4000 miles down--300 to go!

All the pictures we're going to post are up. Everyone's reflections are up. (But you might have to go to the next page to see your student's.



We are through Little Rock and on our way to Memphis. We still need to clean out the vans and sort our some of the souvenirs.



The kids are excited about coming home! So are the adults. :-)



Thank you all for following us all the way to the Grand Canyon and back!

Palo Duro Canyon and Amarillo, TX

Meteor Crater

Sunset and Lennox Craters

Reflections on the Trip--Adults

Patty
1. What was the most interesting or educational of the sites we visited and why? The North Rim of the Grand Canyon because it’s just a different kind of beauty from the rest of the canyons we go to.
2. What was the least interesting site we visited and why? Painted Desert because by the time we get to it we’ve seen unbelievable beauty, and it’s kind of fading.
3. The thing about this trip I’ll never forget is the awe in the eyes of the children when they saw the Grand Canyon at Desert View.
4. Everyday I looked forward to a new adventure.
5. I got tired of asking students to throw their trash away.
6. It was a “bummer” when Four Corners was closed.
7. A “pleasant surprise” was snow on the North Rim.
8. If you could go back to a site on this trip THIS summer and show it to your family, where would it be and why? Bonita Campground at Sunset Crater because it’s just the most beautiful campsite, and we can sleep on lava rock.
9. What did you pack or bring that you did not need at all – should’a left at home? Nothing—I needed everything I brought.
10. What did you NOT bring, but wish you had? A few more warm clothes.
11. What about this trip would you change (considering only realistic, reasonable changes)? Stay longer at the North Rim, but I don’t know what I’d take out to make that happen.
12. What part of this trip should NEVER change? Seeing both the North and South Rims and hiking partway into the canyon.

Chris
1. What was the most interesting or educational of the sites we visited and why? How the light changes the Grand Canyon.
2. What was the least interesting site we visited and why? How terrible I-40 is in some states!
3. The thing about this trip I’ll never forget is how some parents and kids ignore the signs and are disrespectful of other people and natural formations. (Not our kids!)
4. Everyday I looked forward to waking up and seeing new beautiful sites.
5. I got tired of nothing—everything was great!
6. It was a “bummer” when we had to go home.
7. A “pleasant surprise” was how great the horseback riding was.
8. If you could go back to a site on this trip THIS summer and show it to your family, where would it be and why? The Grand Canyon and hike rim to rim so I can see everything all the way to the bottom and back up.
9. What did you pack or bring that you did not need at all – should’a left at home? Toilet paper
10. What did you NOT bring, but wish you had? Warmer sleeping bag
11. What about this trip would you change (considering only realistic, reasonable changes)? Add more kids
12. What part of this trip should NEVER change? How well the kids actually pull together and do their jobs.

Wes
1. What was the most interesting or educational of the sites we visited and why? Snow because it was great!
2. What was the least interesting site we visited and why? Heat and humidity at the end of the trip.
3. The thing about this trip I’ll never forget is the views of the Grand Canyon.
4. Everyday I looked forward to moving to a new place and seeing something new.
5. I got tired of driving.
6. It was a “bummer” when we couldn’t go to Wall Street in Bryce Canyon.
7. A “pleasant surprise” was Famous Dave’s.
8. If you could go back to a site on this trip THIS summer and show it to your family, where would it be and why? Navajo Monument and actually hike to the ruins.
9. What did you pack or bring that you did not need at all – should’a left at home? A bag of rope that I haven’t used.
10. What did you NOT bring, but wish you had? Gloves
11. What about this trip would you change (considering only realistic, reasonable changes)? Add Arches National Park
12. What part of this trip should NEVER change? Making sure everyone sees both rims of the canyon.

