Goblins

So, I think people are getting a little tired of my endless posts about Ecuador, so I’m going to try and mix in a broader array of travel/nature posts, relying on past (and current) adventures for material.  I’m going to start with this post on Goblin Valley Utah, which is really not far from where I grew up at all.  Way back when I was in Boy Scouts a trip to Goblin Valley was an annual tradition and it always fell on or near my birthday near the end of April.  That time of year is wonderful for a desert excursion into Utah.  The snow is all gone, the days are getting longer but the weather’s not yet hot.  It’s warm in the sun but refreshingly cool in the shade of a canyon or behind a goblin in April.  Another annual tradition I can remember is a July excursion in the middle of July near my brother’s birthday when we’d hike a 14er (a mountain of 14,000+ ft. elevation) where again the weather was still beautiful.  One thing I love about Colorado and Utah is that with the diverse topography, you can almost always find an elevation with if not great, at least better weather.  My trip with Erin and Zari to Goblin Valley Utah was full of beautiful weather, at least in the shade.  It was a real treat to share something that was an important part of my childhood with the woman I love.