Flaming Gorge N.R.A.

The next three days went pretty much like this: Wake up, eat, walk to the lake, play, play, play. Back to the bus for lunch, then back to the lake and play, play, play. When sun started setting we'd go back to camp where the kids would dress in their cami's, play marine sniper until dark, when the campfire was finally ready for s'mores.

They'd eat their hearts content of s'mores while I grilled dinner, where it would finally be ready about 9:30. We'd crash immediately after eating, and restart the cycle all over again in the morning. It was a tough life, but some family had to do it.

Jewel overcame her fear of the water, while pretending to be Davy Crockett.


I worked on my tan, while conserving energy for a hard day's work.


Both boys learned how to row their boat, while Dad took a much needed break.


They'd row to their own "Rocky Island" while Jake tried with all he had to catch a fish by hand, and Jewel learned the lovely art of relaxing.

Forget math and english, we teach them how to enjoy life...there won't be a quiz later, however I may call for a do over.

Even the monster sized jackrabbits knew how to kick it here.


When we had enough of our Sunny Cove, Joey rowed us around the bend, where we discovered cliffs!

Note the Strawberry Shortcake umbrella....I used it to dance around like Rihanna.

Joey tried to capture my cliff dive.


I had better luck capturing Jonas. Look at him go!



Jake stuck to his side of the cove.

He's getting a little nervous we may just throw him over the cliff.

Originally we paid for two nights, but we had so much fun we had to stay another. Jake's biggest fear was that we'd have so much fun again on day three that we'd stay another night. No worries Jake, we'll get ya some electricity.

With no electricity, or generator to create some, we figure we have to get back to civilization. We don't want to go back over all those mountain passes we just came up, so we decide to keep heading north until we hit the next town of Rock Springs, WY so we can get to some Internet and figure out where we're going next.

*****added*****link to all the photos: Flaming Gorge

Making Lemonade in Flaming Gorge

After filling up with one hundred and fifty gallons of gas we steered both gas hogs West and made our first rest stop at Steinaker Dam & Reservoir, a little lake that Joey used to stop at ocassionally on his way to work.



I was surprised with how pretty and blue it is, and especially liked the way the islands appeared to be sinking. While Jewel was helping Joey walk the bus (check tires and such) a big rig had a tire blow out that threw a huge piece of shredded tire, nearly hitting them. Also while we were there Joey called to confirm the job and they told him the client had postponed...and no idea until when. A simple phone call would have been nice! So now we don't want to drive all over the place, wasting gas with no end in sight so we pull out the trusty old road map. Since we're within miles of Dinosaur National Monument we decide to go ahead and check it out. We weren't going to because it's hot and all, but the surrounding landscapes are so beautiful and What the Heck? we have nothing better to do.



After stopping at the Visitor's Center, and then driving all the way up to the gate, we find out that the main attraction, the Dinosuar Quarry, is closed, and has been since July 2006. There are no hookups inside, plus no fossils, so we turn around after a little pow wow and decide to go to Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area (N.R.A.). N.R.A.'s are usually best enjoyed with a boat but oh well, let's check it out.

I don't think we're going to be disappointed by the looks of it.



We stop at the Visitor's Center and go straight for the water.



That was a long walk, I needed a break.

Can you see the face?


After we're done playing we finally head to the visitor's center, only to get there two minutes after closing. So typical.

Over the bridge we go.


Up, Up, and Up some more, at a whopping speed of about 20mph.....but plenty of time to enjoy the views.


We found camping, at the Mustang Ranch. Get your head out of the gutter. Our Mustang Ranch is a large campground with many secluded sites overlooking the lake, ours wasn't one of them, but it was a nice, sometimes shady spot with lots of trees and trails and no hookups. So we just park and look for a way to the lake. After a short hike we found Sunny Cove, and things are certainly looking sunnier. Let's play today, we'll think work tomorrow.

Jewel's orders.