The Grand Ranch tour.

 Chris had booked us a farm tour, so a very quick breakfast and no time for coffee!

A code to get in the gate and then we were greeted by Hollie, chatted a bit about the farm and then

we went to see the miniature highland cows. This is Love Bug. We could pet and brush them while we learned about the breed.

We also met Hay Hay, the rooster who loved to be carried, and Duck Duck, the goose that was scared of everyone except River.

River and Maya were definitely the bravest, wanting to touch and try everything.

We petted the miniature pigs, no idea why I have no pictures of them, and then fed the llama.

He would eat a carrot from your mouth

so it was almost like getting kissed by a llama.

Maya is still carrying around Hay Hay.

Hollie was a very relaxed guide; tending to the animals, explaining things to the kids, answering all our questions.

Miniature goats were next. Some are yoga goats and they give you a goat back massage. Chris and I both tried that.

The others opted to just let them climb on their shoulders

to get the treats.

Maya getting mugged by goats.

Then there were sheep and a donkey.

That's one spoiled rooster. Mike has talked about wanting to get backyard chickens. I think Maya is in!

The last pen and the highlight of the tour was the 4 miniature highland cattle calves.

We were introduced to them, got to pet and brush them and then

fed them

their

milk

bottles.

Cigi was getting braver

as she watched everyone

getting

into it.

Left with a baby cow equivalent

of a milk mustache.

After Hollie put halters on them we walked them out of the pen. That's one of the ranch's holiday homes in the background. There are 3 on the property and more being built. You can sit in your hot tub and watch the animals or feed them from your kitchen window.

We walked them over to an old tractor for

a family picture.

Not quite as comfortable with the cow

as Mike was with the rooster.

After the tour some home made bread with some of the ranches own honey. Hollie told us that the bees were the most difficult to keep alive then revised that

to say the flowers were the most difficult. They have a 350ft well. They also had a vegetable plot and a fruit orchard. Lots of work.

Two chicks and a chicken.

 The farm tour was great fun and although the kids were a bit cautious at the start they all warmed up to it and got more comfortable with the animals. Maya wants to go back and has renewed enthusiasm for keeping chickens.

Zion Canyon National Park on E-bikes

 In the morning we went swimming in the pool that is part of the complex that the AirBnB is in. Two pools and two hot tubs and we were the only ones there for about an hour. Then we shopped for and packed a picnic lunch and headed for Zion Canyon National Park. The village just outside the park boundary is "a little Banff" according to Chris; lots of hotels, rentals, restaurants, outfitters and shops. I had forgotten my camera so the pictures in this blog post were taken by Mike, Aimee or myself on our phones.

Chris had organized an e-bike rental for all of us and after some initial "glitches" (involving getting baby seats put on the bikes)

we were ready to roll. Jason had Maya and Cigi behind him. Mike had Avery and River behind him. Chris, Aimee and I just had our own bikes.

For the first km we were riding through town, on a bike lane. Then we paid at the entrance and basically the park roads had bikes and buses on them. You had to park at the entrance and use the shuttle buses to get around. Those of us on bikes had to stop and let the buses go by, they had priority.

The road followed the Virgin River through the canyon. At the start there was quite a wide valley and plenty of vegetation. Jason and his passengers saw deer.

Although hot there was a breeze funneling between the steep cliffs on each side.

As we got farther into the park, the canyon narrowed

and there were steep cliffs on either side.

It was impossible to get a bad picture

every where we looked it was magnificent.

After about an hour we pulled in to a shady spot and had our picnic and filled up our water bottles. Hot and dry and we need to drink a lot. I tried a quick sketch.

Mike tried taking a picture over his shoulder and taking a video while riding.

We reached the end of the road and Aimee used the "selfie stick" to get our family portrait.

Chris, Maya and I sat on this log while Maya did some colouring and I painted

this pinnacle.

Mike, Aimee, River, Jason and Cigi took a short walk along a trail

beside the river. There had been trails to take at each of the places that the shuttle bus stopped along the road but we had wizzed by them on our bikes.

I had a slight mishap when stopping and getting off the road for a bus to pass. I hit the gravel and fell over. I wasn't hurt, but the bike was too heavy for me to lift while pinned by it. The bus stopped, 3 strapping young men jumped out and lifted both me and the bike upright. Put all my kit back in the basket and, once I assured them I was fine, carried on their way.

The ride back was equally stunning as you can see from River's response.

At one point we saw a Condor soaring high above the peaks. Not close enough to positively identify but it was a huge bird and they have been re-introduced and now thrive here.

A Wild Turkey near one of the washrooms and we saw a lizard while taking a break.

Lots of these yellow flowers were on shrubs in the wider part of the valley. No idea what they are but the bees certainly loved them.

I haven't sketched in a while and it showed. The one on the left at lunch time and the one on the right, the pinnacles at the end of the road.

It is an absolutely beautiful park and was quite busy today, a Sunday, some long lines waiting for the shuttle bus. Most people were hiking the trails and many of us were biking. We enjoyed the e-bikes, although you still had to peddle you could get the battery to assist as much or as little as you wanted.