The following morning I was ready to tour the city, but the boys just wanted to continue on to our next destination. We loaded the car and headed toward Utah on I-70. As the highway entered Glenwood Canyon I couldn't help thinking that this stretch of road must look like heaven. Both the federal and state departments of transportation have praised the engineering achievement required to build the freeway through the narrow gorge while preserving the natural beauty of the canyon. A 12-mile section of roadway features the No Name Tunnel, Hanging Lake Tunnel, Reverse Curve Tunnel, 40 bridges and viaducts, and miles of retaining walls. Through a significant portion of the canyon, the eastbound lanes extend cantilevered over the Colorado River and the westbound lanes are suspended on a viaduct several feet above the canyon floor. Along this run, the freeway hugs the north bank of the Colorado River, while the main line of the former Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad (now part of Union Pacific) occupies the south bank. When we left Vail it was a cool 63 degrees, but by the time we entered Utah it was a hot 98 degrees.
Our final night was spent in Moab, Utah. After we checked into our hotel, I forced the kids back into the car for one final National Park excursion. Against their will, I made the kids visit Arches National Park.
The park was amazing and unique. It is unbelievable how millions of years of wind can create something so amazing.
After the park the kids wanted nothing to do with a restaurant, so we dropped them off at the hotel. Sydney and I went to a very good dinner at The Broken Oar in town and brought the boys home a pizza. Sydney took Carsen to the pool before bed and I went out one last time for Wendy's Frosties.
The next morning we got up and drove 8 hours back to Phoenix. After more than 3,200 miles, it was good to be home!
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