{"id":878,"date":"2016-08-20T16:32:58","date_gmt":"2016-08-20T16:32:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/?p=878"},"modified":"2017-06-02T18:03:31","modified_gmt":"2017-06-02T18:03:31","slug":"finding-the-magic-number","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/finding-the-magic-number\/","title":{"rendered":"Finding the Magic Number"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Everyone places some sort of limit on themselves, whether it be a time, an ability, or a monetary limit. What if you told yourself there were no limits? We\u2019ve tried to instill this belief in our children. To overcome your limits, you must prioritize your limit higher, save more, remove the mental barrier, or physically train yourself for the challenge. There is no limit in life, except the ones we place on ourselves. If you remove your limits, just once, you have the potential to find yourself and what you enjoy. Removing our barriers, during our 10-day trip to Utah\u2019s red rock country, helped us discover what we enjoy about visiting our national parks.<\/p>\n<p>Our biggest trip yet was a road-trip that took us through, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Nevada, and California. The trip had over 18 hours of driving just to get to our first destination. I think we put over 2000+ miles on our odometer to visit:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Canyonlands \u2013 Island in the Sky District<\/li>\n<li>Arches<\/li>\n<li>Canyonlands \u2013 Needles District<\/li>\n<li>Mesa Verde<\/li>\n<li>Natural Bridges National Monument<\/li>\n<li>Capital Reef<\/li>\n<li>Great Basin National Park (Lehman Caves)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>When we began our National Park journey 4 years ago, Isabel decided she wanted to collect a patch from each park and put it on her backpack. We\u2019ve continued to do that, but I\u2019m not sure my fingers will be able to survive another trip like this (see how we subtly put limits on ourselves and don\u2019t even realize it?).<\/p>\n<p>Because there is too much information for just one article, in the upcoming blogs, I\u2019ll outline each visit, what we thought was our limits, how we broke through those barriers, and what we learned along the way.<\/p>\n<p>&#8212;&#8212;-<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Day 1 \u2013 The Drive<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-884\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_1082-1024x682.jpeg?resize=531%2C317\" alt=\"\" width=\"531\" height=\"317\" \/>We started our trip early on Saturday with the hopes of making our way to Craters of the Moon National Monument for the night. The campground is a first-come, first-serve campground without reservations so the trip was flexible. Ever since we passed through and visited Craters of the Moon last year during our Yellowstone visit I\u2019ve wanted to come back. We were ill-prepared for all the spelunking, Craters of the Moon had to offer. The kids were timid and scared the first time and we didn\u2019t have hard hat, gloves, or enough headlamps. This time I had all and was ready for a dark adventure.<\/p>\n<p>We stopped at the REI in Boise, to pick up new hiking boots. Before we left our house was chaotic and I couldn\u2019t find Will\u2019s Keen Boots. He tried on a pair of Vasque boots similar to the ones I bought for our Guadalupe Mtns trip and liked them. If you\u2019ve never tried Vasque boots, you should. They are \u2018bouncy\u2019 with every step. It has more spring and a rounded sole that help relieve weary feet when you are putting on the miles.<\/p>\n<p>While there, I checked the campground and it was full. Instead, we decided to drive as far as we could the first night and skip the park. As has become our custom, we listened to the Percy Jackson series, Heroes of Olympus, and we made it all the way to Utah. We drove for over 9 hours and were in the car for almost 15, considering all the stops we made we didn\u2019t hear a complaint, except some minor car sickness from Isabel. I never have taken the kids on a trip longer than 8 hours because I didn\u2019t think they could do it and come out alive at the end. The first of many limits we broke that trip. Our 15 hours were drudging, but not unbearable with the kids jumping out of their seats.<\/p>\n<p>We found a place to stay at a place called, <a href=\"https:\/\/campnative.com\/campgrounds\/usa\/ut\/snowville\/earp-james-hitching-post\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Earp &amp; James Hitching Post<\/a> just south of the Utah border. The owners were in the middle of remodeling the bunk house, but were kind enough to check us in at 11pm at night and show us the place. We got the bunk house for a steal, which was awesome since neither Will or I wanted to set up a tent after the long drive. We would totally stay there again, if we ever needed.<\/p>\n<p>The next day we got our first glimpse of red rock as we made our way to <a href=\"http:\/\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/island-in-the-sky\/\">Canyonlands, Islands in the Sky District and Dead Horse State Park<\/a> where we spent the night.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Everyone places some sort of limit on themselves, whether it be a time, an ability, or a monetary limit. What if you told yourself there were no limits? We\u2019ve tried to instill this belief in our children. To overcome your limits, you must prioritize your limit higher, save more, remove the mental barrier, or physically&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":879,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"Finding the Magic Number","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[2,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-878","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-backpacking","category-car-camping"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_1739.jpeg?fit=640%2C480&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p527vR-ea","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":998,"url":"https:\/\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/day-7-natural-bridges-capitol-reef\/","url_meta":{"origin":878,"position":0},"title":"Day 7 Natural Bridges and Capitol Reef \u2013 Driving &#038; Flash Floods","author":"Mom","date":"August 26, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Hiking: 2 miles Part 5\u00a0of our 10-day trip. Check it out from the beginning or maybe from DAY 6 MESA VERDE. The monsoon type rain continued through the night and into the next morning, we all were starting to feel waterlogged. As we drove back the sun came out and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Car Camping&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Car Camping","link":"https:\/\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/category\/car-camping\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Capitol Reef","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_1570.