Rita
1. What was the most interesting or educational of the sites we visited and why? Walnut Canyon because I’m amazed by the fact that they lived in and made use of every crevice in the canyon.
2. What was the least interesting site we visited and why? The bathrooms at Mount Nebo because not everyone is respectful of public property.
3. The thing about this trip I’ll never forget is snow in June! I never thought I’d see snow in June.
4. Everyday I looked forward to guacamole.
5. I got tired of the sunburn on my neck.
6. It was a “bummer” when it was the 4th day of the trip and I realized that my 4” binder wasn’t going to be big enough.
7. A “pleasant surprise” was seeing elk on the South Rim—so close and so many.
8. If you could go back to a site on this trip THIS summer and show it to your family, where would it be and why? Bryce Canyon because every time I go I see something different and from a new perspective.
9. What did you pack or bring that you did not need at all – should’a left at home? Bathing suit
10. What did you NOT bring, but wish you had? Hot Hands
11. What about this trip would you change (considering only realistic, reasonable changes)? Extend it a week
12. What part of this trip should NEVER change? Students should see the North Rim and the South Rim.

Abigail
1. What was the most interesting or educational of the sites we visited and why? Bryce Canyon because I like the unique rock formations.
2. What was the least interesting site we visited and why? Palo Duro Canyon because it’s just so hot and I don’t like horseback riding.
3. The thing about this trip I’ll never forget is snow at the North Rim.
4. Everyday I looked forward to a new place to go.
5. I got tired of the kids singing the same 3 songs for thousands of miles.
6. It was a “bummer” when we were way out in the middle of nowhere in Palo Duro Canyon.
7. A “pleasant surprise” was the cool weather at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.
8. If you could go back to a site on this trip THIS summer and show it to your family, where would it be and why? The Grand Canyon—none of them have ever hiked it and most have never seen it.
9. What did you pack or bring that you did not need at all – should’a left at home? A book to read and a Sudoku book that I never looked at once.
10. What did you NOT bring, but wish you had? Wool socks! This was supposed to be the hot trip.
11. What about this trip would you change (considering only realistic, reasonable changes)? Add Zion National Park and Antelope Canyon
12. What part of this trip should NEVER change? That it happens.

Reflections on the Trip--Doug

1. What was the most interesting or educational of the sites we visited and why? North Rim because of the view.
2. What was the least interesting site we visited and why? Four Corners being closed because it was in the wrong spot.
3. The thing about this trip I’ll never forget is hiking the South Rim.
4. Everyday I looked forward to going new places.
5. I got tired of waking up early.
6. It was a “bummer” when a couple of things were closed.
7. A “pleasant surprise” was seeing Brant.
8. If you could go back to a site on this trip THIS summer and show it to your family, where would it be and why? The NEW Four Corners when they rebuild it on the right spot.
9. What did you pack or bring that you did not need at all – should’a left at home? Nothing.
10. What did you NOT bring, but wish you had? Nothing—I knew what to pack.
11. What about this trip would you change (considering only realistic, reasonable changes)? Stay at the North Rim longer.
12. What part of this trip should NEVER change? Going to the Coral Pink Sand Dunes.

Reflections on the Trip--Ben

1. What was the most interesting or educational of the sites we visited and why? The Grand Canyon because I had never been before and it was crazy how the whole thing formed.
2. What was the least interesting site we visited and why? Four Corners because it was closed.
3. The thing about this trip I’ll never forget is hiking the Grand Canyon.
4. Everyday I looked forward to seeing all the amazing sites.
5. I got tired of Freddy! (just joking!)
6. It was a “bummer” when Mary couldn’t join us because she was sick.
7. A “pleasant surprise” was it snowed at the North Rim.
8. If you could go back to a site on this trip THIS summer and show it to your family, where would it be and why? Coral Pink Sand Dunes because I’m sure my sister would enjoy sliding on the sand dunes.
9. What did you pack or bring that you did not need at all – should’a left at home? I brought too many pairs of socks.
10. What did you NOT bring, but wish you had? Underwear! No really, an extra camera battery.
11. What about this trip would you change (considering only realistic, reasonable changes)? The seating arrangements on the vans.
12. What part of this trip should NEVER change? The great places we visit.

