DAY 1-We drove from Orem to Ouray, Colorado, about an hour and a half outside Grand Junction. Ouray is a gorgeous town nestled in a valley in the San Juan mountains. It really is stunning. Someone nicknamed it "Switzerland of America" and since I've never been to Switzerland, I'll have to take their word.
We got there around 4:00 with plans to stop at the hot springs pool to swim. It was cloudy, and threatening rain, so we were unsure whether we should actually brave it or not. We decided it give it a try, and forked over the $10 each (less for the kids) to swim in a pool that uses water from the hot springs. The shallow end was 96 degrees, nice and toasty, and we were actually glad it was overcast and a little cool outside so we didn't feel like we were roasting. We had a good time swimming for a couple hours, then loaded back in the van and drove to Durango, CO. It was a gorgeous drive through the mountains, and Jeff stopped along the way to get this shot.
We checked into our hotel in Durango and had the world's worst dinner at KFC at around 8:30 that night. Our kids forget their "restaurant manners" completely, and the 10 extra minutes we had to wait for grilled chicken turned into a nightmare. Carter wouldn't stop crying no matter what I did, and by the time we left, Jeff and I swore we were through taking our kids out in public. But the week was just beginning...
DAY 2- We had reservations on the Durango/Silverton train at 9:45. It is one of the oldest trains in the west, daily making the 45 mile trip from Durango to Silverton. We thought it would be an awesome experience and booked it. The 3.5 hour trip to Silverton was great. The scenery was beautiful, time went by quickly, and no one seemed bored at all. Once we got to Silverton, we hoped we would be able to explore the old mining town before getting back on the train. We were disappointed. Silverton is nothing more than a giant tourist trap. There are lots of cute buildings and shops, but everything is overpriced, the food isn't that great, and there was nothing authentic about it at all. We loaded back on the train at 2:30, expecting to get back to Durango by 7:00. But we had a lot of delays on the way back, including a 30-45 minute stop while a rock the size of a small truck was removed from the tracks. By the time we made it back, it was 8:00, and we were all more than a little anxious to get off the train. Eight hours in one day is asking a little much, even with the beautiful scenery, candy to eat, and games to play on mom and dad's phones. Here we are posing in front of the engine in Silverton.
This was the car we rode on, an open gondola car with the seats facing out. This was before we started, when the kids were still in good spirits.
Overall, I wouldn't do it again. If you were interested in riding the train, I would seriously advise paying the extra $17 to ride the bus back (although at $81 for an adult, and $50 for a child, that extra $17/person really makes it an expensive day). You would save 2 hours off the return trip, but still get all the enjoyment of riding on a train through the mountains.
After we got off the train, we drove to Mesa Verde National Park, where we were camped for the night. Because of our late arrival, we ended up setting up camp in the dark and going to bed shortly after. The air mattress Jeff and I were sleeping on sprang a hole, and we were sleeping on nothing but the ground by morning. I literally had a bruise on my lower back the next day. Quickly, we decided that we needed to find another air mattress before our next night of camping.
DAY 3-We spent the day at Mesa Verde, taking tours of some pretty amazing Pueblo Indian ruins. We toured Balcony House in the morning and Cliff Palace in the afternoon. It really was quite amazing. The only downside was having to go in a group tour, and listening to the guide talk about the Indian people for an hour each tour. The kids were ever so bored, not particularly caring that most of the women got married between 12-14 and only lived to their mid-twenties, or that 50% of babies died in childbirth. They just wanted to climb the ladders and get a closer look at the ruins. This was our first tour of the day, and the only way to the ruin was up this 32 foot ladder. The kids did amazingly well. They are good climbers. Carter took the easy way on Jeff's back in the backpack.
We decided to skip our last planned hike to Spruce Tree House, as the kids had had their fill of Indian ruins for the day. We drove instead back to Utah, stopping in Cortez, CO when I saw a WalMart. There we got more ice for the ice chest and a new air mattress for Jeff and me. I've only been more excited to see a WalMart once in my life. We had planned to camp near Bluff, UT, but we must have blinked as we drove through it, because we missed anything that resembled a campground. Instead, we drove to Mexican Hat, where we hoped to find a place to eat. As it was starting to get dark once again, we opted for frozen burritos from the gas station. And I must admit, they tasted fantastic. We drove a little further, to a place called Goosenecks of San Juan, where we looked and looked for a campground that we had seen on the map. Finally, as the sun was setting, we located it, and set up camp once again.
