Off to the Arches (including McDonalds!)

 

This masterpiece is attributed to both Derek and Shane. Apparently, back in 1993, when Derek was only 11 years old, he snapped a  photograph of the sun shining through this archway. A little later, Shane (17 at the time) painted the image. Oil on canvas. You can see his signature there in the bottom corner.  After a little digging, we found some more information about this trip to the Arches. Here's what Dad/Lamar wrote in his journal ...

2 Sept. 1993 (Thursday) Our trip to Moab. Mom and Derek and I stopped in Provo to see Chris & Sandy, and to deliver pears and other items to them. We had a nice visit, and then headed South again. We stopped at Price at the KFC for a nice chicken buffet lunch, and then headed South again. We checked into the Bowen Motel, where we had reservations. We went for a nice swim to cool us off, and then we headed out to see Dead Horse Point State Park. It was quite breathtaking, and Marge was very nervous about the big drop offs, and how close we were getting to the edge. We headed back about dusk, and saw a beautiful deer on the way home. We got back to Moab and went out to a late dinner at JB's Shane didn't come down with us because he figured he couldn't miss two days of school. He'll be coming down Friday after school with Wendy and Rick.

3 Sept. 1993 (Friday) Derek and I got up fairly early and headed out to the Arches, and hiked up to see Delicate Arch. It was a lovely morning, and there were lots of hikers. The arches were all very pretty. The trail to Delicate was just one and a half miles one way, but quite a bit was uphill. We got there and took lots of pictures. I had been there when I was a boy scout. We stayed up at the arch for a while, and then hiked around and back down below the arch to get more pictures with a different view. We headed back to join Margie, and we all went out to breakfast about 12:30. We returned to the motel for a swim, and were joined there by Jenny and Grayson. They were staying the night at his grandparent's home just outside Moab.  The five of us then went back to the arches for more sightseeing. We hiked up the trail to Landscape Arch, and saw several other arches as well. We headed back at dusk, and got back to Moab, where Marge and Derek and I went out to eat at the local McDonalds. Rick and Wendy and Shane were due to join us, and finally called about 9:30, saying they were stranded on the outskirts of the city. Wendy's car had just stopped running. I headed out to pick up the transients and get them all back to our motel. We made more trips out and about trying to figure out the problem and who might help us, but all the stations were closing up shop for the night - and for the next few days. Our motel had three double beds, but Shane and Derek opted to sleep in their sleeping bags on the floor rather than share a bed with anyone. 

 Jen in Moab

...up next ... off to Lake Powell!

I wonder where all those other arches pictures are!