Sandall Hole

I left my car at my future father-in-law’s mission companion’s house (who wasn’t home) and hitched a ride into the Manti-La Sal mountains. Where, you may ask? Great question. It is a heavily guarded secret and they almost blindfolded me, but Roger told them I am too terrible at directions to ever lead anyone there. 

This is it. 

Exhausted, I zombied around for a while until dinner, and eventually bed time. I did manage to set my tent up and locate a book on pirates I was looking forward to. After finally sleeping, I was capable of some actual thought and taught everyone Hand and Foot (since Lauren wouldn’t play with me). It was an instant success. (And rightfully so). 

Tied my first fly. And then made it black. #Aesthetic

We had an important Sacrament meeting with the family and I spent the day playing cards and reading more J Golden Kimball. Classic guy. 

I wanted to take the canoe out, so Roger convinced the crew of a Blue Lake excursion. Stu met us in the quad and after some frustrating fishing (during which we retied lines 6+ times and fish jumped around us), Stu, Stu, Eve, Roger, and I had a campfire with hot dogs. Eve took the quad and we stayed out for some lakeside fishing, which was equally successful (or not). 

Do you think this is pretty? Too bad you can't ever come. 

We played a riotous game of Things at some point, which was very UNLIKE my first time playing and became progressively more inappropriate (despite lil Stu’s presence).

One morning I was bored and antsy, so I took a hike up the hill. It was a pretty walk with tons of blossoming desert flowers and Sound of Music hillsides. Roger was sad I left him behind, so he met me with the quad (with Pip) and we went to the edge of a cliff and he pointed out the cool places I needed to see. 

This was before he tried to teach me to flyfish. 

After lunch, we took our vests and poles and quads and Stu, Stu, Roger, and I tumbled down a steep ravine to get in some good stream fishing (during which I almost killed Roger out of frustration). I did catch some fish once he left me alone. And I even caught one in Lopper Pond. (Which we kept and ate). It was a fun run/hike back, although I was winded and at the extent of my quad strength. 

I ate that. 

Linn and I went for a dip in Julius - which is way icier than it seems and left my arm numb for a good two hours afterwards. She laughed. I went for another hike to pick some wild flowers and warm up my body while Stu, Stu, and Roger restocked the ponds we fished. 

I took a final stroll downstream and saw some cool waterfalls and listened to some nice music. It’s a beautiful place that reminds me of all the paintings Roger has ever done. I love the wildflowers and the sage brush and the scenery, but I miss the vibrant, overwhelming colors of my own home. 

So many colors. 

We tried to get home and broke down a few miles away from Roger’s dad’s mission companion’s house (where my car no longer was due to Kaylee’s having driven it home a few days prior). My AAA service got us a free tow, I finally met Dex (a delightful bald man), and he let us shower and borrow his car. Bless.