Anniversary Trip Day 1: Goblin Valley

Ivan, Ollie, Adelia, Lincoln, Aaron at Goblin Valley State Park

So there's this cool thing where all fourth graders in the US get a free National Parks pass. It's good for a year, and gets them (and their family) into any national park for free. And since Ivan is a fourth grader this year, I've been itching to go back to Moab and use his pass at Arches and finally hike the Delicate Arch trail. I really wanted to go back in February for my birthday, but that didn't work out. And then things at Aaron's work got insanely crazy for awhile there, and even Aaron was saying he needed a break. His work schedule was insanity through April. But I found a great deal on a hotel room in Green River for the the first weekend in May. Hotel, because I knew I'd be six months pregnant at that point and unwilling to tent it. And first weekend it May because that happens to be our anniversary. :) We arranged for Aaron's mom to take Ruby and Cal for the weekend. I think we could have done the trip with them, but it was just going to be a lot less stress not having to worry about the little ones on a long, steep hike.

Since Green River is half way between Goblin Valley and Moab, we decided to spend the first day in Goblin. When we were last there in September, it was so hot that no one wanted to climb on the rocks much. But this go around the weather was beautiful. Pants and t-shirt weather, which is perfect for climbing around on rocks. The kids had a marvelous time. It was harder doing the ups and downs as a pregnant lady, so I mostly stayed on the valley floor and watched everyone else climb all around. I photographed the event of course.

We spent a good deal of time in Valley 2 looking for a cave that we had found years ago when we went with Aaron's family. But, my pregnant bladder didn't hold out long enough to find it. And we had to head back to the entrance and the bathrooms.

After our potty break, we had a little bit of time before we wanted to head back to the hotel for dinner and such. So we drove out of Goblin and up the road a-ways to see some pictographs. It was pretty cool. And the kids enjoyed it.

Then we drove to the hotel, got checked in and all that good stuff. We ate some dinner at a little taco food truck/restaurant. Then went back to the hotel and went swimming until it was bedtime.