***Scroll down if you are only interested in White Rim Trail***
My department at work consists of me and one other guy. Last summer, a month out from a trip to go to Colorado and do Imogene Pass and other trails, the other guy in my department fell from a tower. He broke several ribs and sustained various other injuries. Vacation had to be cancelled.
Fast forward to September. My wife works for the local school district where my kids attend as well. She let me know that they all would have the entire week of Thanksgiving off. I've always wanted to do White Rim Trail in Utah, but with the kids and her only having summers off and temperatures during that same time of year in Utah not being very hospitable to camping... I could never talk them into it. Upon learning of their full week off, and having vacation time left from the aforementioned cancellation, and it being November and all, I suggested Utah. We all agreed to go, with a couple of stipulations.
1. No straight shot there.
2. Roswell (my son)
3. Santa Fe (my wife)
4. Snow (my daughter)
So... here's (finally!) how it all went down...
We left Houston, TX on Saturday morning around 4am and stopped off in Austin to get some camera lenses from my sister-in-law (Thanks Amy!!!). We then proceeded west on 290 to I-10 west towards Whites City, NM. We stopped for lunch at a rest stop and ate lunch and let the kids use chalk to leave their mark...
AAAGGGHHHH!!!! Daughter's at the age of boys
We passed by Fort Stockton, TX and I had to take pic of the posse that my friend Darren and I passed on the way to Overland Expo. The picture came out much better this time with the zoom lens from my sister-in-law (thanks again Amy!).
Once we got past Fort Stockton, TX, we kept west on I-10 until Pecos, TX, then headed north on 285 into New Mexico...
(I guess people really hate this sign, I hate to say it but seemed as most holes came from the direction of Texas)
After entering New Mexico, we kept on 285N until we turned at Black River Rd going west again. A quick jog south after that on 62, and we were at our campsite in Whites City. Deer went through the campsite while we were setting up, and our not so old tent came apart from the winds were the stake tabs stick out.
The next morning (Sunday) we got up around 6am, packed up and grabbed a quick breakfast before heading up (then down and into) Carlsbad Caverns. If you ever get out that way, don't miss it. Truly beautiful. The pictures make it look bright in the caverns but it's not.
Continued...
My department at work consists of me and one other guy. Last summer, a month out from a trip to go to Colorado and do Imogene Pass and other trails, the other guy in my department fell from a tower. He broke several ribs and sustained various other injuries. Vacation had to be cancelled.
Fast forward to September. My wife works for the local school district where my kids attend as well. She let me know that they all would have the entire week of Thanksgiving off. I've always wanted to do White Rim Trail in Utah, but with the kids and her only having summers off and temperatures during that same time of year in Utah not being very hospitable to camping... I could never talk them into it. Upon learning of their full week off, and having vacation time left from the aforementioned cancellation, and it being November and all, I suggested Utah. We all agreed to go, with a couple of stipulations.
1. No straight shot there.
2. Roswell (my son)
3. Santa Fe (my wife)
4. Snow (my daughter)
So... here's (finally!) how it all went down...
We left Houston, TX on Saturday morning around 4am and stopped off in Austin to get some camera lenses from my sister-in-law (Thanks Amy!!!). We then proceeded west on 290 to I-10 west towards Whites City, NM. We stopped for lunch at a rest stop and ate lunch and let the kids use chalk to leave their mark...
AAAGGGHHHH!!!! Daughter's at the age of boys
We passed by Fort Stockton, TX and I had to take pic of the posse that my friend Darren and I passed on the way to Overland Expo. The picture came out much better this time with the zoom lens from my sister-in-law (thanks again Amy!).
Once we got past Fort Stockton, TX, we kept west on I-10 until Pecos, TX, then headed north on 285 into New Mexico...
(I guess people really hate this sign, I hate to say it but seemed as most holes came from the direction of Texas)
After entering New Mexico, we kept on 285N until we turned at Black River Rd going west again. A quick jog south after that on 62, and we were at our campsite in Whites City. Deer went through the campsite while we were setting up, and our not so old tent came apart from the winds were the stake tabs stick out.
The next morning (Sunday) we got up around 6am, packed up and grabbed a quick breakfast before heading up (then down and into) Carlsbad Caverns. If you ever get out that way, don't miss it. Truly beautiful. The pictures make it look bright in the caverns but it's not.
Continued...
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