Two kiddos, snuggled up and not wanting to leave the nest.
Granny and Grandaddy came to visit us. They brought us some home grown blueberries. Randal thought they were great! And it was also great to share and feed Mommy!
Ducky communes with the chalk before continuing work on his masterpiece.
Jarek gives Grandaddy a run for his money on the chessboard. Arya is having a harder time with Granny.
After chess, it was time to go to the playground. The playground, as you know, is a lot of hard work. Randal gets a drink between chaos-causing events.
They had this really neat sundial out front where you could line it up and it would match the current date. However, it was based on solar time, not daylight savings time.
Ducky was fond of the library and explores some books.
There were a number of Native American displays as well as artifacts from other cultures around the world.
We also watched a couple shows at the planetarium they had there.
After our time at the Herrett Center, we went back to the RV to make dinner. Ducky supervises Alan while he makes shells for tacos.
Then we went over to the hotel to hang out for a bit and use the pool.
A cold Evan sits in the hot tub to warm up after playing in the big pool.
Big brothers and sister had a lot of fun taking Baby Randal around the pool in his float. Ducky loved his baby shark float as well.
Time for some more chess after the pool, and then time to say farewell!
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After hanging out with the grandparents, we ventured forth to the Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument. This site is a bit unusual, in that the actual site is not co-located with the visitor center. We drove out to the site and were a little baffled when we first arrived that there was no visitor center. The drive took us out by the Snake River through some pretty country.
A sign at the parking lot in the actual monument. There was a hike that we didn’t do, we elected to drive into town to the visitor center before they closed so the kids could get their Junior Ranger programs done.
We arrived at the visitor center and found that it was co-located with and run the the Thousand Springs Idaho State Park and the State Park personnel. They were very excited to see us there!
Alan is posing with a replica sloth skull. The Ranger had me hold it up to represent the approximate height of the prehistoric ground sloths for the kids.
A mammoth skull, among others, were on display. It was fun playing keep away with Randal!
Evan and Arya work on their books. We also watched the park video. They had a table set up where a lady was preparing replica specimens for display.
Garrett and Randal enjoy some time outside in the grassy field surrounding the building. The flowers were much more fun than the fossils – Mom and Dad would let them play with the dandelions!
The staff kindly took our family picture by the mammoth skull.
We also tried to take a picture by the prehistoric horse. Ducky was in his shy mood and tried to run away (again)!
After we were done at the Fossil Beds, we returned to the RV Park. Big Sis takes Randal for a ride on the swings – one of his favorite things to do!
Granny helps Garrett out with a ‘clink clink clink’ super swing.
After a turn on the swing, Randal gets his dig on and explore the depths of the sand box.
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Unfortunately, we woke up to find that Jarek’s bike had been stolen. A neighboring guest at the RV park relayed to me the the story. Apparently one of the local homeless men hanging around the downtown KOA came in the campground and, while in the process of being chased out of the campground by the staff, grabbed Jarek’s bike and fled.
I filed a police report with the SLC PD, but thus far I haven’t heard anything back on it.
It was still very warm, so the kids spent the day playing in a sprinkler I set up on the grassy part of our site.
Chaos beast can be rather cute at times!
A baby…a bucket…some water…and mud. What could happen? You can see our Starlink in the background. I had to get rather creative as our site was almost entire under a heavy tree canopy and my usual positioning wouldn’t work.
With the determination of an Olympic track and field athlete, Ducky jumps through the sprinkler!
I also took the opportunity to change the cabin air filter in the van. The dusty miles in the Southwest had taken their toll.
August 4, 2024 – TD 126
Travel day
Departing SLC, we headed north to Twin Falls, ID. On the way out, Meagan stopped with the kids to get some long overdue haircuts.
Ducky gets his hair cut. He had fussed at the dentist last time we took him, but he was very cooperative and smiled the whole time getting his hair cut. He watched the big kids go and wanted to do the big kid thing.
