Aronson Family Vacation 2011: Part 3

We did not have enough time in Bryce Canyon. That is one big old canyon. My sister Jen described it to me as "turning the corner and seeing the surface of Mars". That's what it looked like! When we were driving into the canyon all of the familiar Utah landscape stopped, almost in a straight line, and turned into oddly shaped red rocks. Fascinating.

Want to hear what else is fascinating?

The odd mix of German and Japanese tourists all over the place.

Why German and Japanese?

Why not French and South African?

Or Brazilian and Canadian?

Anyway.

We spend our last night of vacation at Ruby's Inn. That's the hotel with the grocery store, general store, two restaurants, camp grounds, hotel and Laundromat. Our room was ground level and Jake enjoyed staring out the window at the German/Japanese people. Our poor little toddler started to crack during that last evening. It started after he went swimming with Daddy and Hayden. Daddy was disturbed by the quantity of Speedos at the pool being worn by older gentlemen who refused to go into the water. They just enjoyed standing in 18 inches of water, staring, with their Speedos barely on. Jake had his own special retaliation when he got back to the room. After his bath, he didn't want to put clothes on. Instead, he stood naked in front of the window, giving European passers by a good show. The horror.

We did get to see some of the sights though. Beautiful scenery. Vast beautiful scenery that needs more than a day to see.

(Blanket had a nice vacation too. Here he is lounging on a gnarly piece of wood)

Jake continued his descent into vacation denial with a refusal to get off a trail. We could not climb this particular 4 hour trail because we needed to eat. And because he is only three years old. He did not care.

I'm glad Hayden and Daddy posed because Jake couldn't stop pouting. He's pouting here. That's all. He's NOT doing what he looks like he's doing.

That last night, after the naked incident, Brandon went on a solo ride on the ATV.

He saw a deer just as the sun was setting.

He got a beautiful shot of the moon rising.

The next morning we weighed our options and decided to go for a ride on the ATV trail instead of doing a hike. We decided this because we wouldn't have to carry Jake on the ATV trail when he eventually had another vacation meltdown.

We chose wisely. No one else was on the trail, the weather was perfect and we had a great time.

What we learned on this trip is that three location changes in five days is no good with a toddler and a tweener. Too much to do, too many different places to sleep. I learned I like fishing, but hate watching Brandon fall off ATVs. Hayden learned that the Internet can be a luxury instead of a God given right. Jake learned that fire is fun. Brandon learned that he wants a new car that can pull a trailer and a couple of ATVs.

I also learned that the farmers that live on Highway 89 just outside of the entrance to Bryce are pretty funny. Twisted and funny. This is what I saw to my right while we were stuck in construction traffic on our way home.

Can't beat that. That, my friends, is funny stuff.