When I’m Not Reading . . .
. . . I am vacationing!
You may have (or haven’t) noticed that it’s been a bit quiet on the blog the past couple of weeks. We have just returned from a ten day camping trip. And what a trip it was! We visited a myriad of national parks including Canyonlands, Arches, Mesa Verde, Bridges National Monument, Capitol Reef, and Bryce Canyon as well as Dead Horse Point, Escalante Petrified Forest and Kodachrome Basin state parks and Lake Powell. It was gorgeous! And we survived without any major mishaps despite a couple dangerous hikes that we probably shouldn’t have taken the kids on and one road that literally had me sweating bullets.
It was fantastic to be completely unplugged. In fact, we didn’t get cell service for the majority of the trip and I admit that I only thought of my blog like two times! That’s good right?
A few of the more than 900 photos (!) I brought back:
- Above? The boys always found all the animal poop!
All of our camping spots were beautiful! Our new large tent did blow away at one point though and tore the rainfly all up. We used our smaller tent for our one night stops. Sadly our air mattress died on us and we ended up rather uncomfortable for two of the nights. While in Mesa Verde, we stayed in their lodge because I couldn’t pass up a $50 a night spring special they were having. As it was in the middle of the trip, it was nice to shower (although my water wasn’t hot!) and get two nights in a bed.
Now to return to the real world, write my huge back pile of book reviews and get ready for New York City in just a week and a half.
Have you ever visited Southern Utah? What’s your favorite type of vacations?
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Tags: When I'm Not Reading . . .
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Great pictures! I have a few that look quite similar.
Looks like you had a ton of fun.
on May 12th, 2010 at 10:36 pmIt looks like you had so much fun, Natasha, and those are some great pics! I’m jealous of your unplugged time!
on May 12th, 2010 at 11:11 pmWhen I lived in Utah as a kid, my parents took me and my brothers on the same camping trips! Brings back a lot of great memories
on May 13th, 2010 at 1:50 amFantastic pictures, Natasha! It looks like you had a great time – and yes, being unplugged for a while is very good! I almost want to go camping now.
on May 13th, 2010 at 1:57 amSome of our very best vacations have been camping. There is something so liberating about turning everything off and just focusing on each other. Beautiful photos! I have been told by numerous people that Bryce Canyon is one of the most beautiful places on earth. You will treasure these memories forever! (And makes you appreciate a hot shower!)
on May 13th, 2010 at 4:15 amLooks like an incredible vacation! Southern Utah is definitely on our list of places to visit and camp. Someday…
on May 13th, 2010 at 5:50 amWhat gorgeous photos! I’m sure you felt safe since you had Batman along with you!
on May 13th, 2010 at 6:15 amGorgeous pictures, Natasha! Your trip sounds so relaxing! Looks like one of your little guys is going through a Batman phase
on May 13th, 2010 at 6:31 amLovely pictures, Natasha! Your family is so handsome. I’ve been to Mesa Verde, but it has been a long time. Never been to southern Utah. Thanks for sharing with us!
on May 13th, 2010 at 6:33 amI would love to visit Utah period! Those are great photos, and I really love the one of Tired Boy! Fantastic. I’m glad you all had a great time. See you in NYC!
on May 13th, 2010 at 7:11 amLove the pictures! It looks like a beautiful place. I’d love to go to Arches National Park someday. I’d like to take my family camping (grew up in one) but my husband is terrified of bugs, and adamant about not sleeping on the ground. O well. Maybe I can buy him a cot, ha ha!
on May 13th, 2010 at 8:16 amGorgeous, Natasha! Thanks for sharing. It looks like you had a memorable time. It makes me that much more excited to go in the fall!
on May 13th, 2010 at 9:01 amYou certainly picked a great time to visit AZ – the weather here is much cooler now than normal and is wonderful.
It looks like your having a blast!
on May 13th, 2010 at 9:01 amOh, these make me want to go camping now! I adore S. Utah and we try to escape for weekends once in a while. Our next trip will probably be Canyonlands or Bryce Canyon. It seems like everyplace down there is gorgeous. My family used to do a camping trip every year in the Uinta mountains (northeastern Utah). We haven’t been in a few years, but I’m hoping we’ll get there this year.
