Day 16 Utah - Springdale, UT
Springdale, UT
Woke up with great excitement this morning. We were off to the the Virgin River Horse Trail. We walked to the Zion Canyon visitor center. Then catch the free narrated shuttle up the the Zion Lodge. The horse coral was just opposite. The cowboy sounding guides were just wonderful and made a real fuss of Lydia who was the youngest in our group of us and five others. Lydia had been so excited about the prospect of the horse ride but when the reality came of sitting on an animal at moved, a bit of fear set in. Full credit to Lydia, she faced her fear and waited for the rest of us to mount. Lydia was led on a rope to the turn around point and on the way back, she asked "Bob" if she could guide herself. Which she did. So proud of her. Ryan and Taylah were both relaxed as was rest of us. Back at the Zion Lodge and walking like cowboys ourselves, we splashed out and had lunch upstairs on the balcony with beautiful views of the canyon. A couple of beers and an amazing inexpensive buffet later we got back on the shuttle and rode to the top of the shuttle route. Off we got and started the gentle trail to "The Narrows". Lyd was suffering from quite bad chaffing or heat rash so she and Mike headed back to the Lodge to wait while Katherine, me and the kids carried on. It wasn't far but when it is hot everything seems a it further. The scenery was spectacular. It's funny though. When faced with amazing scenery day after day, you do start to get a bit blaze-ah about it, and it takes something a bit different to wake you up. With no food suitable for dinner in the RV (according to the adults) we got the free shuttle into Springdale and had dinner at Wild Willies. Waiting for the free shuttle back to our campground, our two younger children had to take a whizz behind a tree with two of us standing as a shield from car headlights. You can take the kids out of kiwi land but you can't take the kiwi out of the kids! Saying that, it's probably a universal habit with kids! It was a great day and all happily found their beds.