Handsome Ducky!
On the way north, Meagan and the kids stopped for a bathroom break. Unfortunately, the bathrooms and store were closed, but there was a little petting zoo at the gas station. The kids had a good time petting the animals.
Arya got her goat.
At the RV site, Alan is setting up the front of the RV. Firefly is all done with this trip and ready to go home.
Later that night, Randal explores the bottom of the lunch box looking for snacks for 2nd, 3rd, or 4th dinner. The little monster is always hungry!
On the drive north, the truck popped some codes. I located a shop just down the road from the campground (in walking distance actually!) to work on it.
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This is the video from our visit to Golden Spike National Historic Park. After getting their Junior Ranger badges, we went out to look at the trains. The trains are replicas of the originals, as the originals were scrapped.
Engine 119 is coal fired, and Jupiter is wood fired, due to where the trains operated and the accessibility of the fuel needed.
Some of the technology and tooling had to be remade. Several parts were upgraded, such as the metals and method of construction – welding vs rivets. The brake system were also upgraded.
After completion of the line, it was quite the western boom town with lots of colorful characters.
World War 2 and its demand for steel caused the line to be salvaged. That little tidbit tends to get left out of the history lesson.
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We drove north out of Salt Lake City to the site of the Golden Spike National Historic Park. The kids got to work on their books, while the engines Jupiter and 119 stand behind them.
There was a nice railroad museum set up. Here is a replica of the spikes that were used. There was also an interesting display on timezones and the railroad’s role in the creation and implementation of the time zone system as we know it.
There was a posterboard and marker set where kids could write their thoughts on the display. Randal didn’t mind, and thought that nomming on the markers was a better idea!
After finishing his book, Evan gets his badge. Also, this is our life on the trip in microcosm – Evan is doing his thing, Randal is causing chaos, Garrett is poaching from brother’s water bottle, Meagan is browsing the post cards, and Jarek and Arya are off finishing their books.
Jarek and Arya get their badges.
After getting their badges, we went out to see the engines.
A close up of the engineer’s cabin of Jupiter.
Jupiter was wood fired, as it operated out west and wood was plentiful and coal was rare.
Engine 119 was coal fired, as it operated in the east where coal was more accessible and wood was rare.
119’s cabin.
The kids got to heft the maul used by the Ranger to break up coal chunks.
Engine 119 builds steam as the Rangers prepare to move the engine.
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I went out to look at the van in the morning, as Meagan had mentioned that there was still a light on. I went and looked and found most of a TPMS sensor on the dash (sorry, no picture on this one). I called Costco back and they said to bring it back and they would fix it, so I took the van back the next morning to get the sensor replaced.
I took two of the minions with me, and they suffered mightily while we waited for the tire get fixed.
After the van was fixed, Meagan took Jarek and Randal to the Timpanogos Cave National Monument. Jarek was happy to get his Junior Ranger badge. Unfortunately, the tours to the cave were very limited and we didn’t have reservations made in time, so we weren’t able to go inside the cave. Next time we’ll make reservations far in advance.
Randal explores a cave exhibit at the visitor center – he’s very excited about it! He was also very excited to repeatedly dump out a bin of Timpanagos Cave badges in the store right next to their exhibits. He never tires of causing chaos.
After he completed his Junior Ranger book, Jarek and I walked across the street, crossed a bridge, and had lunch at a beautiful shaded picnic area. The river was narrow, but it had a swift torrent of water running through it. Baby Randal’s instinct for danger always sends him straight at whatever is most likely to cause him to be hurt or killed, so he stayed strapped in the wagon during lunch.
After lunch, we headed out on a scenic drive the Ranger recommended, the Alpine Loop Scenic Byway. The views were beautiful even with the poor visibility and the drive snaking up the mountain to the pass was a lot of fun. We saw many deer right next the road. The speed limit was 15-25 through most of it and there were segments with only one lane.
