Come to Zion 2: Zion Ponderosa Ranch

When we told friends we were staying at a resort near Zion's, I was always quick to clarify that we were basically glamping; Our reserved "Cowboy Cabin" had queen sized bunk beds and a pull-out sofa bed, but not much else (including no sink, bathroom, or air conditioning). Still, it was super cute and was our home away from home for 4 days we were at the Ranch.

After we arrived, the kids were eager to help unload the car so they could get themselves to the eagerly anticipated pool.

The pool did not disappoint.

After a simple dinner (peanut butter sandwiches), Mark stayed behind in the cabin to put Graham and Nellie to sleep while I took the big three to meet at another campsite for s'mores with other arriving relatives. 

The left behind, supposedly going-to-sleep group ended up in a total disaster. Nellie and Graham were both way too wound up to fall asleep easily. Grumpiness did abound. 

My group had slightly better luck. Probably because chocolate was involved. 

We were excited to see my Grammy Joni arrive, but she was feeling more like our cabin group. On the drive over from California the car she'd been riding in broke down. Another family member literally picked her up from the side of the road outside of Baker, CA. Unfortunately, due to a series of events, her luggage didn't make it further than Las Vegas. Getting her luggage from Vegas to Zion turned out to be a majorly stressful, complicated, drama-filled undertaking, but was ultimately successful. Phew!

One perk we had staying in the Cowboy Cabins was a continental breakfast every morning. We enjoyed having at least one meal every day that we didn't have to prepare.

After our first morning's breakfast we spent some time exploring the Ranch. Mark was excited about the prospects of being able to play pool and ping-pong in the recreation barn, but unfortunately we ended up not having too many opportunities for him to do so. While the kids and Mark played, I took  a moment to ask some of the employees about hikes they would recommend for families. They told me about two hikes. The first was only a 10 minute drive from camp, and though long (6 miles), they assured me it was flat, easy, and 80% shaded.

We met back up with Kira and her family (who were staying near us in their RV) and made plans to undertake the nearby hike (Observation Point) after lunch. We knew a 6 mile hike would be ambitious, but thought we could probably handle a flat, easy, shaded venture.

Our venture did not have an auspicious beginning, and perhaps that should have been a clue regarding things to come. We took a wrong turn immediately out of camp (in the RV!) and ended up on a narrow, steep, dirt road. I don't stress easily, but this ratcheted up my blood pressure. My brother-in-law Stew, however was unfazed. He even managed a 3(ish)-point turn in a slightly wider section to head us back in the correct direction.

By the time we started hiking it was hot. The kids started complaining pretty quickly. The trail's incline was more than we expected, there was lots of dirt and dust, and not much shade. "Well," I thought, "That must mean that once we pass this first part it's even more flat and shaded."

Ha! Sometimes my optimism is unfounded.

We tried. We really did, but the heat, elevation, and dryness was just too much for us Washington wimps and we had to wave the white flag of surrender. Bryce started complaining about nausea (and we realized that though the other kids had been chugging their water, Bryce had barely taken a sip). Honestly, I wasn't feeling much better. The hike was maybe 20% shaded. Eventually everyone pretty much wilted in the largest shade they could find. At this point some newly met relatives passed us by. They tried to convince us to continue on but didn't have too much luck. Kira and Kylee were the only two willing to persevere. 

Mark, Stew, and I passed out some Jelly Belly's, forced Bryce to drink water, and started making our way back to the RV. "Kids," we promised, "When we get back you can go swimming!"

With a little sugar in their veins, motivation in their hearts, and a downhill trail, the return trip proved more tolerable.

When we got back, they were changed in a flash and off to the pool. Nellie and I stayed behind for a much needed nap.

When Kira and Kylee got back from the hike, they commented, "It was cool, but not that cool. It was WAY longer than 6 miles, and at the viewpoint there were sheer cliff drops with no railings or fences." 
Any lingering regret I felt at not finishing the hike vanished.

That evening we had our official relative gathering/potluck dinner. It was slated to begin at 5pm. Kira and I arrived slightly after 5, but the majority of people didn't trickle in till after 6pm (they'd been adventuring in Zion's). 

I loved getting to see my Mom's family. All of her siblings were there (sadly, Mom couldn't attend so Kira and I represented our branch). Nellie decided she was a huge fan of her Great Grammy Joni. Every chance she got, Nell would sneak off to sit on Grammy's lap.

One of my favorite parts of the evening was seeing my kids connect with my little cousins (yes, they're my cousins. Some of my aunts and uncles had kids later in life). The kids created a bunch of games centering around Nash's stuffed pig. They also had a few rousing rounds of Simon Says.

We had a pretty good crew!