Reflections on the Trip--Cheyenne

1. What was the most interesting or educational of the sites we visited and why? Meteor Crater was really interesting to look at.
2. What was the least interesting site we visited and why? Glen Canyon Dam because I didn’t really understand some of the stuff and I’ve already seen dams before.
3. The thing about this trip I’ll never forget is jumping off the sand dunes.
4. Everyday I looked forward to singing in the car.
5. I got tired of picking up trash at the campsite.
6. It was a “bummer” when we weren’t allowed to sleep in the cars.
7. A “pleasant surprise” was we saw the hoodoos at Bryce Canyon because they were really cool.
8. If you could go back to a site on this trip THIS summer and show it to your family, where would it be and why? North and South Rims of the Grand Canyon because it was much bigger than I thought. I’d want to show them both rims because they’re so different.
9. What did you pack or bring that you did not need at all – should’a left at home? Poncho
10. What did you NOT bring, but wish you had? Jacket because it was really cold.
11. What about this trip would you change (considering only realistic, reasonable changes)? Nothing really
12. What part of this trip should NEVER change? Cooking dinner—it was fun.

Reflections on the Trip--Sophi

1. What was the most interesting or educational of the sites we visited and why? Going down to the first water hole because I got to see what the Grand Canyon was like. It made me want to go all the way across.
2. What was the least interesting site we visited and why? Painted Desert because we didn’t really go out to see it all and the video about it was boring.
3. The thing about this trip I’ll never forget is going to the Grand Canyon.
4. Everyday I looked forward to going horseback riding.
5. I got tired of hiking.
6. It was a “bummer” when Four Corners was closed.
7. A “pleasant surprise” was when it started snowing on the North Rim.
8. If you could go back to a site on this trip THIS summer and show it to your family, where would it be and why? The South Rim because it was really pretty—actually the North Rim because not as many people go to the North Rim. You think of the Grand Canyon as a desert, but up there it’s more of a forest.
9. What did you pack or bring that you did not need at all – should’a left at home? Eyelash Curler
10. What did you NOT bring, but wish you had? Sweatpants
11. What about this trip would you change (considering only realistic, reasonable changes)? We should go a little further on the South Rim.
12. What part of this trip should NEVER change? The Sand Dunes.

Reflections on the Trip--Amanda

1. What was the most interesting or educational of the sites we visited and why? Hiking the South Rim of the Grand Canyon because it was really hot and it was a long way out. It was a good workout too.
2. What was the least interesting site we visited and why? The North Rim was dull and depressing because it was so quiet.
3. The thing about this trip I’ll never forget is sliding down the Coral Pink Sand Dunes.
4. Everyday I looked forward to hanging out with my friends in the car.
5. I got tired of going to sleep late and waking up really early.
6. It was a “bummer” when Four Corners was closed.
7. A “pleasant surprise” was the difference between the North and South Rims of the Grand Canyon.
8. If you could go back to a site on this trip THIS summer and show it to your family, where would it be and why? Meteor Crater because I think my brother would find it very interesting.
9. What did you pack or bring that you did not need at all – should’a left at home? Poncho
10. What did you NOT bring, but wish you had? A big warm coat
11. What about this trip would you change (considering only realistic, reasonable changes)? Add a few more days to spread out the driving.
12. What part of this trip should NEVER change? Going to the Grand Canyon.

Reflections on the Trip--Kate

1. What was the most interesting or educational of the sites we visited and why? I liked Palo Duro Canyon because we got to see part of it used in the play. I thought it was interesting how they incorporated the canyon into the play about the history of Texas.
2. What was the least interesting site we visited and why? Red Rock State Park because we didn’t really do anything and it was just a wall of rock. (And the bathrooms were locked.)
3. The thing about this trip I’ll never forget is actually seeing the Grand Canyon with my own eyes and not through the TV.
4. Everyday I looked forward to hiking, but after we did all our major sight-seeing I started looking forward to my own shower.
5. I got tired of having to wait to use the shower.
6. It was a “bummer” when I fell because the spider was chasing me and when I spilled Kook-Aid on my shirt.
7. A “pleasant surprise” was that the Kool-Aid came out and that we got to ride horses which I had forgotten about.
8. If you could go back to a site on this trip THIS summer and show it to your family, where would it be and why? Bryce Canyon because I really liked that hike, and I think my brother and sister would think it was really cool too.
9. What did you pack or bring that you did not need at all – should’a left at home? 3 decks of cards
10. What did you NOT bring, but wish you had? poncho
11. What about this trip would you change (considering only realistic, reasonable changes)? Everything should be open.
12. What part of this trip should NEVER change? All of it.

