We woke a little less rested than usual. Maybe it was the first night back in the van, maybe it was the four of us in Jen and I’s queen size bed….
I flipped the switch on the electric kettle and checked the thermometer on the dash to see how cold it was outside (17degrees f), nice and chilly. Our tracks from driving in and playing in the snow last night have been filled in and covered up and its a beautiful morning with snow still blowing down in flurries. With coffee duty underway and the window shades pulled down letting in the morning sun reflecting off the snow all around, everyone starts to rouse out of their slumber.
The kids ate bagels with cream cheese and Jen made us some delicious oatmeal with bananas and peanut butter. After filling up our stomachs, the kids suited up to go enjoy the fresh new snow. Once the energy levels were down and the dishes washed, we buttoned down the cupboards and pulled out of the forest and onto the highway heading towards Zion National Park, about a three and a half hour drive.
One pull over to pee and a stop for lunch beside the vermillion cliffs which we’ve now drove past twice, the first time in the waining light of sunset, both times a sight to see. The 9 was closed east of the south entrance to Zion National Park, so we had to take a roundabout way which added about an hour to our drive, never a good thing, especially when you’ve got kids getting impatient 🙂
The roads climbed in elevation and the temps dropped, at one point as low as 8 degrees! The roads had been cleared well and the snow that was falling was driven off the road by the wind. We had to slow down in spots, but the intermittent clouds gave us wonderful glimpses of the scenery around us and the National Park we were entering.
We got to the park entrance a half hour before the visitor center closed and I asked the ranger at the entrance if there was availability at the two campgrounds just inside the south entrance to the park, he said yes, so we entered and pulled into the parking lot for the visitor center with enough time for jen to jump out and grab Jr. Ranger workbooks for the kids.
We pulled through the South campground which looked like a ghost town, I guess it’s the off-season…. The ranger at the Watchman campground was pleasant and informed us that Loop B was open and we could drive through, pick out our spot and come back to register. B46 was our choice and we were blessed to have deer right next to the van as we drove through and right across the river from our campsite once we settled in.
We went for a quick walk down by the river and played on the sandy banks. Then it was time for a yummy dinner of pineapple ham, rice, and corn on the cob. We did some van gymnastics to burn off some energy and then tackled our evening chores of dishes, bathroom duties, and a chapter of Little Town on the Prairie. Then to bed for the littles upstairs and Jen and I watched Snowden which I had downloaded on Prime Video before we left Jen’s Mom’s. Not the greatest “feel good” movie, but worth the watch just to remind us of the importance of privacy and considering what we share…