Kolob on Valentine's Day

For Valentine's Day this year, I felt we had more than fulfilled our Valentine Quota with our Cruise. We also went to dinner to Red Lobster with two other couples on Thursday night.

Valentine's Day - check.

So I was surprised to see this on Friday after work.

Saturday we decided to take a little scenic trip.

It also happened to be National Park admission free day.

I packed some chips, store bought cookies, napkins, waters, cans of pop and we stopped at Port of Subs for sandwiches (because I hate making sandwiches). But then we had a coupon for Buy a Combo and get a sandwich free, so more chips and another soda. They also had yummy looking cookies. More cookies!



We got to the designated Picnic spot to find one picnic table occupied by someone so we ate in the car. 

We did find more picnic tables as we started out on the trail, of course.



This is what the trail looked like. 



I like taking pictures of Fred.

This picture is the rocky and steepest part of the trail. As I was slightly huffing and puffing through this part of the trail, I was actually marveling that I was only slightly huffing and puffing but going full steam ahead. A year ago that would not have been the case. I was so thankful that I had lost weight and could make my way up the trail and not be miserable on this little hike. 

Fred always comes prepared. Binoculars, maps....I can always count on him to take care of me. I think this time though I had the back pack, but carried my own junk.

This is the "baby" mountain. It reminded me way back to high school when I ate lunch with my boyfriend. He always brought an orange and there are those little sections at the top and I called them babies and he would always let me eat them. I know you really don't care about that, but I was reminiscing about all kinds of memories during the grandeur of the day.

It is amazing how the mountain formations change as you move along the pathway and roads. We took tons of pictures, but I selected the ones that I liked the best.

This was an interesting way to make a bridge. It's not a great picture, but it was basically a raised dirt path, with open sections.

The weather was perfect. I would say it was about 70 degrees and no wind. An especially warm week for February.

I'm sure our family is not much different than most others, but we try to read these informative markers. The ones at Kolob were pretty vibrant in color and not too long. I liked that. I did tell Fred that we needed to take lots of pictures. My feeling is if we have been there and seen it, then we don't need to go again. Especially because you can't go here in the winter because of the snow so it's not like it will look different in another season. It's not like in the Northwest where you have another season to see the changes. I 'd like to get a map and mark off the places we see as we go.  



 

For some reason (I think it was the coming down after a big event let down) I have been feeling blue, discouraged, depressed and "previous life" homesick. I have been doing a lot of that comparing my life to others which is a horrible thing to do. It really is the expectations I had that have not been met that I am dwelling on again. Like this outing for example. I was all excited to move to Southern Utah to become that outdoor enthusiast. Go bike riding, "hiking", and do all the things that people who live in Southern Utah do. So we go on this little "hike" and I'm like - "I think I'd rather be home watching a movie or going out to dinner or shopping". Not that I didn't enjoy our day, but it wasn't like Wow that was the best thing I have ever done and I can hardly wait to do it again. I think a lot of that was due to my melancholy state of being. Maybe I'm just not meant to be anything but who I am. Why am I always looking to be something else? What's with that? It's always that Greener somewhere or something else mentality.

 

Anyway - I just need to do some self therapy this morning. It's getting those thoughts out of my head and out in the universe and then I can let them go. Hmmm I feel better already!