This was a much better night of camping, on a full air mattress with my ear plugs in, although I did wake up once sure there was an animal outside our tent. Jeff assured me it was just the wind, but I didn't sleep particularly deeply after that.
DAY 4-We spent this day in the middle of nowhere. Technically, it was Cedar Mesa, between Bluff and Blanding, UT, but I think it was more likely the middle of nowhere. We took the kids on a hike to some more Indian ruins, this one called "Fallen Roof," in a place called Road Canyon. It ended up being longer and more strenuous than we anticipated, but the kids didn't complain much. It took us about 2.5 hours round trip to make it back to the car. We were all tired (I carried Carter in the backpack for this one) and dirty, but it was actually a lot of fun.
Here is our family shot. Carter, who didn't get to take a good nap for many days, was ready to leave, and Damon was trying to comfort him.
He did like to snack on an apple, though, although he mostly just sucked and drooled and made a huge mess. I guess that's what roughing it is all about...
And here is the shot Jeff got. Pretty cool.
We also stopped by National Bridges National Monument, where we drove through the park, ate lunch, and looked at some natural bridges (different from arches, in that they are made from running water) from the viewpoints. No one wanted to hike anymore, so we continued on our way.
We drove to Blanding and checked into our motel there. I put Carter to bed in the room and took the other three kids to the pool, while Jeff stayed with Carter. I tried to keep them there as long as possible, so Carter could get one good nap in, and we probably made it at least an hour and half. Kyla, who thinks she is invincible, climbed on the railing that leads into the pool and fell straight down on her face. She bit her lip and scraped her face a little bit, but was back in the pool within 10 minutes. The water felt as warm as the hot springs pool, and was actually too warm for me.
We went back to the room, showered, and walked next door to Old Tymers Restaurant where we had dinner. I am glad to report that our "restaurant manners" were much better this night, and the kids were rewarded with an old time stick of candy (like a flavored candy cane, only in stick form) from the restaurant. We relaxed in our room, as the kids watched The Suite Life of Zach and Cody (I heard Jeff chuckle once or twice, too) and then we drifted off to sleep.
DAY 5-We checked out of our hotel and drove to another hike Jeff wanted to do. He promised this one would be shorter and not as hard as Fallen Roof. So we headed into another canyon to another ruin called "House on Fire." The kids were not quite so eager to hike this day. There was far less climbing and far more walking than our hike the previous day, and it gave them a lot of time to remember how tired and thirsty they were. But we made it, and were once again rewarded with a cool view.
Here is Kyla posing in the doorway of the house.
We then drove to Monticello, where we stopped at a park for lunch. The kids had a great time playing at the skate park, sliding around on their behinds and socks. Monticello seems like a cool little town, and we have talked about going back. Then, we drove the 45 miles or so to Moab, where we set up camp for the night. Jeff wanted to do one more hike, but no one would go with him. So, he hiked to a place called False Kiva in Canyonlands while we waited for him back on the road. He went fast, and made it back in just over an hour. I definitely want to hike there when we go back, it looks so pretty.
We drove back to Moab, had a quick dinner at Burger King, then took the family to Despicable Me at the theater. Jeff didn't get to enjoy much of the movie, because Carter wasn't cooperating, but the rest of us really enjoyed it. We drove back to our campground on the way to Canyonlands, and went to bed.
DAY 6-Our last morning started before sunrise. Jeff wanted us all to experience sunrise at Dead Horse Point, so we got up at 6:00 and got to the lookout just as the sun was coming up. Allie wasn't too thrilled to be there (she is NOT a morning person), but she warmed up once we busted out the chocolate chips muffins. I don't know why Kyla is looking sad, she was actually quite happy to be there.
As the morning wore on, the clouds dissipated, and Jeff got a really great shot of Dead Horse Point.
Really, it was quite spectacular, and a nice way to end our trip.
We went back to camp, loaded up, and headed home. And despite a 45 minute delay in Spanish Fork Canyon, we still made it home by 1:00.
Phew. Are you still with me? That was a lot, I know. But it needed to be documented. Looking back, I can't believe we did all that we did with four small kids. And they really were very well-behaved, except those few times we'd rather forget. Kyla kept us laughing with all the funny things that she said. Here are a few of my favorites:
She laughed a funny laugh I had never heard before and I asked her what that was, to which she responded, "That's my fancy laugh."
