Grand Gulch Adventure

A few weeks ago Corey came to me and said..."so and so and so and so (this is not their real names) invited us to go camping and hiking to a really cool area that has old Indian ruins. It's called Grand Gulch. Wanna go?" 'Sure!' I said. Then my heart dropped and my stomach lurched. You see, I'm not a big ole camper type of gal. I absolutely HATE the cold and don't love (all that much) pooping behind trees with the fear that other camper goers will see my white butt squatting. So this is what then happened... Excuse as follows: It will be hard with the baby and all..too cold for her. I told Corey to just go with the boys. I would stay home with The Babe.

I have been complaining for a whole year, you see, about me having cabin fever here in Moab. Not getting out and about.. Yada. Yada. Yada. And here I am..given the opportunity to actually DO SOMETHING with my family and I chicken out. Stupid.

So I changed my mind back the morning of the day of departure. I went, and I am glad. (pooping behind trees and all)

This is Corey on our day of the 7 hour hike. He had Cedar strapped to him the whole garsh darn beautiful day, going up and down canyons, treachorous/rocky legions etc. (note: Corey says legions is not the right word here. I know. I know. It doesn't make sense at all. It just looks good at the end of that sentence.)

This is The Bean, being her cute/happy/chappy-cheeked self. She wasn't too cold at all!

Oooooh. This is the gorgeous bounty that we hiked in. I actually got dehydrated on the way out. I got dizzy and nauseas. It was terrible. We had to stop and I had to guzzle LOTS o' water. I felt better after that. Sometimes when I hike, I have to say this mantra:(as going up steep boulders with legs aching and all) "I can do this! I am strong!" (while thinking "this is freakin hard" "why do I ever go hiking?") On the way out, I was yapping up a storm to the boys saying stuff like "Wasn't that fun?! Doesn't it feel wonderful to get your blood pumping like this? Hiking is awesome!" Because really, in the end, it does feel great. And you realize all the beauty that you never would have seen had you not ventured.

Here me am making instant coffee the last morning. I kept wondering...'does instant coffee have real caffeine in it?' I looked on the label at the ingredients and all it said was Ingredients: instant coffee. HUH? I kept thinking (and saying) 'this BETTER have caffeine in it, cause if not, I'm going to get a huge-ass headache.' I didn't want to be a hiker with a headache.

Hobo dinners baby!! This is our new VW vanagon that we allll sleep in. It's a Westfalia, which means it pops up on top to create a bed of sorts. The bottom back seats fold out to make a bed too. Saweet! Look at Corey's cute big toe. Everybody say "Ohaw!"

Lucas and Clancey at a very cool Indian ruin. These were probably lived in between 800 or 1200 A.D. (What's Lucas doing with his arms?)

Looking out at miles trekked is hubby and baby bean. Corey said he really felt this was a great bonding experience for him and her.

My favorite spot. This was in the beginning of our journey. A couple of the people we were with (6 others were there) were throwing big, flat rocks into this watering hole. They liked to see who had the biggest splash. And here I am. This is truly proof that I went on this hike. Corey likes it cause I look all outdoorsy and nature-filled. All I need is a rattlesnake perched at my feet. And more of a deep, dark tan. Oh well.