I love looking at other people’s camping photos
on May 13th, 2010 at 9:10 amWe’ve hit many of those same places in the last few years with our four kids. A lot of our pictures look very similar to yours! Great memories.
on May 13th, 2010 at 9:34 amYour pics are fabulous. Glad you had such a great vacation and that you got to sleep in a bed.
on May 13th, 2010 at 10:01 amOh man, you have no idea how jealous I am! I get to feeling so cramped here in the city that I ache for open spaces. And I’ve never actually been camping in all my 24 years, except for out in a backyard (doesn’t really count).
Looks like y’all had a great time. Welcome back!
on May 13th, 2010 at 10:42 amthe pictures are amazing! i particularly love the one of the kids running in their costumes. they are adorable and it looks like you guys had a great time.
on May 13th, 2010 at 11:54 amThose are beautiful pictures! It looks like you had a great time.
on May 13th, 2010 at 11:59 amAwesome!! I am so jealous!!! I have always wanted to go there and have not yet!! Maybe I can convince the hubby with your pics?!?!
on May 13th, 2010 at 12:41 pmThank you so much for sharing the photos; I have not been to this part of the country but am further inspired to do so now!
on May 13th, 2010 at 12:53 pmYou must feel nice and refreshed after your time away and the added bonus of camping to make you appreciate your bed. I love to see different places, so I am game for most vacations. But I have to admit that sometimes a good staycation is great as well.
on May 13th, 2010 at 5:13 pmWhat awesome pictures! They remind me of a trip I took with my family a couple of summers ago. We drove west from Denver through Colorado and then cut through Utah to get to the Grand Canyon. We camped one night at Coral Pink Sand Dunes and one of your pictures reminds me of the terrain at our campsite.
on May 13th, 2010 at 6:36 pmGorgeous pictures! I so admire you for camping that long. We camped for one night last summer, and that was enough for me. Granted, our air mattress failed on us as well. It looks like you had a fantastic time, and really, that is all that counts. Welcome back!
on May 13th, 2010 at 6:42 pmWhat great photos!!! Welcome back!
on May 13th, 2010 at 8:49 pmOn your next trip to southern Utah try to find time to visit Zion National Park. My husband and I live and travel full-time in our RV. Utah is one of our favorite states and Zion is our most favorite place in the entire country . . . so far! We still have much to discover.
on May 13th, 2010 at 10:04 pmYou mentioned 900 photos so I’m assuming a digital camera was used. Isn’t that a wonderful money saving invention!
Looks like a fabulous time! We used to camp all the time — now we don’t have the time to getaway much.
on May 14th, 2010 at 5:31 amGreat pictures. So glad you had a chance to unplug and get away with the family.
Every picture of Utah makes me want to go visit someday.
on May 14th, 2010 at 3:37 pmWhat an amazing trip, Natasha. I can’t tell you how badly I’d like to take this trip one day–I had hoped for this summer since we’ll be on the road to South Dakota anyway, but my husband’s family decided it’s too out of the way. My grandma is from Monticello and her family from Bluff so most of my immediate family has traveled to these parks but I was never able to go.
Did you guys reserve campsites at each place or was it just come and go?
on May 15th, 2010 at 8:12 amI am so jealous! Isn’t camping the funnest thing in the world? We go camping several times a summer but never anywhere quite so beautiful. You are one lucky gal!
on May 15th, 2010 at 10:21 pmThis pictures are so beautiful and fun! It looks like you had an awesome time there!
on May 16th, 2010 at 8:48 amI love Southern Utah and so enjoyed looking at your pictures. Thanks for sharing.
My favorite spot (so far) is the San Raphael Swell. It was great horseback riding country and it was so cool getting to see the herds of wild horses there.
on May 16th, 2010 at 9:40 amNatasha what great family pictures. Looks like you guys had a blast. Looking forward to seeing you in NYC next week
on May 16th, 2010 at 8:42 pmI’m not brave enough to do that with my little kids! Good for you!
I’ve done Bryce a couple of times, and Zion’s, but there are so many places around there I haven’t ever seen!
When we went camping (trailering, really… no tent involved…) a bat got into the trailer one night. It was an adventure.
on May 18th, 2010 at 11:38 amWhat a fantastic trip! I so much love that close up of your little guy.
on May 19th, 2010 at 1:11 pm