Vernal: Picking up where we left off

So a few summers ago, our family decided to try to visit all of the LDS temples in Utah.  We got off to a great start but as the summer ended we hadn't been able to visit the Vernal, Monticello, or Manti Temples.

I intended to pick up the goal again the next summer, but life happened, and then we moved and more life happened, so here we are almost three years later finally getting back around to that target.

Anyway, we opted to head to Vernal on a kind of spur-of-the-moment adventure.  So I jumped onto the TripAdvisor site (my go to when planning a trip and looking for awesome stuff to do) and off we went.

The drive was just about three hours, so not too bad.  We may or may not have played "Catch Phrase to the Death" to pass the time (don't worry, despite its name, the game is non-lethal).

We did visit the grounds to see the temple, and it was really really lovely.  I just can't get past the feel of these places.  I know they are more than just nice buildings.

Caught this cute, candid moment as these three walked along together.

But, as long as we were in Vernal we wanted to do like the Vernal-ites and see the nearby attractions.

Our first stop was McKonkie Ranch which is a site owned by a family and then shared with the public.  It holds dozens (probably hundreds) of petroglyphs and some of them were awesome!  This place was well worth a trip.

The next morning we opted for a fishing trip to Steinaker Reservoir just outside of Vernal.  The area was great, the temperature was really nice...the fishing STUNK!  

Pretty much, if we go fishing as a family we never catch anything.  I'm pretty sure we have a curse.  We must have angered the angling gods.  I'm not sure how to undo it, but yikes.  It's getting bad.

Oh well, we had a good time exploring the area anyway.  And we got really good at casting.  Over and over.  Stupid fish!!!  Stupid curse!!!

My three most focused fishermen worked their way around the lake trying to find the fish.  They had fun even if they didn't have success.

See this still shot of a fishing pole...that's pretty much how it was the whole time.  If you sit and stare at that picture for about two hours, you will have had pretty much the same experience we did (although, I admit, our surroundings were pretty fabulous).

Once we really got tired of NOT catching fish, we drove down the highway about a mile to explore a place called Moonshine Arch.  We learned not to listen to Google Maps because she lied to us about how to get there.  Naughty Google Maps.  Thankfully, there was a park ranger handy and he set us straight.

This place was awesome!

The hike to get there is a little bit of work, but it is very do-able.  The road is sandy and there are a few steep sections, but even our eight year old handled it without much trouble.  It was probably just over a mile from the parking lot to the arch.  It seems like you might even be able to drive further up the road sometimes, but the road was pretty rutted and washed out while we were there so walking was the better choice for us.

How brothers share a sip from a hydration pack.

Some people ALWAYS whine about hiking.
(but it was good-natured whining so I'll take it)

 The scenery was gorgeous.  The rocks were lovely and the weather was perfect.  It was not too hot, but also not chilly.  It was kind of a perfect day for this exploration.  I do love to get up close and personal with God's creations, and anything that involves rocks moves up on my list -- I have a thing for rocks.

One of the cool window areas you could climb to at the arch.

I love me a beautiful, gnarled piece of wood.

I don't know why Ellie is pretending to by scared...but ok!

Paker found this mini re-creation of Moonshine Arch nearby.
It's about eight inches tall.

The whole crew.

This was only an overnight trip, but we had a GREAT adventure.  I didn't really know what to expect, but Vernal had some really really great things to share with us.  Thanks, Vernal!

I LOVE these moments we have together, and I hope they help us to build bonds that will keep our family connected no matter what the future holds for us.  I sincerely adore these people -- especially my main partner in crime, he is more incredible than I can express (love you most, Joshua).  

We always have the best times together.

Group flossing.  Weirdos.  (but my favorite weirdos)