Road Trip... Take Three

At the end of our six days away fluttering from town to town and hike to hike I pulled into the driveway and opened the back hatch of the car and the entire contents of the earth spilled out onto the concrete of the garage.

We made it.  

I felt like doing a happy dance to be unpacking suitcases and shaking sand out from sneakers...

Then I downloaded the pics and I wanted to shove all the things back into the car and take off once again.  It was a magical slice of summer and we saw the most beautiful water fall I think southern Utah has to offer and those skies... and those boys of mine... sigh...

We opted to leave Boone with Grandma Gail since she is now retired and can do those things - HALLELUJAH!  I was nervous because Boone like, REALLY likes me... not that I can blame him.  :)

Anyway turns out when mama is out of sight she is out of mind and little man was a champ.

The big boys and I headed around the east end of Boulder Mountain on Highway 12 and I swear, I didn't even remember just how beautiful that place is.  

Flashback - when Ry and I were just married a few years, I drew a bull elk tag on that mountain.  We spent two gloriously full weeks chasing those animals around that mountain range together, along with my Dad and my Uncle Dave, and I have never been so near to so many incredible animals in my life.  It was really a pretty unique and cool experience in a stunning place.

The hike to Calf Creek was one I'm sure I'll never forget.  Sandy trails surrounded by water lush greenery, topped with cerulean skies and fluffy white clouds.  We told tall tales and danced our way along until suddenly we spotted it... the horse tail waters spilling over the stone walls and cascading into a pool of crisp, cool water.  My heart did a flip -- and so did theirs.

And you can see why.

Sometimes I imagine I'm the first person to ever discover such a wonder.  Like I'm Sacajawea accompanying Lewis and Clark and my eyes are the first to view the amazing scenery before us.  Can you imagine the way you might feel?

Of course, I don't know if anyone is ever really the first... so I'll avoid deep thoughts like this and just say I sat with my feet in the cold water and soaked it all in and watched my growing boys frolicking in the falls and the waters beneath and I was so so happy.

We are surrounded by such beaUTAHful things here in our own back yard.

And my goodness my little ones are becoming obsessed.  I mean, it's becoming a problem... like every time we have a free afternoon they say, "Maybe we should hike to a water fall."  As if there are just waterfalls around every corner in suburbia.  :)

I'd say it's a fortunate problem... we are lucky to have the time together and the means to make it to just about every water fall that makes the map here in our neck of the woods.  

We feel all right about it.  :)