sights in the summer

We scheduled quite a bit of travel this summer, so we planned out the most scenic routes possible.  By the end of the summer, we'll have put over 5K miles on the car and hopefully by then we'll have learned how to not be so grumpy in the backseat. 

Nah, we don't have such lofty goals as that; we just try to enjoy the views:

Monument Valley, AZ

Yellowstone National Park:

Mammoth Hot Springs

green!

 

wolf

elk

grizzly bear!

Old Faithful

A steep and windy road somewhere in southern Utah:

seriously?  5 mph for 3 miles?  why?

oh.

Grand Tetons National Park:

breakfast while on the road (literally)

near Arches National Park:

we stopped in Moab, but not in the park itself

We took a ferry across Lake Powell:

and then swam in it!  (it was nice and warm)

We camped overnight at Natural Bridges National Monument:

I experienced a few technical difficulties keeping the camera battery charged (since we were camping and all), so what follows are some borrowed photos.

The kids and I swam in this icy reservoir in Breckenridge, CO while Jer was off trying out some downhill rides  (COLD!):

source

We drove through Capitol Reef National Park, which is one of the most remote places I've ever been to (on roads with no gas stations which means no drinking water at all) but is so worth a longer visit:

Waterpocket Fold (source)

This was one of our camping spots; we swam in the lake first thing in the morning (perfect temperature!): 

Yuba State Park, UT (source)

Our campsite was at the top of this hill overlooking the reservoir and this was the view at sunset.

Escalante National Monument (Giant Staircase), UT:

source

Finally, we stopped to visit Temple Square in SLC:

There was an organ recital at the Tabernacle (on left) just as we arrived (source)

But wait...That was all nothing compared to what happened next...