undaunted

I haven't read Gerald Lund's newest book, Undaunted, about Hole in the Rock, but after this weekend, I can't wait to devour it!

This last weekend Clint an Amy had plans to go to the world famous Bryce Canyon and we totally invited ourselves along went with them.

We endured enjoyed the long fight drive to get there, swam, got a good night's rest, and loaded up early the next morning for one of the longest drives on a dirt road I have ever taken an adventure.

I seriously thought we'd never get there but We soon arrived at Hole in the Rock and watched as other tourists shook their heads in awe at our stupidity in taking so many little boys on such a treacherous hike started our hike.

We really were amazed, thinking that early settlers of the area had to blast this hole through the rock so that they could lower their WAGONS through this pass and down to Lake Powell. You just can't appreciate how difficult this must have been until you've been on this incredibly dangerous terrain. I would have been a dead Pioneer.

We almost made it the whole way to the lake, but then I begged and pleaded with everyone to turn back helped everyone see the reason in turning back before the kids tired out.

After we made our way back to the top, we dragged our tired, exhausted bodies climbed back into our beautiful cars and gave a prayer of thanks that we have things like air conditioning, four-wheel drive, and cushioned seats. We truly gained an appreciation for what those settlers did.

After 3,000 more hours on the same blasted road another jaunt back on the same dirt road, Clint allowed Kenyon to drive the jeep everyone safely and legally buckled in, we arrived at our second incredibly dangerous and treacherous destination: the Slot Canyons.

Right at the beginning of this little hike, we found a very dangerous, very poisonous, very terrifying looking baby snake, resting in the bottom of one of the crevasses and it started to make me panic totally impressed the boys. I then freaked out to Kent, telling him we were running out of daylight and that I was NOT hiking back through these snake-infested slot canyons in the dark asked if we should perhaps think of turning back while we still had daylight, but everyone lied to assured me that we would come out the other end and safely loop back to our cars before nightfall.

It was an incredible hike through the slot canyon. We saw such amazing rock creations and were loving every minute of it until we RAN OUT OF DAYLIGHT told you so and had quite a terrifying, panic-inducing an adventure trying to find our way back to the car.

Kyler was a crying, screaming, panicking mess bit nervous, but we eventually made it back to our cars, and once again counted our many blessings. Needless to say, we slept like rocks that night.

The next day was blissfully peaceful much less adventurous, but beautiful and breathtaking nonetheless. Some of the kids were raving, grouchy lunatics a little tired from the day before, so we kind of took it easy. First we hiked up a small waterfall at Mossy Cave, and then we got a free park pass from a stranger and all crammed into one tiny car decided to go into Bryce Canyon to see the sights.

The sky was just absolutely incredible this day. It was so blue that I even heard the weatherman talking about it on the news that night. I was so glad we had been out to enjoy and notice it!

Gosh we had a great time. What an adventure. Thanks, guys, for letting us horn in on your party inviting us along! Cousins are the absolute BEST!!!