Day 1247: Lazy day

Laziest day in years!  Torrential rains all day kept us inside.  It was hard to say goodbye to Laurie when she left late this morning, but I'll be seeing her and Nancy again in Atlanta on June 11.  From that point on, it was a Harry Potter Sunday.  No work, no swimming, no cleaning, no Quest, no pressure.  I watched four straight while Molly cuddled with me and Paddy slept with Steve.  When I brought out the maps, both of them became so curious.

I spent about five hours planning our September western trip and Paddy helped.  We finally settled on exploring the national parks of Utah and Arizona.  Our friends Pete and Sherry highly recommended Utah because their son lives near Salt Lake and they have spent time discovering its spectacular landscapes.  Plus, Shane, Leah and Heather have all said Arches National Park is the most essential park to visit because of its breathtaking views.

We'll fly into Las Vegas and then drive to Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Arches, Canyonlands, Monument Valley and circle around the southern side of the Grand Canyon before heading back to Las Vegas.  Although we once visited the Grand Canyon, it was such a short, disappointing trip that we vowed to return.

It's a good thing I started planning the itinerary today, because many of the hotels and campsites are already booked.  Over the next few days, I will make a few reservations around the most popular parks and book the flights.  It looks like the trip will take fifteen days and span approximately 1500 to 2000 miles.  It's the same distance we covered in March and April, but we'll spread it out over a longer period of time and mix both camping and hotels.