Day 9 – Rafting & Dinosaurs

For the past two days we have been at the same campsite, just outside of Arches and Canyonlands NP. It is set in the desert and the fine sand makes everything dusty, but it also makes it feel very “authentic wild west” – the little wooden church at the entrance helps with that too, I guess.

However, today we embarked on a different adventure: whitewater rafting on the Colorado River. Unlike the hot, dry days we’ve spent hiking, our exhibition this morning was cold and wet! We got soaked in four different rapids – only slightly the first time, a bit more the second, and then with overhead waves in the third, aptly named Cloudburst Rapids.   This was our first rafting experience, though certainly not our last – if it were up to the youngsters, we would have immediately booked the 4-day-overnight Cataract Canyon trip…

Paddling for your life makes you very hungry (and very glad to be alive when you get back on the bus), and so we treated ourselves to the best restaurant in Moab: a yellow food truck that only serves quesadillas. Arthur gave it a 10/10 and Leo a 9.5/10 (he’s our resident quesadilla expert). Enchanted Chicken and New Mexican Identity Crisis were every bit as delicious as advertised.

the Quesadilla Mobilla

It’s that “freshly soaked by the river” look

Sunny skies – colorful shade

For the afternoon, the boys had made plans for us to visit Moab Giants – the local dinosaur museum/experience/adventure walk, because only walking with Dinosaurs can be anywhere near as cool as whitewater rafting. The 5D Paleo aquarium was spectacular in a nice, climatized, not getting soaked kind of way 😉

We walked the half mile trail to see all the different models, and to meet them when appropriate (some are more friendly than others). I’m sure they like their new digs, though they probably miss the tropical vegetation they used to have when they actually called this place home…