this was our desert trip last fall | part two : the water |

day two of our trip was quite adventurous, keeping us on our toes and our minds alert.
ceej had been down this canyon fifteen years ago...
come to find out this canyon went through drastic changes after a flash flood
swept through here just a few years back.

when ceej went through the canyon fifteen years ago there was no poison ivy
and no pools of water to swim through. guess what?
we had poison ivy to avoid, and to our surprise pools to swim through.

we woke early in the morning to get a good start as we had eight miles
to hike through the river (which takes much longer than you'd think)
and a four hour drive home. we put our we-can-do-it attitudes to the front.

the sun takes a while to reach the depths of the canyon, and so we
were hiking in the cool shade for most of the morning.
which is why when the canyon kept getting more and more narrow
we got more and more nervous that we could have to swim.
i was too cold to enjoy a swim, and did not want to spend the rest
of the hike in a soggy condition.

but it came. the pool. we were going to have to swim.
so andrea and i started stripping down to our underwear in hopes
we would have something dry to put on after the swim.
we were ready. no problem.

ceej went first. we watched him take every step as the water
slowly crept higher up his body: his thighs...his belly...his chest...

and then, to our great delight, the water went no further.
he made it through the water without a swim thanks to a
sandbar that none of us were able to see beforehand.

phew.

so we laughed with relief, and kept moving. lots of ground still to cover.

this canyon, despite all of its unknowns, is one of the most beautiful places
i have ever been.
and we had it all to ourselves. not once did we run into any other hikers
or backpackers in this canyon.
if you're looking for an escape from the world, this is it.
and, as the desert usually is, it's magic.
if you've been, you know what i'm talking about.
if you haven't been, you're always welcome to come out for a visit.

come.





{p.s. so what happened with the poison ivy? i thought i escaped its cruelty. boy, was i wrong. two weeks later the horrible itchy rash broke out on my leg. then as we boarded a plane to hawaii the rash slowly, but furiously, spread to my entire body. worst. plane. ride. ever. nothing could assuage the itch. i spent most of the trip in hawaii trying to stay in the cool ocean water as long as possible, wearing alcohol-drenched bandages wrapped around my arms, soaking in a kiddy pool with baking soda, fighting off itching fits at dinner, taking three-four cold showers throughout the night to try to get some sleep. it was miserable. i think the worst way to die would be by itchiness. stay far, far away from poison ivy. See photos here and here. any pity is welcome. p.p.s ceej got it too, but not nearly as bad. turns out i'm hyper-allergic. lucky me.}

this was our desert trip last fall | part one |

last september ceej, andrea (our good friend from germany), and i headed down south.
to escalante. one of the most remote areas in the country.
this trip took place only one week after i summited the grand teton.
this trip was supposed to be a walk in the park...

of course i'm going to tell you how exhausting it really was,
but i also want to tell you how magnificent it was.

we walked across ancient desert dunes for an hour before we found the trail,
and then we walked for a few more hours in direct sunlight.
the heat was difficult. and this was september. i can't imagine july or august. brutal.

when we finally descended into the river bed we were relieved to find shade
and cool clean water to soak our feet in.

however, the river presented its own hidden misery that we wouldn't know about
until two weeks after our return home: poison ivy (more on that later).

but, oh my. this place is beautiful like no other place.
i will never get over its mystery, its deafening silence, its honesty.

after hiking all day we finally came to a good place to camp for the night.
oh how good it feels to let down a heavy pack, take off your shoes,
and know that sleep is very near--after a very good meal of course.

more of our trip tomorrow.

moab : a short hike to see a view of this vast wilderness

the desert has been good to us this winter--although i worry our lack of snow will lead to draught.

i've probably mentioned my worries about this pitiful winter here in our mountains a few times,

but i am really, truly worried. i'm hoping that we will get the message, and change our energy-using ways of old. here's to riding bikes more, keeping the heat/ac down, buying/consuming less,

and spending more time in the great outdoors on our own two feet. there. there's my rant.

back to the beauty. i think i will always be a westerner at heart. there is something quite liberating

and awe-some about having the ability to see for miles and miles and miles,

the grand red-rock cliffs against an open blue sky, with night skies that will truly make you wonder and your heart will soften to a pace that allows you to worry no more. this is life. this is the earth.

currently our local government is trying to obtain ALL federal land for their own use--

that federal land is all of ours, even if you live outside of the state. we're fighting to keep it federally managed/owned so that these lands can stay open to public use.

so what do i do? i go and sign up to be a delegate in my local precinct in hopes my voice will make a difference. long live wilderness!