Jon is a masterful schemer. He always manages to get me to agree to a trip to someplace he wants to go and this time was no exception. How? One strategy is to find a race in the destination he wants to visit. In December 2013, it was the Sacramento marathon. In March 2015, we made a return trip to Moab, Utah, for a high elevation half marathon.
Of course, I wouldn’t be so willing to oblige if the locations were less desirable, but given that Moab is home to both Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, and I loved our short time there in April 2014, of course you know my reaction to his proposal! I began to plot our course – we would fly into Salt Lake City, then drive down to Moab (just under a 4 hour drive).
The pieces began to fall together. I knew I wanted to visit Antelope Island, just north of Salt Lake City. I have been dreaming about Antelope Island since reading a fellow blogger’s posts about it, and had it on my list when Jon and I were considering driving from Washington on our Southwest adventure during the spring of 2014. When we made the decision to fly instead of drive, going out of our way to Salt Lake City was one of the things we had to cut (so many places, so little time!).
I also have read a couple of books lately about the mainstream Mormon faith and its polygamist offshoots, so checking out the historic Mormon sites in downtown Salt Lake City went on the list.
And Jon had been drooling over the idea of a zip line adventure when we were in Moab a year ago, so I asked him if it was still on his bucket list. Of course it was – what a stupid question! I, being terrified of heights, wasn’t sure I would be brave enough, but after researching the zip line company, watching the videos, and reading all the Trip Advisor reviews, plus conducting a Facebook poll of my friends, decided that I would give it a try. When your aunt, who is in her early 70s, says you should go for it, you can’t very well chicken out, right?
Salt Lake City to Moab
With all that, I vowed to fill our free time with hikes in the parks, trying to fill in the gaps of what we didn’t see a year ago, and cheering Jon on at the finish line of his race. A trip was born!
Wine and History Visited 
Nice map. Maps are always good.
Thanks! Google Maps.
I really need to go to Moab. And that Zip Line is first on my list.
You do Bliss! It was so much fun. The whole area is amazing, and so worth the time. We feel so relaxed there!
I love, love, love ziplining. Did it on a Maui trip a couple of years back and have been waiting for an opportunity to do it again. If you can get yourself to do it, it’ll be worth the effort. The views are usually spectacular (as long as you keep your eyes open :)). If this almost-60 year old can do it, you can too.
We are already back from this trip, as it was in March. I did keep my nerve for the zip line, and we had so much fun! And the view was spectacular! I had my eyes open the whole time. I loved seeing the desert from above, and flying over the mountain bikers. I’m going to post about it, and there’s video!
I love the Moab area. There are so many off-the-beaten track places to go, along with the more famous ones.
Me too – both times we were there we had a fabulous time! I feel like we have barely scratched the surface.