She told us multiple knock-knock jokes, but the best one was about a bear dancing around in a bikini.
While we were cleaning up camp, she yelled to Damon and Allie, "Come get your pillows, you women!"
And..."If Allie drinks lots of root beers, she'll have a fat baby."
I don't know where she came up with all of that, but we were highly entertained.
Some other facts:
We brought a dry ice chest full of food and one with ice for drinks. Because of that, and the two continental breakfasts at hotels, we only had to buy one meal a day. It worked out very nicely, but the kids were sick of meat/cheese/crackers, and Allie wouldn't touch lemonade by the end of the trip, but it really helped us with our budget and our flexibility, being able to stop and eat whenever we wanted to.
I read The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo to the family as we drove (she is the author of Tale of Despereaux and Because of Winn Dixie, if her name sounds familiar). That was probably one of my favorite parts of the trip. The book was a good length for us, and enjoyed by all.
Really, there was not a lot of fighting on the trip. Probably the biggest fights were over what movie they were going to watch in the car. And the fighting between Jeff/me and the kids all had to do with lying still and going to sleep at night. I was amazed at how much fun we had together. I think it bodes well for trips in the future.
I lost my pillow in Durango (it got left on the bed as we were packing) and my shoes in Blanding. The pillow was my fault. I think my shoes were stolen. I thoroughly searched the room before we left, concluding that I must have packed them, but we got home and no shoes. I did the second hike in my flip flops. It was an adventure. Somewhere, some maid at the Comfort Inn in Blanding is sporting some nice Adidas shoes. :(
We got there around 4:00 with plans to stop at the hot springs pool to swim. It was cloudy, and threatening rain, so we were unsure whether we should actually brave it or not. We decided it give it a try, and forked over the $10 each (less for the kids) to swim in a pool that uses water from the hot springs. The shallow end was 96 degrees, nice and toasty, and we were actually glad it was overcast and a little cool outside so we didn't feel like we were roasting. We had a good time swimming for a couple hours, then loaded back in the van and drove to Durango, CO. It was a gorgeous drive through the mountains, and Jeff stopped along the way to get this shot.
We checked into our hotel in Durango and had the world's worst dinner at KFC at around 8:30 that night. Our kids forget their "restaurant manners" completely, and the 10 extra minutes we had to wait for grilled chicken turned into a nightmare. Carter wouldn't stop crying no matter what I did, and by the time we left, Jeff and I swore we were through taking our kids out in public. But the week was just beginning...DAY 2- We had reservations on the Durango/Silverton train at 9:45. It is one of the oldest trains in the west, daily making the 45 mile trip from Durango to Silverton. We thought it would be an awesome experience and booked it. The 3.5 hour trip to Silverton was great. The scenery was beautiful, time went by quickly, and no one seemed bored at all. Once we got to Silverton, we hoped we would be able to explore the old mining town before getting back on the train. We were disappointed. Silverton is nothing more than a giant tourist trap. There are lots of cute buildings and shops, but everything is overpriced, the food isn't that great, and there was nothing authentic about it at all. We loaded back on the train at 2:30, expecting to get back to Durango by 7:00. But we had a lot of delays on the way back, including a 30-45 minute stop while a rock the size of a small truck was removed from the tracks. By the time we made it back, it was 8:00, and we were all more than a little anxious to get off the train. Eight hours in one day is asking a little much, even with the beautiful scenery, candy to eat, and games to play on mom and dad's phones. Here we are posing in front of the engine in Silverton.
This was the car we rode on, an open gondola car with the seats facing out. This was before we started, when the kids were still in good spirits.
Overall, I wouldn't do it again. If you were interested in riding the train, I would seriously advise paying the extra $17 to ride the bus back (although at $81 for an adult, and $50 for a child, that extra $17/person really makes it an expensive day). You would save 2 hours off the return trip, but still get all the enjoyment of riding on a train through the mountains.After we got off the train, we drove to Mesa Verde National Park, where we were camped for the night. Because of our late arrival, we ended up setting up camp in the dark and going to bed shortly after. The air mattress Jeff and I were sleeping on sprang a hole, and we were sleeping on nothing but the ground by morning. I literally had a bruise on my lower back the next day. Quickly, we decided that we needed to find another air mattress before our next night of camping.
