Antelope Island

With the word "island" in the title one might guess that this post has to do with a family trip to a tropical island, with warm water and weather to match. Our real island destination was no less foreign than a faraway island given that the last time Joe visted this beauty was when he was 12 and the rest of us had never before been there. Antelope Island is located in the middle of the Great Salt Lake and is very easy to drive out to. When I use the word beauty to describe this place, some of you who have only visited in the summer months may laugh at me. Joe memory from his first and last trip was a hot August day 20 years ago where there was no shade, but plenty of bugs. Still we decided that it was such a beautiful day we had to get out and this because our beautiful destination. Really. It was BEAUTIFUL. With weather still cool enough to keep away bugs and to have no need for shade we were pleasantly surprised by how peaceful and scenic this island was. There were maybe ten other people also on the island and it was awesome.

We first stopped at the visitors center where I learned alot of facts about Antelope Island, the Great Salt Lake, and the Northern Utah area in general that I didn't previously know. The kids just liked to check out the statues.

After driving around a little we hiked down to get closer to the lake. The kids really wanted to touch the water but it was too marshy to be able to get close enough. They weren't sad for two long - easily distracted by posing for pictures and playing in the (soft) sand.

The day and the views were beautiful. We now really want to go back with a group before it gets too hot and either camp or just explore and have a bonfire before heading home. I can't believe I never realized what a treasure this place was so close to us. I don't think I will ever venture out in the summer months, but I think there are several more spring and fall trips in our future.

One gross side note story...Adam loved getting to be at a place where he was able to run free. He loves being outdoors and this was heaven to him. We were sitting at a picnic table enjoying a snack while Adam ran circles around. I looked over to where he was and saw that he was studying what looked to be dried animal waste (a polite term, yes?) Instantly I knew what he would do and got up, yelling no, as I ran over to him. Too late though as he grabbed the lump and got it to his mouth before I was able to grab his arm and shake it from his hand. YUCK!!!! I seriously wanted to throw up. On closer inspection we found that the lump was indeed waste, but not the kind we were thinking. Adam had found and touched to his mouth an OWL PELLET. DOUBLE YUCK. Double desire to throw up. This regurgitated mouse body was something I remembered learning about and disecting in school, but never did I think Adam would get such an up close education about so soon. Grossed out, we cleaned and sanitized him as best we could and stopped for burgers on the way home.

"See dad, no hanta virus here." Boys