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Monday, August 3, 2009

Craters of The Moon


We went on the coolest day trip this last Saturday to the Craters of the Moon National Monument. It was awesome! The drive from Boise was great (it took about 3 hours) and you go from cow pastures, hay and corn to acres of lava! Jason really wanted to take a rock and complained that if everyone took a rock there would still be plenty left over, but in the end all the lava rock stayed in the preserve.
After a pit stop at the Visitor's Center where Tori got to pet a bobcat and a marmot (taxidermy), we found the only picnic table in the vicinity with shade and ate our lunch.
After lunch Grandpa Dinger took Tori exploring. I love this picture because she is pointing! This is the view from our picnic table!
Jason found this pine cone for Tori and it amused her thoroughly for a while. Check out the enthusiasm. We did have to make sure that she didn't eat the thing (it is a preserve you know!).

Tori continues to explore our picnic area.
This is the lava field over the top of the lava flows where we went cave crawling, or should I say spelunking?! As we entered Indian Tunnel (which is an 800 foot cave) you walk down some stairs to the cave...Jason is at the bottom.
This is a not so flattering picture of us at one of the caved in parts of the cave. This Indian Tunnel was made by a whole bunch of hot lava flowing through the rock. The next picture is Dennis and me walking through the tunnel. Yes...a pregnant woman can do it!
Jason is sitting on the caved in portion of one of the holes. On the way back you walk on a trail above the cave marked by trail markers made out of lava rock. This is Jason and me on top!
Tori (who was taking a nap in the car with Grandma) was thoroughly excited to see us walking back to the car. Check out those pig tails blowing in the breeze.
You've got it! We climbed up Inferno Cone (about 500 feet straight up!) Tori had it easy in the stroller! I must admit I stopped a few times, but give me a break! I'm pregnant. Jason huffed it to what he thought was the top without stopping...then he realized that there was another summit! He had to stop too...well, he was pushing the stroller! We got some great pictures!
Jason likes this one the best. Tender.
Jason called the tree at the summit the "Tree of Life" because everything was black rock as you climbed to the top and then all of the sudden the tree came out of no where. The view from the top was amazing!
Ahhh...a cute one of Jason, Tori and the "Tree of Life". Tori wanted to run around, and the first thing she wanted to see was the dead tree.
Tori and her shadow. Tori pondering at the "Tree of Life".
"Ohhh...I can see the light...and the light is good!"
Our next and final stop (I know...this post is so long!) was the spatter cones made from lava spewing out of these cones and drying in the air. The last picture is of all of us in a spatter cone...Jason is the strong man, I am trying to take the picture without looking too strange and Tori is with Grandpa (of course!). All in all, it was a fabulous trip. We recommend it!

4 comments:

Katie said...

i love her pigtails!

Lora said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Lora said...

I miss you guys soooooo much. I can't wait to see Tori. Livy is so excited that she is walking. I wish that I could go on all of these excursions with you. Jason, I love the haircut! Kendra, you look fabulous pregnant, and I would never doubt that you could hike a mountain pregnant! See you on Thursday!!!! YAY!!!!

Lora said...

Oh...PS, I was the other post that had been deleted. For some reason I sent it twice, so I deleted one of them! Mystery solved...if you were even wondering.

YOU COME TODAY!!! YAY!!