Reflections on the Trip--Daniel

1. What was the most interesting or educational of the sites we visited and why? Grand Canyon and seeing all the beauty of it and how vast, large, and deep it is. You see it and you have to think to yourself, “how long did it take to make that?”
2. What was the least interesting site we visited and why? There weren’t any non-interesting things other than traveling days, but I guess those don’t count.
3. The thing about this trip I’ll never forget is The Coral Pink Sand Dunes.
4. Everyday I looked forward to doing something new and exciting and going places I’ve never been before.
5. I got tired of sleeping next to someone who didn’t wear deodorant in the tent.
6. It was a “bummer” when the Grand Staircase Escalante Dinosaur Museum was closed because of no water.
7. A “pleasant surprise” was getting to swim and going out to eat.
8. If you could go back to a site on this trip THIS summer and show it to your family, where would it be and why? Coral Pink Sand Dunes because it was so fun to run down and bury yourself in the sand. If we went maybe we could bring an ATV or something. (but I doubt it)
9. What did you pack or bring that you did not need at all – should’a left at home? Rain Poncho
10. What did you NOT bring, but wish you had? Fan
11. What about this trip would you change (considering only realistic, reasonable changes)? Go to Zion National Park
12. What part of this trip should NEVER change? Sleeping in tents every night and cooking and cleaning for ourselves.

Reflections on the Trip--Rashaad

1. What was the most interesting or educational of the sites we visited and why? The Grand Canyon because I hear a lot of people talking about it, and it was pretty cool to finally get to see it.
2. What was the least interesting site we visited and why? Tarantula hunting because we didn’t have much time to look and we didn’t find any.
3. The thing about this trip I’ll never forget is the Grand Canyon.
4. Everyday I looked forward to seeing something different.
5. I got tired of dirty showers.
6. It was a “bummer” when half of the Navajo Loop was closed in Bryce Canyon.
7. A “pleasant surprise” was going out to eat.
8. If you could go back to a site on this trip THIS summer and show it to your family, where would it be and why? Coral Pink Sand Dunes because you can do so much stuff there like ride the ATVs and dirt bikes.
9. What did you pack or bring that you did not need at all – should’a left at home? Bug spray
10. What did you NOT bring, but wish you had? A little more money—just a little bit.
11. What about this trip would you change (considering only realistic, reasonable changes)? Eat a little earlier.
12. What part of this trip should NEVER change? Camping

Reflections on the Trip--Abi

1. What was the most interesting or educational of the sites we visited and why? Palo Duro Canyon because the colors seemed more like a painted desert than the actual Painted Desert. It was really pretty to go through and see everything.
2. What was the least interesting site we visited and why? I didn’t think anything was “least interesting”. I liked it all.
3. The thing about this trip I’ll never forget is being able to do something that not everyone gets a chance to do.
4. Everyday I looked forward to everything we were going to do that day.
5. I got tired of packing the van and U-Haul.
6. It was a “bummer” when we had to get in the vans for an hour because of lightning.
7. A “pleasant surprise” was the snow at the North Rim.
8. If you could go back to a site on this trip THIS summer and show it to your family, where would it be and why? Palo Duro because I think my family would enjoy the horseback riding, being able to see how neat it was, and being able to see the Texas play.
9. What did you pack or bring that you did not need at all – should’a left at home? Black t-shirt
10. What did you NOT bring, but wish you had? Warmer clothes
11. What about this trip would you change (considering only realistic, reasonable changes)? Instead of staying at Palo Duro campground stay at the KOA the whole time—and stay at KOAs more often because they are so nice.
12. What part of this trip should NEVER change? The whole experience and being able to work together to get everything done quickly.

