New Rapids

We enjoyed a chill morning making breakfast at the wonderful AirBnB kitchen, sitting in the sun and generally trying to relax (definitely getting into the 'wearing out mode' & needing more breaks each day of our go-go schedule!)

Heading out towards Arches at around 10 we were not overly surprised to find the park full and closed to any new vehicles. Signs saying 'Come back in 3-5 hours' had us rethinking our plan for the day. We decided to see if any Moab tour companies had availability. On our second try we hit the jackpot! Reasonably priced half day rafting tours on the Colorado River leaving in 20 minutes!

After a wild scramble to change and gather our water gear we loaded on the bus and headed out on a 40 min drive up the Colorado river to our launch point. We were with 6 others: 3 older couples from all over the states and then our guide, Tyler. We provided some entertainment: Becky pulled out all her dad jokes in competition with Tyler (groaaannn) and Cilla and I sung a few snatches of songs here and there... Of course everyone wanted to know our stories so we told them too.

The rafting was just that... The rapids were class I and II, enough for a gentle splashing but no huge thrills (none during September on this part of the river). That was ok by us. The scenery was epic, the company was fun and having a 'chill float down the river day' was delightful in and of itself. We passed buttes called 'The Preacher and Nuns' and 'The Wedding Dress' and Cilla called an unnamed one 'Wallace'. We hope that will stick for future tours. Tyler pointed out a majestic bald eagle he'd called Susan perched on the cliffs above the river.

Tyler made sure to orient the raft so everyone got splashed at one point or another. We passed a resort nicknamed 'Fancy Pants Ranch' where celebs like T Swift and Johnny Depp had stayed. $900+ a night? No thanks, we're here for the rustic experience :). We enjoyed a picnic lunch on the banks of the river slightly reminiscent of the Murray. On the last rapid Tyler pulled out a portable speaker and played the apt Pirates of the Caribbean theme song :)

Arriving back at the Moab base we decided to find our camping spot for the night before heading to Arches for sunset. 40 minutes and an extremely rutted and washed out road later, we decided to find a different location, choosing 'Klondike Bluffs' road. Again, record timing for campsite set up, we headed off to view sunset at The Windows - Arches NP where we had supper and hiked a rough but gorgeous trail around the stone monoliths. We enjoyed the transition of orange coloured rocks to deep auburn as the sun set through the side by side window arches and the stars came out. Cilla was giddy with joy at the golden light and we eventually had to drag her back to the car when the moon rose.

Off to our cosy tent in the cool breeze of the desert night...
- NomesRead more