Jackson Hole, Bryce Canyon, Zion, and Las Vegas 2012 - Day 4

Leah, Ashley, me, Black Thunder and Jessie

As I was cutting up some chicken for Spunky this morning, here are the directions I received from Leah:  "Be sure to cut it up small for him - he doesn't chew his food.  No, that's too small - he doesn't like it shredded, he likes it chunky.  Now microwave it because he doesn't like cold food.  15 or 16 seconds is perfect for him...  now test it with your finger so it doesn't burn him.  He'll growl at you once he's done because he wants more."

Here are Jessie's feeding instructions:  "Pour her food into her bowl."

View from Snow King Resort

The humans had breakfast at the hotel's restaurant, then returned to pack and clean the RV, and take the Suburban back to Dollar Rent a Car (sorry folks, Pasha's day off means no photo for you.)  We drove down the road to Snow King Resort so we could ride the Alpine Slides, which, you may recall, we did at Mount Rushmore in 2009.  After purchasing our tickets (that cost $15 apiece) the employees load you on a ski lift and send you up a mountain.  And you come back down on the slides, riding at your own pace.  The view of Jackson Hole and the Tetons is beyond compare.  Jackson's elevation is 6,200 feet above sea level, and I noticed while we've been here, that when I climb up stairs, or swim laps, I'll start breathing like a 90 year old woman with emphysema.  But when you're high up on a mountain like we were, looking down at the magnificent view that we had, you forget how thin the air is. 

At noon, on our way out of town, we took my mom to Alpine, so she could float the river with Tom and Kris again (are you getting an idea of what they like to do?)  We stopped at "Mountain Days" to explore the Indian Village where the kids' instruments were purchased.  The village in on a large field surrounded by tents and teepees, which houses vendors selling every kind of Native American artifact, instrument, tool, blanket, and moccasin you can imagine.  While we were touching dirty animal pelts trying to guess what animal it was peeled off of, we heard someone calling Tom's name and looked over to see a very tall, very Native American-ized, very intimidating Indian making his way over to us. 

"Oh hey, Donovan," Tom said to the bald indian carrying a tomahawk, a spear, and wearing a breasplate of what I could only assume were human bones.  (I'm going to steer clear of making fun of an indian named Donovan.)

"Black Thunder," as Donovan is referred to at the Indian Village, turned out to be one of the nicest guys we've met on this trip, and has known Uncle Tommy for years.  I asked him a million questions and then we parted ways.  Saying goodbye was really hard for my mom, since she's not sure when she'll come back to Olympia.  Ashley ensured there'd be tears by drawing my mom a picture, handing it to her, and saying, I'm going to miss you this summer."  I'm full of gratitude for the great time we were shown in Jackson.

We continued south towards Utah and as Kenny's co-pilot, I got frustrated with the route.  Here's why:

At 3:13 we left WY and entered ID

At 3:16 we left ID and entered WY 

At 3:59 we left WY and entered UT

At 4:36 we left UT and entered WY

At 4:57 we left WY and entered UT

and every time that happened, the highway's name changed.  Same highway.  Different stupid name.  Give me a break, Department of Transportation!

This is our first time in Utah.  Leah and Kenny have been here before, but it's completely new to us.  When we entered the state, I wasn't that impressed, because it looked a lot like Eastern Washington.  But the farther into the state we drove, the more beauty I saw.  The hills went from just plain dirt and tumbleweeds, to red rocks jutting upwards and outwards, and it began to look a lot like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (although we're not in Disneyland, I will still offer you some Disney trivia:  Big Thunder Mountain is modeled after Bryce Canyon here in Utah-which we'll be visiting tomorrow.)

We arrived in Provo close to dinnertime and it was 93 degrees outside.  We made dinner and ate at our picnic table in the shade.  The hot, hot shade.  After dinner, the kids played near the Provo River which is more like a small stream that runs along the KOA campground.  They got to swim for about 12 minutes before the pool closed at 9:00.  Leah did laundry and I did the dinner dishes.  We're not really interested in doing anything here in Provo, it's just a place to crash until we can pick up and move on in the morning.

Ashley enjoying a mama duck and her babies next to our RV site

I hope every one of you get a chance to take a road trip.  I enjoy telling people what to do, so I'm really excited to tell you that you need to just pack a bag, jump in your car with your family and go.  Somewhere.  Anywhere.  Make memories while you can.  See what our country has out there.  You can come up with a million excuses NOT to go, and I will argue with you about every one of them.  You just have to go out and do it.  And if your kids are terrible travelers and it's a road trip from hell, well...  You'll laugh about it in 20 years.  Maybe.

"Time" has always been my favorite Pink Floyd song, and it was in my head today:

Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
You fritter and waste the hours in an offhand way.
Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town
Waiting for someone or something to show you the way.

Tired of lying in the sunshine staying home to watch the rain.
You are young and life is long and there is time to kill today.
And then one day you find ten years have got behind you.
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun.

So you run and you run to catch up with the sun but it's sinking
Racing around to come up behind you again.
The sun is the same in a relative way but you're older,
Shorter of breath and one day closer to death...

Hope we see you on the road soon.

-The Niemeyers