Red-Rock Wonderland
We have been living in Western Colorado for 11 months, the longest we have stayed in one spot since 2014. We have enjoyed our local surroundings but it was time to soak in time away with friends. Off we go exploring neighboring Utah and some of the National Parks. We can't think of a better way than with our Spearfish family Wes, Heather, and Brody. Thank you for making us part of your family. Heather, your tour guide skills are a pretty rocking spot on.
Photo from our Rafting excursion down the Colorado River. It was a chill 2-hour float downstream for over 7 miles of beauty. Our towering guide was even a graduate of Black Hills State University, so we loved him from the beginning.
Not sure what they had us saying during this photo? Brett and I both look possibly a little frightened by the upcoming experience.
Brett was the best prepared with his 3MM dive suit under his clothes.
Heather, Brett, Carmen, Brodie and our guide Jay. Wes stayed in the Hot Tub at Air B and B, probably not a bad choice considering the temps.
Utah-Home to 5 National Parks, Moab hosting 2 of them
Only a quick 3-hour drive from our location in Ouray, Colorado. Brett and I were not going to miss out on the chance to spend 4 days tromping around Canyonlands and Arches National Parks with our Spearfish buds.
The temps were cold but that means so were the crowds. One thing everyone gripes about Moab is the crowds and the heat. We hit this one in true Pack Mule style, (ok, well maybe not the fancy air B and B) but shoulder season is totally our jam. We figured since we are already acclimated to wearing all these bull shit layers of clothes, we may as well take a Spring Break with some of our favorite friends.
UiIt
Windows, Bridges, Spires, Oh My!
Arches Park has the most dense concentration of arches in the world. It is a true outdoor playground. Until we were in the Desert in Namibia, Africa, we had no idea how much we loved crawling around and exploring rocks.
Sandstone arches erode into fin line structures then holes form in them. This of course takes millions of years. The park has well over 2,000 of them. Some of the major upsides to these 2 Parks is they are easy to get to, very easy to get around once you are there, and the hiking is friendly for all ages.
We get to eat out much more when we travel with friends. Our sushi night at Sabaku Shushi was our favorite. Assorted Nigiri and Fish were some of the best any of us had ever had. Chopsticks only.
Fun fact. Brodie who is in the 7th grade is already planning his senior trip to Japan. (The Gypsies have invited ourselves along, and hope to meet them in 2030) He was able to enlighten us with all kinds of fun facts. He is even learning the language so we will have an interpreter when we are there.
Posh Air B and B when the Gypsies allow Heather to pick the accommodations. We enjoyed downtime in our private hot tub surrounded by the Utah Mountains. (and the construction crew working next door)
We also had some intense board game challenges, ping pong, 80's music in the big rig, and picnic lunches, but mostly catching up and hanging out together was our favorite part.
Fat Guy Approved? One of the many, many things we love about this crew is we can be as smart-ass and sarcastic as we wish without offense. Our laughs were plentiful, frequent, and often not politically correct. Wes decided that our next project is to develop the Fat Guy Approved App for hiking trails. Many of the trails in the Moab parks are friendly for all levels of fitness. Here is a sneak peek at the rating system.
5***** Paved, less than 0.3 miles, no incline, out of the wind, Dairy Queen at the top
4**** Paved, more than 0.3 miles, slight incline water at the top
3***Gravel/Dirt path, incline, no snack station
2** Narrow path, incline, over a mile long
1*Over two miles, steady incline, need hiking poles, can't make it back by lunch
I thought Colorado had the bluest sky I had ever seen, but this one is up there. This Great Basin Desert terrain--is rugged and certainly exotic.
Other than Hiking
Moab is also a biker and off-roading dream (AKA Jeeping). Apparently, the town gets overrun by bikes and jeeps. The Slickrock Bike Trail is known as one of the world's most challenging natural courses for advanced riders.
I would give fair warning to anyone considering going in the high season that the congestion could be a total deal breaker for a family vacation. Probably better off in the shoulder seasons if you are crowd adverse. 3 million travelers make their way to Moab each year......holy shit that is a ton considering the size of the community.
Our current chapter of travel is all about the Wild West
We have learned to appreciate and love the high desert, and the high mountains of western Colorado. Moab has a lot of the same qualities as Ouray. It is a small town packed full of personality and a haven for the nature lover. The town itself is defined as touristy, but let's face it there is always good reason a place gets this title.
Delicate Arch Trail, the most popular (and I wouldn't say super difficult) is a must-do for any visitor. It is 3.2 miles long, there isn't a "trail" but rather more like a pilgrimage up to the Arch. It was wide and not super steep (by Colorado standards) Nearly anyone can do it gradually. One mile of stretch however does take your breath away.
The Arch that says HEY........You ARE IN UTAH. It is what adorns their license plates and defines Utah. Much like what Mount Rushmore is to South Dakota, the Delicate Arch IS Utah. It was breezy and a bit too cold to hang too long at the top, but a very inspiring picnic lunch spot on a nice day.
Our Tuesday-Saturday trip went by like wildfire. It was like we were greeting hello and poof……the sad goodbye. How long could we have spent in Moab? Well, we are gypsies so as long as we had a place to crash—quite a long time. One could explore the parks endless days in a row if time allows.
This time, however, we needed to get back to the Inn and finish up some duties before taking our April beach vacation. We have been holding off as long as possible to ensure that we get sand stuck in our toes and salt water up our nostrils before our final 4 months in Colorado.
Thank you, Wes, Heather, and Brodie. We always love the way you make us feel and hope you feel the same. The Ouray experience is closing in, and we hope we can share it with you before we depart in August. Being closer to dear friends and family is the biggest sacrifice of living the gypsy lifestyle.
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