, mini golf, playground and fire.  Sunset around 9pm is the new first attempt at bedtime for us. Getting back into a routine is going to be hard.

Graham got to go in the river and did a great job not getting his splint wet.

Last fire :(

On the Lido deck, shuffleboard.

Some type of tribal dance around the fire. Because Arlo looks so tribal.

As we are heading to Vegas tomorrow and this is our last night in the RV I can't help but reflect on how (expectedly) stressful the beginning was, but how much I was really enjoying the vacation.  Broken bones and all. I am looking forward to a huge shower and tub in the hotel too, but part of me misses the RV before we even turn it in. Traveling with an (almost) 2 and 4 year old meant that every day there was some normal stress, bickering and parenting issues but overall just so, so much fun!

The kids are still awake as I write the notes from the day at 10pm by the fire. Did I mention getting back to a routine would be hard?!