Goblin Valley

     A while ago my brother Jacob got antsy sitting around during the summer and so he suggested that we all go camping together. He had been camping at Goblin Valley State Park with some of his friends a little bit ago and wanted to take us there. It was a great little place and a really fun trip.
     We split into two groups with Karen, Tim, Melissa and Jill going up in the morning to save us a camping space and Nick, Tabor, Jacob and I went later because Nick had to take a test and Jacob had to work. We got up to the campsite around 8:00 and had tin foil dinners which is like my favorite camping meals to have. I was glad that we got up there when we did and that we missed the heat of the day. It was so hot down there. I felt bad for the first group because they must have been dying in the heat. A word to the wise, if you want to camp at goblin valley, the middle of July might not be the best time of year to do so... After dinner we made cobbler, and just rested on the rocks and watched nature's fireworks. Aka lighting off in the distance.
     When it was time for bed the boys decided they were going to sleep outside the tent on the rocks while us girls slept in the tent. It was hard to sleep because it never really cooled down at night. I didn't even sleep with a blanket or anything on me the whole night. Also, sleeping on the rocky ground while 7 months pregnant was not the most comfortable thing but from what I hear no one had too restful of a night either.
Jacob, Tim and Nick woke up early to watch the sunrise and went to explore the actual park before the rest of us woke up. Once the sun hit the tent we were all up because it immediately warmed up 10 degrees inside the tent.
     After a breakfast of french toast, sausage, and eggs, we broke down the campsite and headed into the park. It was so cool looking with all the different rock formations. Of course, with three teachers who teach about weathering and erosion we got a lot of pictures of the park with our students in mind. After a while I started to feel a little overheated so Nick and I found some shade while the rest of the group continued to explore. I felt a little like a wimp but at the same time I'd rather not risk it. After we explored the park we had lunch then headed back home to wash, nap, and cool off! It's a great spot and I highly recommend it (not a single mosquito in sight) just not in the middle of the summer. The fall or the spring would probably treat you better.
     And here are some pictures:

Our Campsite

Another view of the campsite. To the right are the rocks where we watched the lightning storm in the distance.

Jacob and Tim climbing and exploring in the morning.

One of the many pictures showcasing weathering for my students.

The group minus Karen and myself. I was taking the picture, Karen was exploring behind me.

Nick chronicling the rest of the group's trip back. Also a great picture of the park.