Sunday morning, we were sad we wouldn't be able to attend church. Thane decided he would take it upon himself to have nursery with Nellie. He gave her a little lesson, sang songs with her, and insisted we provide a snack. Most surprisingly, he didn't stop singing when he realized I was recording him.

We spent as much time as we could that morning with my Grammy, who was leaving that day. 

Nellie maintained her over-fondness and was ever eager to sit on Grammy's lap.

To keep all the kids occupied, Grammy offered to pay $.25 to the person who found the best heart-shaped rock. She's a genius, I tell you! 

The kids were surprisingly successful at finding heart-shaped rocks (though Bryce decided he'd try to engineer one for himself). In the end, she pulled out her coin purse and found $.26 cents for everyone. Nellie spent the rest of the week talking about her money.

After saying good-bye to Grammy, we hopped back in the Pope's RV and turned our sights on Zion's National Park. Though we weren't able to attend church, it sure felt like we spent the afternoon in God's temple.

Zion's doesn't allow individual cars to drive through the Park during the summer. Instead they operate an efficient shuttle system. We decided which hikes we wanted to try and hopped on the shuttle bus, admiring the spectacular views all around us.

Though feeling a little gun-shy about hiking with our crew, we decided to try the Lower Emerald Pools to the Grotto loop. The hardest part was the relatively short and shady hike to the Lower Emerald Pools (Graham decided complaining was a great way to pass his time), but the pools were cool and shady and damp and lovely.

The rest of the hike, though hot, was mostly downhill and afforded some amazing scenery. Super Mark carried Nellie most of the way.

We told the kids that when we got to the end of the hike we'd let them play in the Virgin River. When we arrived, they wasted no time shedding socks and shoes and hiking up their shorts to get in the river.

Graham's short hiking was especially hilarious.

I knew there was no way Nellie would stay dry, so I ceded defeat and stripped her down to her undies.

This shot of Aubree is stunning and makes her look way too old.

We made our way back to the Visitor's Center and ultimately back to the RV. There was a lot we didn't get to see, but we conquered a beautiful hike and were humbled by our God's creations.

We had Walking Tacos for dinner when we got back to the Ranch. That was a new meal for my family, but I think most people were fans. Kira is a pro at the RV life.

Monday morning Mark took the kids swimming while I packed up the car. No one wanted to leave the pools behind.

Other thoughts/memories about Zion Ponderosa Ranch...
-Did I mention it was hot, dry, and high? Every morning the kids would complain, "What's wrong with my nose? It feels so weird!" We are not acclimated to this type of weather.
-The bathrooms looked over the pool and the kids could never resist sneaking over to watch and wish.

-Moments after we arrived, Thane hatched a plan that he wanted to catch a lizard. His scheme involved leaving out crumbs on a plate to attract ants. Then, he figured, the lizards would come to eat the ants and he could grab the lizard. The first part of his plan worked well, though he never did find a lizard. Regardless, he and his siblings spent a lot of time watching for ants and leaving intentional crumbs.

-And speaking of dirt, Nellie took every available opportunity to "make a sandcastle." Her sandcastles consisted of piles of rocks, sand, and/or dirt. 

-Nellie was super excited when she realized she and Cami had matching floaties. I'm not usually a fan of the Boomerang videos, but this one that Kira made is super cute.

After checking out of the Ranch, our little family detoured back into the east side of Zion's to attempt the second ("super easy") hike mentioned by the employee. I probably should have been more leery of his advice by this point, but the hike was only a mile round-trip so I figured we'd be fine regardless.

Ha again!

Arguably, this hike wasn't exactly "hard," it was just really hot and there were lots of steep drops and rough footings. We were downing water constantly, but just couldn't keep up with the insane amounts necessary in this environment. 

By the time we reached the phenomenal overlook, all the usual enthusiasm was dampened. Bryce started complaining of a headache. Aubree just wanted to sit in the shade.

I forced a few poses and got a couple smiles to prove we'd made it to the top.

Mark kept a tight hold on Nellie's hand!

Thane and Graham got in a huge fight because they were both wanted to sit in the shade of the informational sign. All the other hikers were staring at us, but all I could do was laugh and say, "real life."

In the end, we had to settle for a grumpy family photo.

The way down was easier, but Bryce wasn't feeling any better. We knew he was showing signs of heat exhaustion so we took it easy. As soon as we got to the car we refilled everyone's bottles with cool water. Bryce was so excited for cool water that before we had a chance to warn him otherwise, he'd downed the whole thing. Whoops.

That did not end well. About 30 minutes later, on our way to a hotel outside of Bryce Canyon, Bryce puked big pukes.

Vacations are nothing if not adventures, right?!