Yesterday was spent mostly riding, therefore no blog.
We arrived at our hotel early so we found a thrift shop and quilt shop while we were waiting for the hotel to ready our room. The thrift shop we found had 50% off all crafts! Now, that's a bargain when a 'thrift' store has a sale! I found knitting needles, a crochet hook, yarn, sewing tools, lace fabric for curtain....and some other things, and I spent $9.
The quilt store was right across the street from the hotel. I only bought three small pieces of fabric.
After we got in our hotel Paul took a nap and I worked on my online classes the rest of the afternoon.
We had reservations for dinner and a boat ride at 7:00 at Canyon Lands.
The dinner was a 'chuck-wagon' style meal. It was very good, and we met some very interesting people.
Our mini-cruise started about 8:30 down the Colorado River.
It was almost dark by then. Our seats were at the very front of the boat. As the lady that assigned them to us said, "Sweet seats." We slowly cruised down the river with our guide pointing out special features on the mountain walls above us. When we got down the river it was nearly dark. Then the 'light show' began. It wasn't what we expected, but it was very good. There was a truck was on the road opposite us with a huge light on top. As the narrator told the story, the light would shine on the rock walls to follow along with the story. I was surprised and thankful at the same time. They actually gave credit to God for such beauty and wonder. They told the story about how the earth was created, etc. At some points along the way, they would turn off the big light and everything would be pitch black except for the stars. Our boat was completely open so we could see all around us and above us. The soft music, the water rushing by our boat, the stillness of the night, the stars, the cool breezes, all made for a very relaxing evening. It was almost eleven o'clock when we got back to our hotel.
Today we headed for Arches National Park.
It's amazing how all these rock formations have a lot in common but can be so different at the same time. Why is this park the only one with arches? There were many of them. The only thing about it, though, you couldn't see most of them from the roadway. Paul and I had already discussed during the planning of this trip to do some hiking. And, boy, did we ever!
The first three that we went to were a half mile away, therefore one mile round trip. But you have to realize this isn't a mile as we think of it. It's hiking up and down and over and around and climbing rocks, and then having to climb back down.
The next one we wanted to see was DelicateArch.
Well, this one was over a mile and a half off the road. Yep, do the math. Over three miles round trip! And it was HOT! I had to take many breaks going up that mountain trail. Several times I thought I was either going to throw up or die!!
But I was determined I was going to make it, and I did. The pictures will show you a little of what it was like. But the time I finally made it back to the van, I was done! Or, so I thought.
Delicate Arch
I really wanted to see Landscape Arch. It was
only .8 miles off the road, and the brochure said it was an 'easy' walk, not much of an incline. They lied! Maybe it was because I'd already hiked over four miles.
Landscape Arch
You have to look closely to see the arch. Most of the pictures on the post cards have the sun light shining on it, so you can see it better. When we got through with this one, we really were through. It was a hard day physically, but a very rewarding day. Now, let's see if I can get out of bed in the morning. lol
Tomorrow we head for Colorado.
Until then....
Two of our children, their spouses and our littlest grandson were here to meet us and to take pictures of us coming in. 
