Contest Entry: Dan Boles 101


Adulting is hard; parenting is harder. My 11 year old son would play Minecraft until the end of the world if I let him. He’d be entirely content to live in the basement, playing Minecraft while his Mom and I cook & clean, for the rest of his life. As an outdoor adventure lover, this is painful. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a good video game, but I’ve never conquered any video game except Duck Hunt, and Mario, but to be honest, I totally used cheat codes in Mario. I just wasn’t that interested. As a kid, and still today, I’d much rather be outside. I have to do something about my 11 year old’s thirst for adventure. But what? Timing is everything. I offered him the spring break of a lifetime. Lets drive across the country I say. The offer falls flat. Then as if a magical gift from the universe, a couple days later a commercial for Utah’s Mighty 5 airs, and he looks at me and grins. “That’s it!” he exclaims. “I want to go there Dad! Utah!” So thats exactly what we did. We drove through 16 states and nearly 5,000 miles to take in all that Utah’s Big 5 have to offer. Bryce Canyon, Zion, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, and Arches. We spent a good bit of time in Moab, as well, and his eyes were opened as if he’d just been born. His thirst for adventure came alive. His favorite spot was Double Arches, because of the Indiana Jones connection. I had no idea he even knew that connection. I feel like I’m getting to know a whole new kid. Amazing memories were made, and Utah has cemented a new bond between me and my son. A bond that is built on shared adventure. We’ll be coming back often. Next time we return, we’ll be rock climbing & mountain-biking around Moab. I can’t wait. Here’s to the adventure of parenting, and the thirst for adventure adventure that Utah gave birth to in my son.
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Written by: Dan Boles
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About Rob Ratliff

I created this website to be a place where I could share my travel experiences in Utah. From the time I was a little boy, I've been able to travel all over the world, and Utah is one of the most beautiful and diverse places you will find. I hope that you will share your Utah travel experiences with us too.

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