An Inadvertent Hike to the Delicate Arch

Can you guess which photograph was taken from a closer (and higher) vantage point? If you guessed the photo on the right, give yourself a pat on the back. If you guessed the photo on the left, sympathize with us for taking what we later learned was a moderate hike in 96 degree heat at 11:30 a.m. to get a view of the world famous "Delicate Arch." While we have been game for most activities from horseback riding to white water rafting, none of us (well, with the exception of a gleeful Daniel) was especially eager to hike (without sunscreen, water, or protective head gear) in the sweltering desert. However, after we took the easy trek to the lower viewing point of the arch, we figured we might as well see the other view as well. As we started up the deceivingly simple path, we came across a Swedish couple, who assured us the view was spectacular and well-worth the extra steps -- "Ya, it's totally different up there." Nearly a vertical mile later we reached the top. And I took the photo on the right. And we walked back down.


Somewhere along the way, a swarm of gnats descended upon us. Maddie, who had wanted to videotape the experience, only to find the battery on the video camera had died halfway up our hike, decided to swat a gnat that had landed on her head. With the hand that was carrying the now useless video camera. Only Dana's humorous diatribe against the lovely Swedish couple kept us amused as we made our way back to the air-conditioned car and an icy cup of water to place against Maddie's throbbing forehead. Needless to say, we toured the rest of Arches National Park from the comfort of our rented Caddy :-) (Oh, and Maddie is just fine).


That said, Arches National Park is stunningly beautiful, especially in the evening. If you're going to make the trip, however, make it in the fall or the spring. We were all eager to head back to the mountains of Colorado, where we arrived this afternoon. After a fun stop in Grand Junction for lunch and a walk, we arrived in delightful Aspen. Rita has a wonderful day planned for us tomorrow, but we're already entranced. A charming downtown and temperatures that dip into the 50's at night = just what we wanted in the last few days of our vacation.


I'll conclude with one of my favorite moments of the day. We played a game of "What did I learn on our vacation?" during lunch. There were serious answers (from Maddie: "I learned that building a monument without government money is a bad idea") and silly answers (from Dana: "I learned never to listen to Swedes regarding the value of a view at the end of a trail"). As our food arrived, Daniel took his final turn and said, "I learned that spending time with my family exploring is better than any action figure game." Almost makes the hike worthwhile :-) Almost.