Mrs. Truitt planned a family trip to Utah for “Christmas” break. Since we work Christmases here at Spring Canyon, the Truitt family gathers in January, once all our guests depart. This year, she booked an AirBnB in Blanding, Utah and invited the girlfriends (me and Grace, Riley’s girlfriend).
I’ve been to Utah several times. As a kid, we drove the Colorado to Los Angeles road a lot to visit my grandpa, so we managed to hit most of the National Parks along the way over the years. This, however, was a fresh take on the old parks. Since we arrived mid-January, the weather was brisk and the visitors were few.
(Left to Right: Tegan, Mr. Truitt, Bethany, me, Mrs. Truitt, Conner, Grace, Riley)
We hit four primary areas in four days: Canyonlands National Park (the Needles section, which I haven’t been to before); Antelope Canyon & Horseshoe Bend; Natural Bridges National Monument (pictured above); and Arches National Park.
Antelope Canyon was my favorite day trip. It was three hours away in Page, Arizona. Raina and I think about going every time we drive through AZ, but in order to enter the canyon, you have to book a tour since it’s in the Navajo Nation. The price tag and extra driving always scared us away.
The canyon was stunning. We wound through the slot canyon for several hundred feet. Our guide, Seth T., pointed out a plethora of beautiful shapes in the stone and showed us nifty photos made famous by National Geographic, Time, etc. The stone was so smooth. Our entire experience was amazing.
Sometimes, tours disappoint. They feel like a gateway fee to get the famous Instagram shot. Seth focused on the magic of Antelope Canyon. He knew it well and shared our wonder at the twisting walls. High recommendation!
After Antelope Canyon, we stopped at Horseshoe Bend, which was also beautiful. Mr. and Mrs. Truitt especially enjoyed this view since they put in for their Grand Canyon rafting trip only a few miles past the bend. The water looked beautiful and clear. I always get a little happy when I hear the name “Colorado River” all the way down in Arizona, which is silly since I have no particular affiliation with the river other than state of origin.
Mrs. Truitt bought four small puzzles at Costco and we did a little race. They were beautiful puzzles and took just over an hour. This was such a fun challenge, and the puzzles are the perfect size to whip out on a dreary evening. Easy to finish in one night. Grace and Riley won, followed by Bethany and Tegan. Conner and I loved our puzzle, despite our loss. 🙂
On our drive home, we stopped by Arches National Park. This is the first time I’ve ever hiked out to Delicate Arch, even though I’ve been to Arches twice before. It was such a fun hike, and crowded even in January (a shock compared to our previous hikes in which we saw four other people total).
It felt so nice to spend a concentrated amount of time with Conner’s family. I’m in a unique spot since I know his parents so well (we work together and live a three minute walk apart). It’s a huge gift to be close with them, and there’s something new and exciting about going on a family trip, especially one to a beautiful area.
I have a busy spring coming up: Conner’s baptism, a visit to Raina in Boise, Jordan’s bachelorette party and then wedding, Pennsylvania for Easter, and then three weddings between May 15 and June 2.
I feel so grateful for this last season at Spring Canyon. Just as with previous stages, I know it’s time to go, but I feel deep fondness for this place in my leaving. I’m glad I have four months left. It’s a new moon tonight (of course, it’s Lunar New Year). The starts are piercingly bright. I can see the Milky Way. I have four more new moons before I leave. I love them. God has been so gracious to me in guiding me to this season.
xoxo, Ceci
Cecilia Joy 