Hiking & Zion

Until our recent heatwave (115 today 😬), we did quite a bit of hiking here.  St. George is beautiful, and I don't know if I'll ever get over how cool the red rock is.  It's been a fun way to get outside and be together.  A while back we hiked Kolob Canyon.  We borrowed a hiking backpack from a friend and picked a manageable route.  Don and I switched off between carrying Auggie in the backpack and Owen in the Ergo.  Both of these little beans were fantastic hiking buddies...one was just a bit chattier than the other and quite the entertainer on the trail. 

{at the trailhead}

{finish line cavern}

{nap time trail baby}

A couple weeks later, Don's friend from UPMC came with her husband to Utah on vacation, so we spent a day with them in Zion.  Heather is the secretary for Don's group back at UPMC, and they've become good friends over the last four years.  It was fun to see Heather again, and sweet to watch how much interest Auggie showed in Mike.  Mike unexpectedly found a buddy tagging alongside him, asking questions the whole way.  

{doesn't look like it, but the shuttle was a hit!}

{family photo}

{the riverbed}

{Mike's new best friend}

We also went on a trek to see the dinosaur tracks.  I like to think of myself as an optimist, but truthfully, this was a bit disappointing.  There were only about five clear large footprints, and that was it.  We basically spent the morning driving out to the middle of nowhere, only to wander around in the dirt and hot sun for an hour.  But, glass half full...the scenery was still beautiful!  And it was really fun to imagine the dinosaurs stomping around on the same ground we were walking on.  

(Also, we ran into some motocross guys which made Auggie's day.  So it was all worth it in the end!)

{dinosaur footprint!}