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_1570.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_1570.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_1570.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_1570.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":526,"url":"https:\/\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/lower-deschutes\/","url_meta":{"origin":878,"position":1},"title":"8-Legged Creatures","author":"Mom","date":"May 10, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Even though this was an epic fail\u2026 it still goes as a backpacking first and counts toward Noah and Isabel's total miles. I started out 2014 hoping to get a lot of backpacking in. I scheduled every 3 weeks on the calendar for a trip. This was the first one.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Backpacking&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Backpacking","link":"https:\/\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/category\/backpacking\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/wp-content\/uploads\/LowerDeschutes13.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/wp-content\/uploads\/LowerDeschutes13.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/wp-content\/uploads\/LowerDeschutes13.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/wp-content\/uploads\/LowerDeschutes13.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/wp-content\/uploads\/LowerDeschutes13.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":783,"url":"https:\/\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/pushing-the-limits\/","url_meta":{"origin":878,"position":2},"title":"Pushing the Limits","author":"Mom","date":"August 26, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"I realize as I complete my packing list for our next big adventure, I haven't written anything about our last adventure. How can that be I ask\u00a0myself? This was an epic adventure. One filled with everything our family would hope for with rock throwing, getting our feet wet, living out\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Car Camping&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Car Camping","link":"https:\/\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/category\/car-camping\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/wp-content\/uploads\/P1060050.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/wp-content\/uploads\/P1060050.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/wp-content\/uploads\/P1060050.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/wp-content\/uploads\/P1060050.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/wp-content\/uploads\/P1060050.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1016,"url":"https:\/\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/day-8-10-great-basin\/","url_meta":{"origin":878,"position":3},"title":"Day 8-10 Great Basin National Park &#038; Finding Our Limits","author":"Mom","date":"August 27, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Hiking: 1 mile Part 5 of 5 of our 10-day trip. Check it out from the beginning or maybe from DAY 7 NATURAL BRIDGES AND CAPITOL REEF \u2013 DRIVING & FLASH FLOODS. As the ranger over the counter hands us our 6th junior ranger packet. Will and I are pretty\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Car Camping&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Car Camping","link":"https:\/\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/category\/car-camping\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Wheeler Peak","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_1628.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_1628.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_1628.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_1628.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_1628.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1155,"url":"https:\/\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/life-is-calling\/","url_meta":{"origin":878,"position":4},"title":"Life is Calling","author":"Mom","date":"August 4, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Sometimes you just have to get out into nature. It just beckons and calls. I\u2019m not sure why, but sometimes I get an irresistible urge to just get out and if I heed the calling, I always find the most interesting rewards. I found myself on a sunny hot August\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Car Camping&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Car Camping","link":"https:\/\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/category\/car-camping\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/wp-content\/uploads\/FCE8C3E9-EDEA-487D-B48F-DF8EC136049C.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/wp-content\/uploads\/FCE8C3E9-EDEA-487D-B48F-DF8EC136049C.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/wp-content\/uploads\/FCE8C3E9-EDEA-487D-B48F-DF8EC136049C.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/wp-content\/uploads\/FCE8C3E9-EDEA-487D-B48F-DF8EC136049C.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/wp-content\/uploads\/FCE8C3E9-EDEA-487D-B48F-DF8EC136049C.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":312,"url":"https:\/\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/redwoods-road-trip\/","url_meta":{"origin":878,"position":5},"title":"Redwoods Road Trip","author":"Mom","date":"August 23, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"This was a 10-day trip to the Redwoods. We stopped at Wildlife Safari in Winston, Elk Meadow in the Redwoods, the Avenue of the Giants, and Crater Lake. There is a lot to say about the trip, but I'll have to fill in the details later. Of note, Isabel hiked\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Car Camping&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Car Camping","link":"https:\/\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/category\/car-camping\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/wp-content\/uploads\/P1010460.jpg?fit=480%2C640&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/878","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=878"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/878\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":920,"href":"https:\/\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/878\/revisions\/920"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/879"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=878"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=878"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/richerdesign.com\/backpacking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=878"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}