Trying to get it all in...

We were without internet for a few days. I'm trying to get a sample of the pictures up before we arrive in Franklin tomorrow. As we drive the next 2 days I'm getting students to answer some questions about the trip. I will post them as they answer.

Patty and I have taken over 1000 pictures. She will give students a CD with some of them. I will post them on Shutterfly and put the link on here. You will be able to download any that you want to keep or order prints from Shutterfly.

~Abigail

Reflections on the Trip--Caleb

1. What was the most interesting or educational of the sites we visited and why? Meteor Crater because there are a lot of interesting things in the museum, and it was interesting to learn how the crater was formed.
2. What was the least interesting site we visited and why? Palo Duro Canyon because we didn’t really learn anything about the canyon.
3. The thing about this trip I’ll never forget is that it snowed at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.
4. Everyday I looked forward to visiting a new National Park.
5. I got tired of things being closed.
6. It was a “bummer” when Four Corners was closed.
7. A “pleasant surprise” was when it snowed on the way to the North Rim.
8. If you could go back to a site on this trip THIS summer and show it to your family, where would it be and why? Four Corners because I haven’t been there yet.
9. What did you pack or bring that you did not need at all – should’a left at home? My poncho
10. What did you NOT bring, but wish you had? A fan.
11. What about this trip would you change (considering only realistic, reasonable changes)? Nothing
12. What part of this trip should NEVER change? Sleeping under the stars at Sunset Crater.

Reflections on the Trip--Eric

1. What was the most interesting or educational of the sites we visited and why? Meteor Crater because I liked the movie about how it was made, and Glen Canyon Dam because I liked the tour and learned a lot about how it works.
2. What was the least interesting site we visited and why? Walnut Canyon—I liked hiking but it seemed like a mini version of the Grand Canyon.
3. The thing about this trip I’ll never forget is camping outside at Sunset Crater because I saw a lot of stars and it was very beautiful.
4. Everyday I looked forward to going to see a new National Park because they’re interesting.
5. I got tired of eating a sandwich every day.
6. It was a “bummer” when Four Corners and Grand Staircase Escalante were closed.
7. A “pleasant surprise” was we got snow and got to go to Cici’s and Famous Dave’s.
8. If you could go back to a site on this trip THIS summer and show it to your family, where would it be and why? Bryce Canyon because it’s really beautiful. I loved hiking through it and seeing all the rock formations.
9. What did you pack or bring that you did not need at all – should’a left at home? A comb because I didn’t have much time to brush my hair.
10. What did you NOT bring, but wish you had? An outside fan because it was very hot in Arkansas.
11. What about this trip would you change (considering only realistic, reasonable changes)? I would go to Zion National Park.
12. What part of this trip should NEVER change? Going to Coral Pink Sand Dunes and having fun there.

Reflections on the Trip--Freddy

1.What was the most interesting or educational of the sites we visited and why? The Grand Canyon because it was kind of pretty, and I learned a lot about condors there. I also got to see a lot of elk which was really cool.
2. What was the least interesting site we visited and why? Walnut Canyon. I didn’t find it interesting.
3. The thing about this trip I’ll never forget is seeing all the stars in the sky at night. I’ve never seen that many stars. I also saw a shooting star.
4. Everyday I looked forward to the excitement of knowing something was going to happen that day and not knowing what to expect.
5. I got tired of turkey sandwiches.
6. It was a “bummer” when Four Corners was closed.
7. A “pleasant surprise” was we got to eat out at Famous Dave’s and Cici’s Pizza.
8. If you could go back to a site on this trip THIS summer and show it to your family, where would it be and why? The Grand Canyon because no photograph or painting can capture it’s true beauty.
9. What did you pack or bring that you did not need at all – should’a left at home? My second pillow and my 20 bottles of shampoo.
10. What did you NOT bring, but wish you had? A backpack because they’re easier to carry than a fanny pack.
11. What about this trip would you change (considering only realistic, reasonable changes)? Four Corners being open. Nothing else besides that.
12. What part of this trip should NEVER change? Camping out under the stars without your tent at Sunset Crater.

