Schmitz Mobile Chaos Unit: Vaca 2021, Day 13, Pt 1 - Goblin Valley St Park & Some Dino Fossils

Not gonna lie here... we were getting pretty fried by this point. Mama Chaos was the most eager to stop here and the ONLY one of us to actually hike down into the "goblins". Us boys were very happy to view them from a distance and remain in the bit of shade up by the picnic area.

It was SSSTTTOOOOPPPPIIIIIDDDD hot outside and being out of the Schmitz Mobile Chaos Unit's vessel was not a desired thing at this point...

This is from my phone up by the picnic area.

More of the same. I think that Mama Chaos is somewhere in this photo, but I really can't tell you where. She is hiking down into the Goblins even tho she had no male support for such an activity.

This is from Mama's phone as she's down among the goblins.

Same...

Same 2...

She appears to still be happy even tho we're being baked alive! LOL!

From down in the trenches again.

This is the pic that I believe shows Mama heading down into the Goblins. I think that's her just left of dead center.

Back on the road and a bit turned in directions as there's not a lot of landmarks to base directions on! It was a small detour but I'm always disappointed in any detour as I can't make "good time". Don't mock me!!!

I could NOT tell you where we're at by any means in this picture, but what I do remember is that there were tall rock walls on both sides of the road for quite a while. We had put on the Dixie Chicks first album and as we crested this hill and everything opened up, we'd hit the chorus of Wide Open Spaces. Cool moment!

Caleb was driving here and nervous as crap!! To be fair, it was his first Interstate driving experience and the speed limit was 80mph! After turning off of Hwy 191, we see roads like this pic. This is Mill Canyon Dinosaur Trails. I'm also plotting the next spot where I can go pee... I'm getting desperate!

I don't remember where we encountered the sign, but the sign read something like, "Deep, loose sand ahead. Off-road vehicles recommended.". We didn't think that that our Dodge Caravan would qualify as such so we had Calebber back the trolley up and park it. Then we would hoof it the rest of the way in... after I pee'd in the desert!

The tiny red circle in the upper left quadrant of the pic is where we parked, and the yellow high-lighted area is the actual parking lot for the Dino Trails if you were driving an off-road vehicle. It was a bit of a walk.

Rob is dragging behind, not because he pee'd longer than I did, but rather that he didn't have shoes on and wasn't about trying to find them 1 second before we stopped to get out. Even after the backing up episode.

I wonder what kind of vicious creatures live in those holes on the side of those hills.

Apparently we have a long way to go!!

Have I mentioned that it's hot??

Rob giving Caleb a piggy-back ride... for some reason.

They had signs posted to let you know what you were looking for. Most of the time I couldn't see it, but my bride, a former science teacher, would point out the goods.

Another pack-rats nest but also a vertebrae (if I remember correctly!), with the gray looking X'ish looking formation in the upper left quadrant of the pic.

I got excited as I had originally thought that we had a Sasquatch siting but it was just a unique looking shrub just to the upper left of Rob and Caleb.

Rob and Caleb reading the sign that appears in the picture below.

I tried and tried to see what the heck this sign was trying to tell me, but like in high school, I just didn't get it. It was beautiful territory that we were in, and I'm sure there was some amazing history as well, but my water was empty and I truly didn't care all that much! I wanted a fresh ice water out of the cooler!!!