After getting to US-189, we stopped to see Bridal Veil falls. This is the view from the upper parking lot.
We went down to the lower parking lot and got out to take a closer look. Baby Randal loves water so much (see previous discussion about being
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Done with our time in Moab, it was time to head to Salt Lake City.
A happy Randal before we put him in his most hated place – the evil car seat!
On the way to SLC, I got a call from Meagan wondering about this symbol that showed up on her dash! Turns out she ran over something at a rest stop and got a leaky tire. She was able to utilize the runflats and air up the tire enough to finish limping to Costco in SLC, near our campground.
We previously had an appointment for a tire rotation, but it turned into a tire replacement as the tires were worn enough, and due to some previous warranty replacements, they were not able to replace that tire and have things be happy with the AWD system.
Randal meets Mr. Pumpkinhead.
He’s really not sure about that guy.
Meanwhile, back at camp, I’m unpacking and getting set up. I open up the RV to discover that it was a bumpy ride. A container of oatmeal jumped off the counter and spilled open. The microwave dish also yeeted itself out and on to the stove, breaking all over it and the floor.
More carnage. After this, I changed procedure to put the microwave dish into the oven for travel. Thus far, it hasn’t jumped out of the oven, but I have found the microwave door hanging open, even though empty.
The kids enjoy a post shopping treat of ice cream!
Back at the campsite, Mr. Goggles was busted!
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We stopped into the Canyonlands National Park visitor center to get our passport stamps and to get the Junior Ranger books for the kids. There was this neat display on the wall going over the geology. Ducky thought this was the best thing ever! Doors and little cubby holes to investigate!
We did the scenic drive and had lunch at one of the picnic areas. Scenic drive video coming soon!
Then we went to Whale Rock and did the hike to the top. It was a decent hike and the kids had a lot of fun scrambling up to the top.
Randal got the easy way to the top.
Ducky also got a ride, but wasn’t having it today.
Be sure to check out the hike video (coming soon!)
After Whale Rock, we stopped off at the Grand View Overlook and got a couple awesome pictures!
After the grand view overlook, We stopped off at Aztec Butte. Meagan and the kids did the short trail up to the shelter ruins.
They were able to see the remnants of a supply cache or ‘granary’ that remains under the cover of the rock overhang.
Sunset from the trail.
As the sun set, we headed back to the Grand View Overlook for a night sky ranger program.
I took this awesome picture as the last bits of sunlight were fading and the Ranger set up telescope. We were able to see a nebula and a few other stellar objects.
It was even more fun with the babies, because it was a National Park, no playpen for them, and a 1,000 foot drop off the cliff if you went too far. We managed to make it out with everyone in on piece, amazingly!
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After getting to Moab, several packages arrived. Previously, I had shown you the air filter. The replacement filter was ordered – it’s not normally available on the shelf in the small towns we were staying at and replaced it. Old vs New. The old filter was installed in March before the trip began.
It came with a sleeve to keep the bugs out. I cleaned out lots of dead bugs from the old one when I checked it, so this should help keep the big chunks out of the pleats.
After that, it was time to fix Evan’s bike. He was having flat tires, so I replaced the tubes and his shifter assembly and cable so he could shift gears.
Ducky tries out a helmet, exploring new fashion ideas. He is also my helper, making sure my tools were organized!
The filter box is also a great toy to play with!
All set for celebrating Randal’s first birthday!
It got a little warm in the bays while travelling through the Southwest in the summer. The candle was a little worse for wear, but it got the job done!
Randal really got into his cake!
So did everyone else! Ducky was all about the camera, though!
The next day, we dropped the kids off at the pool for a bit to cool off in the heat. They had a great time!
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Today we decided to drive to the Edge of the Cedars Utah State Park. We had seen signs for this park in our various journeys around Utah, but we had a free day, so we decided to go see it.
The park has a Great Kiva reconstruction, which Meagan was very excited about.