DAY 3-We spent the day at Mesa Verde, taking tours of some pretty amazing Pueblo Indian ruins. We toured Balcony House in the morning and Cliff Palace in the afternoon. It really was quite amazing. The only downside was having to go in a group tour, and listening to the guide talk about the Indian people for an hour each tour. The kids were ever so bored, not particularly caring that most of the women got married between 12-14 and only lived to their mid-twenties, or that 50% of babies died in childbirth. They just wanted to climb the ladders and get a closer look at the ruins. This was our first tour of the day, and the only way to the ruin was up this 32 foot ladder. The kids did amazingly well. They are good climbers. Carter took the easy way on Jeff's back in the backpack.
We decided to skip our last planned hike to Spruce Tree House, as the kids had had their fill of Indian ruins for the day. We drove instead back to Utah, stopping in Cortez, CO when I saw a WalMart. There we got more ice for the ice chest and a new air mattress for Jeff and me. I've only been more excited to see a WalMart once in my life. We had planned to camp near Bluff, UT, but we must have blinked as we drove through it, because we missed anything that resembled a campground. Instead, we drove to Mexican Hat, where we hoped to find a place to eat. As it was starting to get dark once again, we opted for frozen burritos from the gas station. And I must admit, they tasted fantastic. We drove a little further, to a place called Goosenecks of San Juan, where we looked and looked for a campground that we had seen on the map. Finally, as the sun was setting, we located it, and set up camp once again.
This was a much better night of camping, on a full air mattress with my ear plugs in, although I did wake up once sure there was an animal outside our tent. Jeff assured me it was just the wind, but I didn't sleep particularly deeply after that.
DAY 4-We spent this day in the middle of nowhere. Technically, it was Cedar Mesa, between Bluff and Blanding, UT, but I think it was more likely the middle of nowhere. We took the kids on a hike to some more Indian ruins, this one called "Fallen Roof," in a place called Road Canyon. It ended up being longer and more strenuous than we anticipated, but the kids didn't complain much. It took us about 2.5 hours round trip to make it back to the car. We were all tired (I carried Carter in the backpack for this one) and dirty, but it was actually a lot of fun.Here is our family shot. Carter, who didn't get to take a good nap for many days, was ready to leave, and Damon was trying to comfort him.
He did like to snack on an apple, though, although he mostly just sucked and drooled and made a huge mess. I guess that's what roughing it is all about...
And here is the shot Jeff got. Pretty cool.
We also stopped by National Bridges National Monument, where we drove through the park, ate lunch, and looked at some natural bridges (different from arches, in that they are made from running water) from the viewpoints. No one wanted to hike anymore, so we continued on our way.We drove to Blanding and checked into our motel there. I put Carter to bed in the room and took the other three kids to the pool, while Jeff stayed with Carter. I tried to keep them there as long as possible, so Carter could get one good nap in, and we probably made it at least an hour and half. Kyla, who thinks she is invincible, climbed on the railing that leads into the pool and fell straight down on her face. She bit her lip and scraped her face a little bit, but was back in the pool within 10 minutes. The water felt as warm as the hot springs pool, and was actually too warm for me.
We went back to the room, showered, and walked next door to Old Tymers Restaurant where we had dinner. I am glad to report that our "restaurant manners" were much better this night, and the kids were rewarded with an old time stick of candy (like a flavored candy cane, only in stick form) from the restaurant. We relaxed in our room, as the kids watched The Suite Life of Zach and Cody (I heard Jeff chuckle once or twice, too) and then we drifted off to sleep.
DAY 5-We checked out of our hotel and drove to another hike Jeff wanted to do. He promised this one would be shorter and not as hard as Fallen Roof. So we headed into another canyon to another ruin called "House on Fire." The kids were not quite so eager to hike this day. There was far less climbing and far more walking than our hike the previous day, and it gave them a lot of time to remember how tired and thirsty they were. But we made it, and were once again rewarded with a cool view.
Here is Kyla posing in the doorway of the house.
