Tuesday was a drive day from RMNP to Dinosaur National Monument. It was not the longest drive, but it was long enough.
When we left RMNP it was cool and green. When we arrived at DNM it was hot and brown. There was no place to fill water at DNM so we filled the tank about half way and drug it across the state of Colorado into Utah. There was also no place to plug in to run the air in DNM, so we just sat as motionless as possible until the sun set lower than the hills behind us at about 7:45. Thankfully it cooled off quickly.
Wednesday we woke early to go white water rafting with Don Hatch River Tours. This tour company was the first to offer guided river adventures through the park. The entire trip was in DNM on the Green River.
This was our family’s second rafting trip and it was simply spectacular. We went through 4 class 3 rapids that were crazy fun, even though they soaked us in cold water from head to toe. We had lunch along the shore of the canyon where Jason and the boys swam and jumped off a sandbar into the deeper water. The boys also got the opportunity to jump off a rock into the river where they were scooped out by one of the guided and hauled back in the boat.
The trip also took us past layers of time in the canyon walls. Again, the beauty was incomprehensible.
During lunch, a big horn sheep decided to get up close and personal with us, trotting within ten yards of all of us eating. Unfortunately, neither this or the other few big horned sheep we saw on the trip were the large majestic creatures often depicted in pictures and drawings. These were more like shaggy deer with four inch horns. Nonetheless, we were happy to have the sightings.
Speaking of lunch, I got to bring my own due to my extensive list of food allergies. Except that the dry bag almost didn’t make the trip. Thankfully as we were about to shove the rafts into the water Jason asked and the guide scrambled up the hill the catch the bus before it left. Tragedy averted, and I was able to enjoy my chicken breast out of a zip lock bag and cutie orange.
Anyway, none of realized how hard we had worked while rafting and when we got back to the scorching hot campsite, Jason and I crawled into our bed and passed out.
At some point Marcus put up the hammock and the boys pretended they were white water rafting with Marcus barking directions and calling out obstacles. “High side!”
The rest of the evening was a series of exhaustion fueled squabbles in the hammock, reading, and attempts to relax.
That night we definitely slept like dead horses.
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