Wupaki Ruins and REALLY good dinner--fried pork chops, baked potatoes, and a salad

Bright Angel Trail on the South Rim (2.6 miles round trip)

Desert View at the South Rim

Stormy Night!

Yesterday we rode in the car most of the day. We were driving so long that we decided to eat dinner out. We tried Buffalo Wild Wings, but they were packed. So we went to Famous Dave’s. We got 2 family platters that had a lot of food. Then we had bread pudding for dessert. I got the very last bit of ice cream. We had to hurry to get to the campground before they closed the gate. We did not get the spot we wanted. Our spot is nowhere near the stuff we are doing today. We set up our tents in the dark. It started storming. I rolled up my stuff so it would not get wet. The wind was shaking the tent so hard that it covered Cheyenne. Right as we got comfortable the adults made us get in the van because of the lightning. We were in the vans, and Ms. Abigail came over there because there was not enough room in the other van with the boys. Sleeping in the van was not very comfortable. After about 2 hours we went back in the tents and went to bed.

~Sophi

Today so far...

Today we went horseback riding. I had a lot of fun. My horse was named Ace. When we got back, we asked Mr. Wes if we could have ice cream. He agreed and bought us some. Then Ms. Littlejohn took us to the general store. I looked around at all the gifts and stuff in the store. Everything was really cool looking. Now we’re blogging while waiting for the other group to finish riding. Tonight we are going to see Texas—a musical in Palo Duro Canyon. Tonight we are staying here again, but we’re switching campgrounds. I can’t wait to get home the day after tomorrow.
~Cheyenne

Grand Canyon to Texas

I have to say that I have never seen snow in the middle of June. Well, it started snowing on our way to the North Rim. We got out for a snowball fight in shorts and flip flops. It was very cold and I wore my jeans and sweatpants for 3 days. We went to the South Rim and hiked down to the first water hole and back. Ms. Littlejohn’s grandson camped with us for a few days and he was a lot of fun. We went to Famous Dave’s last night for dinner and got to Palo Duro Canyon Campground last night very late and set up our tents in the wind. We ended up going to the vans to sleep for about an hour. It was soooo uncomfortable! We went horseback riding this morning and I had a horse named Peanut! The ride was so much fun and very pretty!! Can’t wait to see you guys when we get back!

~Abi y.

Our Recent Adventures

Recently we have hiked a lot. We hiked the Grand Canyon. We hiked Bryce Canyon. Even though Bryce was about .2 miles longer, the Grand Canyon seemed longer. When we got almost to the very top we saw some kids playing where there was a sign saying not to. One of them flipped over a rock about the size of a big steak. It rolled and rolled and rolled and rolled. Chris had to yell to the people below us so they wouldn’t get hit, be injured, and die. The dad just walked off. When he saw us they left very fast.

The final time we hiked we were at Lennox Crater. We had to hike at a very steep angle, and it was like walking on sand because the rocks were very small. The cool thing was that they were all lava rocks because a volcano had erupted a long time ago. Once we were finished hiking that we went to the very cool lava flow. It was very pointy and dangerous so we didn’t hike very far.
After that we went to Meteor Crater. It’s huge and very cool. In the museum they have a game where you can choose the density, velocity, and type of rock, and the angle that it comes in at. You can create small craters, big craters, or destroy the entire Earth. It was great to play with.

~Daniel

Lots of stops!

We slept outside under the stars at Bonito Campground at the base of Sunset Crater. There was volcanic rock all over the campground. We climbed Lennox Crater. It was easy to get up, but we came down at the wrong spot, and we had to walk a longer route back to the cars.

We went to Walnut Canyon and took the island hike. We looked at the cliff dweller’s houses. It would be hard to live there. After that we went to Meteor Crater. It was amazing. It was so windy that I could lean over with the wind holding me up.

~Doug

LOOK OUT BELOW!