We then drove to Monticello, where we stopped at a park for lunch. The kids had a great time playing at the skate park, sliding around on their behinds and socks. Monticello seems like a cool little town, and we have talked about going back. Then, we drove the 45 miles or so to Moab, where we set up camp for the night. Jeff wanted to do one more hike, but no one would go with him. So, he hiked to a place called False Kiva in Canyonlands while we waited for him back on the road. He went fast, and made it back in just over an hour. I definitely want to hike there when we go back, it looks so pretty.
We drove back to Moab, had a quick dinner at Burger King, then took the family to Despicable Me at the theater. Jeff didn't get to enjoy much of the movie, because Carter wasn't cooperating, but the rest of us really enjoyed it. We drove back to our campground on the way to Canyonlands, and went to bed.
DAY 6-Our last morning started before sunrise. Jeff wanted us all to experience sunrise at Dead Horse Point, so we got up at 6:00 and got to the lookout just as the sun was coming up. Allie wasn't too thrilled to be there (she is NOT a morning person), but she warmed up once we busted out the chocolate chips muffins. I don't know why Kyla is looking sad, she was actually quite happy to be there.
As the morning wore on, the clouds dissipated, and Jeff got a really great shot of Dead Horse Point.
Really, it was quite spectacular, and a nice way to end our trip.
We went back to camp, loaded up, and headed home. And despite a 45 minute delay in Spanish Fork Canyon, we still made it home by 1:00.
Phew. Are you still with me? That was a lot, I know. But it needed to be documented. Looking back, I can't believe we did all that we did with four small kids. And they really were very well-behaved, except those few times we'd rather forget. Kyla kept us laughing with all the funny things that she said. Here are a few of my favorites:
She laughed a funny laugh I had never heard before and I asked her what that was, to which she responded, "That's my fancy laugh."
She told us multiple knock-knock jokes, but the best one was about a bear dancing around in a bikini.
While we were cleaning up camp, she yelled to Damon and Allie, "Come get your pillows, you women!"
And..."If Allie drinks lots of root beers, she'll have a fat baby."
I don't know where she came up with all of that, but we were highly entertained.
Some other facts:
We brought a dry ice chest full of food and one with ice for drinks. Because of that, and the two continental breakfasts at hotels, we only had to buy one meal a day. It worked out very nicely, but the kids were sick of meat/cheese/crackers, and Allie wouldn't touch lemonade by the end of the trip, but it really helped us with our budget and our flexibility, being able to stop and eat whenever we wanted to.
I read The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo to the family as we drove (she is the author of Tale of Despereaux and Because of Winn Dixie, if her name sounds familiar). That was probably one of my favorite parts of the trip. The book was a good length for us, and enjoyed by all.
Really, there was not a lot of fighting on the trip. Probably the biggest fights were over what movie they were going to watch in the car. And the fighting between Jeff/me and the kids all had to do with lying still and going to sleep at night. I was amazed at how much fun we had together. I think it bodes well for trips in the future.
I lost my pillow in Durango (it got left on the bed as we were packing) and my shoes in Blanding. The pillow was my fault. I think my shoes were stolen. I thoroughly searched the room before we left, concluding that I must have packed them, but we got home and no shoes. I did the second hike in my flip flops. It was an adventure. Somewhere, some maid at the Comfort Inn in Blanding is sporting some nice Adidas shoes. :(
5 comments:
WOW! What an adventurous family vacation! I'm impressed with all you did and top that off with four kids and PHEW! Glad to see Jeff could make some of the photos... I thought for awhile it was a single mom with her brood. :)
The first part of your trip reminded me of a trip we did with my extended family years ago. We did that same train ride and also went to Mesa Verde. Good times. Way to be so adverturous with your kids. Looks like you survived and saw some really neat things. :)
CanNOT believe you did all that with 4 little kids! You guys are awesome!! Kyla's comments totally cracked me up. And did you know that last summer we went and stayed in cabins near Durango? For Samuels family reunion. So I know all about the train (which we didn't write due to the cost) and Cortez and Mesa Verde (which I didn't want to go to with kids) and anyway, Colorado is beautiful. I thoroughly enjoyed this recap and all the great pics. I'm glad it was your pillow that got lost and not Allie's.
You are a brave woman to take 4 small children on a trip like that. The pictures are gorgeous and makes me want to go there. Caleb saw them too and is now asking when we can go. I think it will be many years before it happens though.
You guys are vacation rock stars! I don't know if I date attempt a trip like that with my 3 kids. Looks like fun!
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