It would seem between driving to Canada, skiing Loveland, SolVista, Eldora and soon-to-be Park City Mountain Resort, we’ve had a busy winter travel-wise. But honestly, it feels like just the opposite and I have the travel bug. Big time.
I’ve been begging Jamie to go camping in Moab next month. Despite our many backcountry adventures (see a sampling here, here and here), I was mortified when I realized we’ve never taken the kids there.
When I lived in Utah, Southern Utah’s desert was like my second home. Every spring and fall, I yearn to go back back there.
You will note I did not mention summer. During my one and only visit to Moab in July, I dubbed it “The Devil’s Summer Home.”
The heat was no joke.
Speaking of summer, much of ours is already filled between family coming into town for Haddie’s baptism in June (hurray!), adventure camp for the kids at Avid4 Adventure, swim lessons and then Canada. Though I have zero desire to drive to Calgary anytime soon in the winter (see The Day I Thought I Was Going to Die), I’m planning to make the two-day drive alone with the kids in July.
So many people think I’m crazy for doing it and it wouldn’t be possible if my kids weren’t such intrepid travelers. Of course, they’ve had no choice because I’ve dragged them all over tarnation since they were babies. It helps that they are both imaginative and don’t require I entertain them 24/7.
Case in point: When we drove to Calgary at Christmas, they set up tents all around their carseats. At one point, I suspected Hadley was up to something and I noticed she had swiped my eyeliner. Bracing myself for a clown-like makeover, I was amused to discover something quite different.
“What is that on your face?” I queried.
“Whiskers,” she confessed.
I’ll take cat-obsessed over a boy-crazy tween ANY DAY.
I'm a Canadian-born mom of two, former Denver Post columnist, family travel writer, editor of MileHighMamas.com and 9News contributor. Expert on all things Utah, Denver, family and travel. Lover of laughter and life. Happily married to a man obsessed with growing The Great Pumpkin. 