Family Trip to Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon is a special spot for Derek's family. 

 They remember going there as kids and the Marshall ancestors homesteaded near by in Widstoe and ran an inn in Tropic.  Derek and Steph decided it would be fun to go down there with their Dad and check out Bryce Canyon and where the family was from.  Steph, Jon, Chase, Daniella and our family all camped in the park.  Steve, Sherri and Blake got hotel rooms in town.  This was such a great trip and we even got Steve to do some short hikes- he did great!  We did the traditional Navajo Loop/Queens Garden hike with everyone but Steve.  

We did an early morning hike with Blake, Chase, Derek and the boys that we had never done before on the Fairyland Loop called Tower Bridge- it was steep but beautiful and I loved it.  

We rented bikes and took turns riding them down the bike trails in the park.  There were some spike ball tournaments. 

 We walked along the rim with Steve, went to Bryce Point Lookout, and did Mossy Cave. 

 The boys all completely immersed themselves in the river at Mossy Cave. 

 I did a bunch of research on family search and found out where Derek's family homesteaded in Widstoe.  We drove out there and found the remnants of the town.  We drove down Adair Street- Ida's mother and father (Jedidiah Grant Adair and Julia Anne Maxwell) moved to Widstoe from Tropic and was one of the first families to settle in Widstoe  Ida married Joseph A, Marshall from Tropic.  Ida kept quite the journal and wrote down and recorded so much about family and life in Widstoe.  Her husband Joseph A. Marshall was a constable in Widstoe.   We went to the Widstoe cemetery.  We found some Marshall gravestones.  Steph happened to know the story of a Kenneth Marshall whom Uncle Kenneth (Grandpa's brother was named after).  Steve and Kenneth's Dad's brother came in from the field one day as an older teenager, told his Mom he didn't feel well and then fell to the floor and passed away immediately.  It must have shook their father and he named his first son Kenneth after his brother who passed so young.  It was neat to be in the cemetery of the family's ancestors and to read and hear stories that had been recorded in family search and find the graves of these family members who were influential in the naming of family members we all knew.