I’ve wanted to see the world since I was a child; one of my favorite things to do is travel to places I’ve never been before. I planned family trips somewhere new at least once a year and as I’m not a lay-on-the-beach type of person, I would schedule the days in order to experience as much as possible.
For a number of reasons, I haven’t gone on an extended vacation for the last few years, so when my husband suggested we road trip to Utah, I was all for it. It would just be the two of us, the first long trip we’d taken alone since pre-kids.
We stopped at my parents’ to drop off our dogs before heading into North Dakota. By the end of the trip we had driven through six other states; Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Colorado, South Dakota and our primary destination, Utah.
As with most things in life, lessons were learned along the way.
Lesson 1: Even when you’re planning to wing it, it’s a good idea to do some research beforehand.
In Utah, the ranger station at the entrance to Arches National Park was closed when we arrived. Because we couldn’t get a map like we always do, we decided we’d stop back on our way out.
My main goal was to see Delicate Arch, the most famous rock formation in the state and the one featured on all their tourist information.
Along with a steady stream of tourists, my husband and I started the hike to the arch. And we hiked. And hiked. Turns out the mostly uphill path was a mile long, including some narrow cliff ledges. I discovered later the hike is classified “difficult.”
I have nerve damage in my left leg, making walking upwards for long distances difficult. I’m also not in the best of shape after spending the last couple years in front of a computer. And I’m afraid of heights.
I thought I was going to die.
By the time we finally reached Delicate Arch I was gasping for breath. Was it worth the hike? Most definitely. Would I have gone if I had known beforehand? Probably not.
Lesson 2: Beauty comes in many forms.
Although I’m a fan of lakes and trees, I found the nearly barren red canyons of Utah to be incredibly beautiful. If Bryce Canyon National Park was the only thing I’d seen on the entire trip it would have still been worth it, it was that awe-inspiring.
The canyon’s biggest attraction is Bryce Cathedral, a gigantic natural amphitheater filled with extremely tall, thin spheres of red rock called hoodoos, which are formed by erosion. Standing on the canyon rim leaves one feeling insignificant in the immenseness of our world.
Lesson 3: You never know what you may discover.
Driving through Idaho, my husband spotted what he thought was a fanny pack along the road. Hoping it was stuffed with money, we turned around to pick it up.
It was a little black purse but it wasn’t full of twenties. Instead it was filled with marijuana and a glass pipe. And one sock.
Lesson 4: There are police officers even in the middle of nowhere.
Speed limits throughout most of our route were much higher than in Minnesota, averaging 65 on two lane roads and 80 on freeways. A bit reckless with our newfound freedom, we got pulled over in Wyoming.
The officer was very nice and only gave us a warning. I’m not sure he believed we didn’t realize how fast we were going because of the vastness of his state, but I am sure it wasn’t the first time he’d heard that story.
Lesson 5: It’s never too late to get reacquainted.
As this trip was the longest we’d been alone for over 24 years, I calculated we would either reconnect or be headed for divorce by the time we returned.
We ended up having a great time. In fact, it was a lot like our early years, just the two of us driving around talking and enjoying being together.
We returned from our trip with a new appreciation of one another and a reconnection as a couple after years of focusing on our kids. And a cracked windshield.