The hike was kind of long. It was harder than I expected it would be to come back up. I drank one bottle of water each way. When we started getting close to the top a kid (not from our group) was playing near some rocks where a sign said DO NOT ENTER. I don’t think he meant to, but he knocked a rock off. Chris had to yell, “LOOK OUT BELOW!” The kid just kept walking and didn’t even say “sorry”.

~Rashaad

Hiking the Grand Canyon

We went on a hike in the Grand Canyon. I took 3 bottles of water and drank 1 on the way down. I filled it at the first water hole and drank all three on the way up. There were ground squirrels that were really annoying. You aren’t supposed to feed them, but people do. It was 1.3 miles to the first water hole, and it took about an hour to get down. It didn’t seem like it though. It took about 2 hours to get back out. After that we went to the ice cream place where Ms. Littlejohn was nice enough to buy us some ice cream. Then we walked around and saw some elk. We went back to camp and ate lunch. That afternoon we did laundry. Then we went to a movie theater and saw an IMAX movie that was really good. Afterwards we went and got pizza. Then we drove back to the campsite.

~Ben

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!!!

On the way to the North Rim we stopped at Jacob Lake visitor center. We decided to wait out the rain. Soon the rain turned to snow. We talked to the people who had driven out of the park. We heard it was safe, so we continued on our way. A few miles in we found snow. Lots and lots of snow! The rangers said it was a once-in-a-lifetime snow. We got out and had a snowball fight and got our picture taken at the entrance in the snow--a first on these trips. The snow stopped a couple of miles from the North Rim. It was cold that night, but we were able to sleep in our tents.

~Abigail

Bryce Canyon Pictures

SNOWBALL FIGHT!

It snowed at the Grand Canyon in the middle of June! On our way to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon it snowed more than it I’ve seen it snow in Franklin, TN. We also had an awesome snowball fight by the road. The snow was perfect for packing. The snowball fight was so fun even though it lasted only a minute.

~Caleb

Group Blog

When we were on the Queen’s Garden trail we came across an area where people had stacked up rocks into tower. We made our own stacks, and Sophi’s stack fell on her finger. The hoodoos looked like statues with clouds on top. We went through some arches/doorways in the rocks. We could see two natural bridges from the trail. It wasn’t too hard of a hike. But we did realize that you should take water, and you shouldn’t drink all your water before you start going back up.

The rock shop was awesome. There was a big variety of rocks. We couldn’t believe how much petrified wood could cost depending on the size and shape.

On our way to the North Rim we saw a once in a lifetime snow. We had a snowball fight on our way to the park. We saw a lot of watch for animal signs, and we saw sheep, chipmunks, pronghorn sheep, and squirrels.

The north rim was scary because it was so high. It was beautiful. There were a lot of trees (instead of the shrubs we’ve seen in the past few days).

~Ms. Littlejohn’s Van (Doug, Ben, Sophi, Freddie, Cheyenne)

Bryce, Snow! and the Grand Canyon

We went for a hike through Bryce Canyon, and it was amazing with all the cool colorful rocks. It was really fun because at the end we got ice cream. Yesterday when we were driving to our campsite at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon it was snowing. I took lots of pictures, and we saw some deer. I tried to avoid the snowball fight but five people hit me at the same time. About 10 minutes later the snow was gone, but it was still very cold. For dinner we had Doug’s awesome pork chops!

~Amanda

Got Sand?

Yesterday we went and jumped/slid/ran/rolled down the Coral Pink Sand Dunes. We had so much fun! We had sand EVERYWHERE!! It took me forever to get up the sand dune the first time, but I got used to it. When Ms. Littlejohn said we had only been there for 30 min we were shocked because it had seemed like we had been there for an hour or so. We only had about an hour and a half drive to Ruby’s Inn, which has cabins, a hotel, apartments, and camping. We took a shuttle around Bryce Canyon and then came back and the girls made quesadillas. This morning we woke up and it was FREEZING! The low last night was 39. We are supposed to go on a hike today, but there is a chance of rain so there’s a possibility that we won’t go. I am having a lot of fun, but I will be glad when I get to sleep in my own bed again.

~Abi

Sand Dunes Pictures Part 3

Sand Dunes Pictures Part 2