Lemonade, er, or Margaritas!

K was really excited to hit the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, but being that it is winter, we were all disappointed that the road that was is not even open. Originally, I had believed that we wouldn't be able to go North Rim in the RV, but we were seeing in the silver lining of scooting around in the Pilot, that we'd be able to access areas that weren't accessible by our RV, being that we aren't winterized. No dice, the road is closed (moose out front shoulda told you).

So, in keeping with the last week or so of our lives, we made lemonade and headed to Zion National Park, which is more beautiful than I ever realized and, between the kids and I, we took hundreds of pictures. It is hard to choose "favorite parts" of this park, it is just overwhelmingly beautiful. See for yourself.

Southern UT, before the park

Park entrance - you can tell it is going to be good

Checkerboard Mesa

So many colors!

Cliffside 

The first tunnel

Gratuitous shot of midget in a Camelbak

And my handsome young man has the other one

We did get our Junior Ranger books from the Ranger station and the kids are looking at them and deciding what they want to do first, knowing that we're going to finish up with the video in the Lodge that will earn them their first National Junior Park Ranger badge (we didn't get a chance to finish the one at the Grand Canyon, but there is a chance we'll go back that way on our way out of Vegas and into southern Arizona).

In the meantime, tomorrow morning, we are going back and hiking to the Emerald Pools, either just the lower, if we're feeling groggy and the upper two as well if we're sprightly. The kids have been doing well so far with walking at least two miles without complaint, so we'll see how we feel about it tomorrow. At least this hike starts with uphill and ends with downhill unlike the Grand Canyon, and therefore they can fly down.

For those following the RV saga, the engine will be replaced, at some point, and the mechanic said it would be two more weeks plus or minus a day or two, so we are trying to decide where to go next. I am NOT allowing this mechanical issue to slow down our travels, I think we're spending a few days in Zion, because it would be sacrilege not to, then perhaps headed toward Bryce Canyon and maybe make our ways to the four corners.

I don't want to travel too far from Las Vegas so that we are able to hustle back to meet the RV when it is ready. I am thinking about asking, when he calls back if I can have a mobile RV tech look at the jacks while it is sitting idle at the dealership, but I'm not sure if they'll let it happen like that. Another reason to be near Vegas, for now.

So... lots to look forward to. This trip is different than we expected so far, but definitely not disappointing.