Editor's Update 2024: yet another entry that's part of my "breaking down" the old album and switching to this digital format. The original trip occurred nearly 25 years ago- with the actual trip taking place June 23-26.
Arches National Park
The first stop on our Summer '99 vacation was Arches National Park. We left the Denver area around 6:30 a.m. on Wed June 23rd and arrived at the park shortly after lunch. It was a long drive but we all survived thanks to the newly re-charged air conditioning in the jeep and a video player set up in the back seat for Patrick. Yes- nothing passes the time quite like 6+ hours of Barney, Elmo and Teletubbies!
Ah...we made it. 95 degrees in the shade!
What no shade? Well, then it's even hotter than that...
Perhaps the most photographed and popular arch in the park..
Delicate Arch
Martha had read in the guide material they give you at the park entrance that the trail to the view point is considered "handicapped accessible." Given she was 33 weeks pregnant, she urged Dom to let her try this easy hike. After lots of loose rock and some steep climbs, even she conceded "Handicapped my ass!"
Part of the Park Avenue Trail
This is one of the first sections you reach as you enter the park. The name is a reference to remarks made by early visitors that the formations resembled the skyscrapers of New York's Park Avenue
side view of the Three Gossips
North Window...
Hard to imagine that Martha had been sitting under the ride of the arch
The first night was spent in the town of Moab. There really is not much to Moab but it is the largest town in this part of Utah. Just south of Moab was a corny tourist stop called Hole the Rock. Clearly someone had too much time on his hands, as he spent years carving his house into the rock.
Patrick enjoyed running amuck in this house.
It made us think of the Flinstones- minus the dinosaurs
Monument Valley
On our second day, we wandered further into southern Utah. Our destination today was Monument Valley. Dom longed to see the sights where so many classic western were filmed.
As you approach the park- you can see the rock formations for miles!
Patrick was more interested in running around the viewing area
than posing for pictures!
Toward the end of the 17 mile "scenic" drive, Martha and Patrick
opted to stay in the jeep while Dom snapped away!
Part of Three Sisters
Elephant Butte
Day 3
After spending the evening before in the very small town of Mexican Hat, we decided to take a picture of the Rock Formation for which the town got its' name
From Mexican Hat, we would make the short side trip to Gooseneck State Park. As the guidebook suggested "this small state park will surprise you" as you reach the parking lot, a few steps to the rim, look down and Behold!
However, too bad Martha never made it to the viewpoint as she fell in the parking lot!
So now we have an injured, pregnant woman who still insisted on driving through Natural Bridges monument.
However to get there, we needed to first cross up and over a mesa that included unpaved roads- something Martha the navigator missed on the map!
Natural Bridges
By this time, the pain was not abating and Martha admitted "TIME TO GO HOME"
What was to have been a week long adventure, ended on Day 3. We made a bee- line to the ER back in Denver where it was indeed confirmed- that simple fall resulted in a fracture. A fracture that would involve being non weight bearing for the final stretch of her pregnancy.
Update 2024- for many years, we would refer to this as "Martha's Utah curse" as in 1995- she developed severe pneumonia on a ski trip to Park City. It would be nearly 25 years before Martha finally made it back to Gooseneck State Park- where we are happy to report, no bones were broken.
Other things that we would put together as the years passed by- that dirt road between Gooseneck and Natural Bridges has a name- The Moki Dugway. And no matter how many times we have since crossed it- we still recall that time I sat in the backseat with a broken foot.
I look back and chuckle- with age comes wisdom. What were we thinking going on a vacation- not just with a very pregnant women, but with a curious toddler who had no awareness of what danger lurked ahead. Never mind that we picked probably one of the hottest times of the year to make this trip. None of it makes sense to our "today selves"...but it sure does lend itself to some curious memories as we think what were were thinking????
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