Day 18: Thursday, April 23, 2015 - Moab, UT

Today is an off-roading day! The Jeep is loaded and my boys are excited to get going. As a bonus, it's a sunny, clear, warm day too.

Rob carefully selected three different trails to create a nice loop for us, using this excellent trail book:

Up first was Long Canyon. This is the fabulous view from one of the first high points on the trail.

This is Pucker Pass, which was the first challenging moment on the trail. Though in hindsight, there was plenty of room for the Jeep to pass on through!

A diaper change and feeding break at an Ben higher point on the trail was next.

We couldn't resist taking another family selfie at that scenic stop as well. We were having so much fun, and the day had only just begun.

We finished up our drive through Long Canyon, and continued on to Canyonlands National Park. In that park, up next were the Schaefer Switchbacks, along a high, narrow road with numerous hairpin turns (switchbacks). 

The view from this road into the canyon below was breathtaking, but it made me nervous every time Rob dared to take his eyes off the road to peek at the view! 

Still in Canyonlands, we paused for a lunch break on the side of the trail, at the only turn out with a pit toilet for miles.

It's was less about the toilet and more about our roadside picnic though!

After lunch we connected frim the Schaefer Switchbacks trail on to the White Rim trail in Lathrop Canyon. This was a bit bumpier but still very, very scenic.

Along the way we stopped at the Musselman Arch. This is me standing on top of it - you could walk across it! (Sorry, I didn't get an iPhone shot of the arch itself.)

Then we retraced our steps, or rather our tire tracks, and just before going back up the Schaefer Switchbacks we turned instead onto the Potash trail.  At the very end of this trail you pass by a Potash mine, hence the name.

Then it was time for an afternoon bottle for Lucas. Rob gave him a driver's seat serving...

...then let him try out the steering wheel too!

After 5 hours of driving, we decided to go out for dinner and headed to the Moab Brewery. I enjoyed the Derailleur Red Ale, & Rob had both the Black Raven Stout and a special Dunkel that was on tap. (Yes, I drove us home.) While their beer is yummy, their food was just okay.

After dinner we wandered around on the Main Street in Moab and did some souvenir shopping, for t-shirts and stickers.

Lucas was happy to get back to the campsite and play for a bit before bedtime.