Lunar Eclipse

Unfortunately my picture of the Lunar Eclipse a few days ago didn't come out like I was hoping. I still enjoyed seeing it though. Maybe the next time it happens I will be able to get a better shot.

Moab: Day 2

Day two of our camping trip was just as good, if not better, than day one. It seemed like the never ending day. That is because there wasn't much sleep to be had. I'll explain later.

I mentioned in my last post that we ate WELL! One of the things that we did well in was our desserts. I found some pictures of the dessert we made Thursday night. They are called Campfire Cones. Basically, you take a waffle cone and add marshmallows, strawberries, bananas, and chocolate chips. Roll it up in tin foil and put it in the fire. Once it's done add whipped cream and chocolate sauce and walla.

 Good stuff

Lauren, Kiki, and myself about to enjoy goodness.

Ok back to day two. The group was going to go mountain biking again, so Lauren and I went back to Arches National Park. We decided to go off the beaten path from the more common places. We drove for a while on a dirt road to get to our hiking destination, Klondike Bluffs. It wasn't a long hike by any means but it was very pretty. 

La Sal Mountains

We had barely started hiking when we found this little guy. 

Where we came from.

We are headed to the other side of that wall. 

This area of the park had a LOT of sand. 

We had to make several pit stops to get the sand out of our shoes.

A Cairn. These are trail markers.

Tower Arch

 Tower Arch

It was a great hike. Once we made it back to the car we headed to our new campsite for supper. Since another eight people were showing up that night we needed to go to a group campsite.

Heading out of the Klondike Bluffs area.

On the menu for dessert Chocolate Eclairs. Kiki had brought some dowels and we took crescent roll dough and wrapped it around the dowel and cooked it in the fire. Once it was done we stuffed the middle with chocolate pudding and topped it with whipped cream and chocolate sauce. Another success in the dessert realm.

David Sietsema Photography

Eventually the rest of the group arrived and we enjoyed some good times around the fire.

David Sietsema Photography

The Group

David Sietsema Photography

Quality time with the roommate and Lauren.

Kiki and I had been planning to get some good star shots. Friday night was supposed to be the clearest night. She decided that we should go canyoneering first and then star shooting second. I was totally game. We (five of us) piled into her car and headed back to Arches National Park. We hiked up a crevice and did four repels down some cliffs to get back to the bottom. 

 Courtney, me, & Kiki

 Rappelling down.

On our biggest repel we needed a second rope to aid in the process. It was quite tangled. So here the guys are working on getting it all ready. 

We eventually got back to the car around 1:45am. Now we were off to go shoot some starts. Kiki and I decided to hike to Delicate Arch, three miles round trip. It was a very cold night but we were determined. Here are the results after some suffering and freezing.

 Delicate Arch

Delicate Arch

By the time we got back to our campsite it was 5am. I was ready for bed. Oddly, I woke up three hours later and feeling pretty good. 

Day 3 still to come.

Moab: Day 1

Every year my roommate plans a camping trip to Moab. This year was no different. When all was figured out we had about 16 people coming. My roommate and I, as well as a few other people, were going to head out to Moab Wednesday so they could get some mountain biking in. Everyone else would arrive Friday.

I don't mountain bike. It does look like fun, but I am in no shape for it. I knew that during the days I would be alone while the rest of the group biked. I wasn't too worried as I have never been to Arches National Park or Canyonlands before. I would have some quality time with my camera, and was going to make the most of that time.

The day before we were suppose to head to Moab I came home to Kiki (my roommate) sitting on the couch. I wasn't feeling well and must have looked pretty bad because her first words were, "What's wrong with you? You look awful." As I walked into the living room to talk to her I noticed a bright light shining on the mantle. I stopped mid-sentence and stared at the camera. I was trying to figure out what in the world she was trying to do. I was directly in line with the camera and so I took a few steps left to get out of the way. She, of course, was cracking up at my confusion. She then went on to remind me of her non-refundable early birthday present. I told her I remember her saying that but never remember anything about it being early. She told me to come sit by her on the couch (this is when it got weird). She had a backpack on the coffee table and she was digging inside of it. Out of the corner of my eye I saw someone rising up from behind the dining room table. It was a SUPER blonde chick. I did a double take and in a split second I thought to myself, "Who the heck is that? I have never met one of Kiki's friends that look like that." Then it hit me. It was Lauren my best friend!!!!!

I was SO HAPPY. I had no idea that she was coming. Kiki is the coolest roommate ever is all I have to say.

Now I could go to Moab and enjoy the sites, and I didn't have to do it alone. Those of you who know me know I would rather be with friends than alone.

Wednesday came and we hit the road around 1:30pm. It takes about 6 hours to drive to Moab from where we live. The car was packed! The drive was great. We were cracking up pretty much the whole time.

I had to have a picture by the Utah sign. This was my first time in Utah. Another state checked off my list. Only four more to go :).

Getting closer to our destination.

After many hours we reached our campsite, met up with the others that had come out early, set up the tents, and then headed to town for some food and then retired back to our tents for some zzzz's.

Thursday morning came and everyone, except Lauren and I, were going mountain biking. Kiki was nice enough to lend me her car so that Lauren and I could do some site seeing on our own, but first the mountain bikers wanted a photo shoot. So I happily obliged. We head to the trailhead of Slickrock for the photo shoot.

Kiki flying down the hill.

 The mountain bike group.

Once the photo shoot was over Lauren and I jumped in the car and headed to Arches National Park. We had a good time. I will let the pictures speak for themselves.

 Balancing Rock

 Lauren at North Window Arch

Turret Arch

The goal for the day was to hike to Delicate Arch. This arch is very popular and the parking lot is not large enough. We tried to find a parking spot but to no avail. The signs said that parking is strictly enforced so if nothing is available to try again at another time.

Thankfully I did get to hike to Delicate Arch. Once at 2am (had to get some star shots) and once in the daylight for the last hike before going home. The pictures will be in posts to come.

So since we couldn't find a spot to park we continued down the road to the Lower Delicate Arch Viewpoint. It was a 1/2 mile hike to get the view of the below picture.
                         

Delicate Arch from afar.

After this short little hike, Lauren and I headed to the very back of the park and found a 4 mile hike we wanted to do.

The hike we were going to do was to several different arches. The area is called the Devil's Garden.

Landscape Arch

The terrain. Can you see the people on the trail?

Us :)

There are people down by the green shrubs.

 Double O Arch

Navajo Arch 

Lauren and I at Navajo Arch 

This is one of my favorite arches. Partition Arch.

Once we finished our hike it was time to head back to the campsite and meet up with everyone else for some dinner. I wish I had taken some pictures of the food we ate. I think I ate better on this camping trip than I do at home. 

               Our group Wednesday and Thursday. The bottom left picture is everyone taking pictures of the sunset.

As the sun was setting the colors on the landscape started to change. 

The day ended with a LOT of laughter around the campfire. We had some good times. The next post will be day two. Stay tuned!