Eric's Vacation Journal 4/97

4-12-97
We were supose to go to Lal's house but dad got lost. Then he almost missed the plane. I was one wooped pup after the flight. 3 a.m. was not the best time to set camp in Arizona.

4-13-97
Today we hiked up Angles Landing. We've been in the shade of the mountain for a day. And it is cold. I t was a 1000 foot drop. I was afraid I'd fall. I have a postcard of "Walter's Wiggles." Walter wigled 21 times. It was a long hike up Walters wigles.

4-14-97
Today we climbed Checkerboard Mesa [ed: We hiked toward Mountain of the Sun, starting near Checkerboard Mesa]. It was a long hike. I droopped huge rocks in the water to make splashes. There was snow near the top. I saw about 20 lizards and 70 cacti.

4-15-97
Captins log, star date 4-15-97:
We went in a slot canyon. They are made by water flows. I hid in 12 holes. It looked great ... no .. Wonderful ... no ... well, you get the idea!
I found a field full of abandoned ant lion holes.

4-16-97
Today we went to Arches Natl. Park. We went to Delcet [Delicate] Arch view point. Today I also met "Doory the adoorable" [adorable Australian Shepherd].
She missed me so much. And I missed her. But before that my dad was climbing on rocks next to the Potash road. I belayed him. He got stuck there.

Belayed -> be-lay-ed -> verb. To safely hold someone on a rock with a rope.

4-17-97
Talk about hot dry and thirsty. That's what everything was out here. Today I cought a lizard. I also found a cave. I went in big stream canyon. The water there was deep and cool. My uncles hiked 16 miles today.

4-18-97
Today we went to Indian creek. I got a sun burn. There were 3 cute dogs there and when they left 2 more came. There was a huge waterfall. We went through the river and down a dirt road. The best part was the dust devile. When we went to the visitor center I boght a book and petted a dog!

4-19-97
Today we went to the San Rafael River. Me and another kid named Frank made mud balls with mud and Indian clay. We also collected bullets and bullet shells. When our parents were ready we went on our river trip. That night we roasted hot dogs and malows. Then I went in a kyayk and went to sleep. But the river woke me up.

4-20-97

Today it is "mucho frio." We set off down the river with me and Frank in one boat. When I was cold, we switched boats. We stoped at Virgin Springs. We found a lake of mud! We jumped in! I takled every one. That night we went to sivilazation. We went to a motel and went to sleep. I had one weird dream.

Quote from another journal:
I was the first one to wake up. I liked how the boat I slept in felt. I saw "Haggis" go off on a hike. When my parents woke up, we all had breakfast. Frank and I skipped rocks while my Mom and Dad packed up.  Then we went on the river.

We paddled for a while. Then we reached a place where there was a BIG mud puddle by the river.
We jumped in. I tackled every one. We got all muddy. When we rinsed off we were cold.

We had to paddle alot farther to the end. I was real tired. It was 8 o clock.

4-21-97
Today we went to Dairy Quinn [Not Queen!]. Behind it there was a laundromat. While mom and dad washed close I met one weird dog. He put his paw down the side of that truck and I wondered why it hurt [he was very big!]. After that we went to 3 slot canyons. But there was one problem. There was a HUGE dust storm. Alastair dressed up like some one from Star Wars [using his coat as a turban over his face]! The canyons were Peekaboo, Spooky, and Dry Fork of the Coyote.

4-22-97
Today we had to pack, pack, and for a change of work ... we packed some more. After that we went to breakfast. Then we took the backpacks and wen on a long hike down the canyon wall. I rolled some rocks. At the bottom I caught some bugs. After we ate I found a dog that was black. Magic was her name. Before we went to sleep we heard a bunch of yo-yos yelling. We camped by a big arch.

4-23-97
Today we slept in. The yo-yo's had left. After we ate breakfast me, dad and the tenth letter of the alphabit walked down the river. We saw some nice water falls and we sent under a arch and under a natural bridge. On our way back to the car it was really windy and rain stung my face. Ow!

4-24-97
Today we went to a park that had a lot of petrified wood. We were going to go on a hike, but it sleeted. At the end of the day we went to Brice Canyon. Dad took us on a closed trial. I threw a now ball. I saw some arches. I also herd rocks fall. Befor bed I herd a owl. Dad hear a coyote.

4-25-97
Today I climbed Checker Board Mesa. It was hard, cold, long, and scary. When we went down I skied on dirt. I also found snow. Then we drove and drove. We stopped to camp and I played Cribige with my Dad.

4-26-97
Today I wend down the Virgin River. We hit the bottom a lot. I was scraped up by bushes in the river. Then Dad and Haggis went climbing. While they climbed, me, mom and Jay were buzzed by a humming bird, saw 20 stink bugs and watched bats.

4-27-97
Today we went climbing. I saw a big lizzard too. The climb was 6 pitches. It was 5.7. I was real tired after it. We stayed at a Motel 6 in Las Vegas that night. I was out like a rock.

4-28-97
Today we ran through the airport. We almost missed the plane.