This is Randal’s preferred way to start the morning. And mid morning, if he can.
Ducky is right there with him, and is even less inclined to get up and going!
As a prelude to the Edge of the Cedars, I just want to say that for both Meagan and I, this is the best Puebloan / Early American museum we’ve been to. In fact, it is far superior to most, if not all, of the NPS sites we’ve been to on this trip.
There is a massive collection of various artifacts and they are all laid out in context and timeline to help you get a better understanding of the various cultures and time periods that they were extant in.
Below is a selected set of images to showcase what we saw. I have a bunch more pictures of the things on display, but I think this captures it quite well.
The ruins in the back of the museum. You can see the ladder to the Great Kiva sticking out over the walls.
Down in the Kiva, Ducky contemplates the greater mysteries of life. Or he might be ready to go run.
It was very important to him to climb down the ladder and back up on his own!
Out back on the nature path, the museum had this solar art piece constructed to demonstrate marking time by sun location.
Ducky vs the sculpture.
A combined timeline showing the various Puebloan cultures compared to cultures in Europe and when they were extant.
One of the really cool parts of the museum is they had a lot of their pottery pieces in storage or preservation, but they were still viewable. It was really nice to see the wide array of pieces.
Macaw feather sash. When we visited several NPS sites, there would always be a discussion that macaw bones were found and how they were part of the trade network. Edge of the Cedars actually had an intact sash on display!
Hafted knives.
Cottonwood plates. I think reproductions might be available in Pottery Barn or Pier 1.
Some of the cool mugs they had on display. After a couple hundred years, the handles went out of style, though.
A 1000 year old ladder from the kiva.
Loom artifacts overlaid on a photo from the 1800s of a native weaver using traditional methods.
Pueblo III pottery display.
This next part was in a (somewhat) narrow hallway, so it was difficult to get photos. The whole hallway was made up of these panels showing the evolution of rock art over the years. We have not seen as well put together display of the rock art anywhere else.
And so much more. If you happen to make your way out there, try to get there early as you will likely spend most of the day since there is so much to see!
Closing down Edge of the Cedars and getting ready to head back, but first a snack!
On our way back (as well as one the way too, but we passed it) we stopped at a little BLM turn off for the Needles and Anticline overlook.
From the sign board:
“The Needles overlook is located 22 miles from US Highway 191. This overlook offers an outstanding view of the Colorado River, the Needles section of Canyonlands National Park, and the Indian Creek area.”
“Anticline overlook is located 31 miles from US Highway 191. Sixteen of those miles are on a graveled, highly improved road. A walkway leads to an interpretive display and benches. The overlook faces north, and offers views of Dead Horse Point State Park, the Colorado River, and Kane Creek Canyon.”
We made the drive out to the Needles overlook, and we were not disappointed. I kept Ducky close at hand, since the site was very ‘wild’ and, well, it was only a 1000 foot drop or so off the edge.
We were treated to a double rainbow!
After the needles overlook, we decided to press on to the Anticline Overlook. The road was in good shape. I’ll have to put together the video we took out there – the scenery was spectacular.
Anticline signboard.
We took advantage of the extra hours of daylight to fully explore the area, and we were not disappointed with the views or the sunset!
View of the Colorado River, the Anticline, and the potash mining operation.
Evan, of course, was not afraid of the drop. After this we kept him on a much shorter leash.
Kane Creek Canyon (taken not far from where Evan was…grrr)
Exploring the other parts of the overlook, I took a selfie! Didn’t realize it until about 5 second after this picture, as you will notice that my hair wisps are all standing straight out, and not blowing in the wind.
There was a ‘bizzt-crack’ of a nearby static discharge, not a full on lighting strike. After that, we beat feet back to the car before any more discharges or lightning happened!
As the sun set, we got a nice rainbow / fire in the sky effect!
Back at camp, Randal did his favorite thing – act like a big boy and sit in Daddy’s chair!
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