We did our second trip to Coyote Gulch this spring.  We had planned two different trips last year, one in the spring, one in the fall.  The first trip was canceled because Brett was overwhelmed with the work to finish and graduate high school, so we shortened our trip and went camping close to home instead.  In the fall, the weekend we had chosen was totally rained out (as was much of the fall) and Hole in the Rock road was closed due to a wash out.  We figured even if we were able to get in, we wouldn’t be able to get out again.  So, the first time the weather got warm enough this spring, we hurried down as soon as we could.

It was as beautiful as ever.

Since Dad wasn’t with us, Lucy had to take his place fixing her shoes (we always have a picture with my Dad arranging his socks or clipping toenails while we’re hiking.)  The hike in from the Hurricane Wash trailhead is very sandy but not as hot as last time — we were earlier in the year, and earlier in the day.

Max got a new backpack and was able to carry some of his own gear — good for us since Brett was unable to go with us this trip.  He’s usually our packhorse.

We found a little desert toad just as Hurricane Wash met Coyote Gulch.  This was a good trip for seeing wildlife:  elk, deer, antelope, and a juvenile bald eagle on the way down, deer, big lizards and this toad in the canyon.

After a pause for climbing at Jacob Hamblin arch and refilling our water bottles at the spring around the corner, we hiked nearly to the natural bridge, to the best campsite ever.  On a high bench inside a huge alcove, it was just above a beautiful little waterfall.  Huge rocks blocked our campsite from view of other hikers in the river.  It was fabulous.

On Saturday, we hiked down to where Coyote Gulch meets the Escalante river, and then back to rest at our beautiful campsite before packing up and heading back out.

The water from Coyote Gulch meets the Escalante — Escalante is green and deep.

It was a great trip and felt good to be out on the desert again.

“The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.”  Michelangelo

Hoping today that you set lofty goals and work to attain them!  Happy Sunday!

For today: just a quick picture.  A sweet friend gave the kids and I each beautiful handmade mittens.  Now — if we would only have snow to use them!

In my e-mail yesterday, I received a curriculum offer for ideas for studying the lunar eclipse that was going to happen this morning.  I didn’t buy any curriculum, but I did put a reminder alarm in my phone to watch for the eclipse.  From about 6:20 until 7:00 this morning, we were glued to the window.  Eden got some good pictures.

What an exciting morning!  We congratulated each other on being early risers, and on being in the right location to see this very interesting event.

The article I had read at space.com stated that at some places on the earth, the eclipsed moon and the sun would be visible at the same time, because the atmosphere of the earth bends the light from the sun, causing the sun to appear before it has actually cleared the horizon.  Therefore, although the earth is actually directly between the sun and the moon (thereby eclipsing the moon), both would be visible at the same time.  Unfortunately, the eclipsed moon dropped behind the mountains here before the sun rose.  Oh well — it was still a great morning.

Hope you got to see the eclipse, and spend this day doing something interesting!