Arches National Park.

Over Labor Day Weekend, I went with my roommate, KaeCee, and her friend, Rita, to Arches National Park. We hiked to some of the easier arches and then camped at a nearby campsite that night. Here are some highlights from our trip:

Double Arch

Turret Arch

These arches were probably the easiest to get to because there were stairs rather than steep paths. The best arches were the ones that you could stand underneath like Double Arch. I didn't want to climb up too far, so I found a nice flat rock and laid in the shade of the Double arch while Rita and KaeCee climbed up further. I was surprised by all of the German tourists there were at the park. I loved walking behind them and listening to their conversations that they thought nobody else could understand. Sometimes I thought about talking to them, but I'm not confident enough with my speaking skills yet.

Pine Tree Arch

This was my favorite arch that we saw. It was hidden down a small trail. The whole arch was emerged in shade by the time we got there and there were a lot of green plants at its base. I could have stayed here all day.

Northern Whiptail Lizard

We saw a lot of different kinds of lizards. This one was probably the most impressive because it was big and it was "dancing" in an attempt to scare us away. Other wildlife we saw in the park were ravens and bugs. But on our drive to the park we say a herd of some kind of deer. And driving home I saw a coyote hanging out with some ravens. I now think ravens are one of the scariest animals in the world.

Our Campsite

This is our campsite that we stayed at. I think it only cost $6 for the night and it was a large site. We played a few games before it got too dark to see and then we made dinner and looked at the stars. It was still pretty hot at night, so we slept with only the tent screen door up. I am generally fine with camping until it comes time to sleep. I just don't like being outside at night, ever. Especially if I have to sleep in a tent without locks where I could easily be murdered or eaten in my sleep. So when the open tent door started flapping in the wind, I got freaked out and couldn't sleep. But I was also too afraid to open the screen and zip up the door, so I sat up in the middle of the night for over an hour just staring at the door, wishing for it to stop moving.

Jiffy Pop

I made Jiffy Pop over the coals of the fire even though the instructions said not to. I also did not burn any of the popcorn, which I was told always happens when one makes Jiffy Pop. It was fun because I had never done it before. So even if it is not the most efficient way to make popcorn, it is worth the experience.

* Pictures from KaeCee Terry