Bryce was the next, highly anticipated stop on our trip. I have never been there before but my mom and dad rave about how beautiful and breathtakingly awesome this national park is. So naturally we went, because I am a national park spoiled brat. We were able to experience our first real wildlife besides lizards and a few sparse chipmunks. There were pronghorn antelope all over Bryce and they were relatively close to the road as well. ...
Today I started out my morning on the rim of Bryce Canyon watching the sun slowly surmount the hoodoos and cliffs of Bryce in an amazing sunrise. After that we headed next door to Grand Staircase Escalante National Park for some amazing views and hikes. So we went outbacking in our lovely Outback. Our first hike of the day was at Willis Creek Trail, this turned out to be an amazing hike along a river that cuts through a slot like canyon. It was awe inspiring and I have never seen anything quite like it. ...
You thought our day was over? Nope, not even close. We then headed over to the next part of the national park to go try and see some more slot canyons called Peek-A-Boo Canyon and Spooky Canyon. From the top of the trail it was pretty unassuming. Little did we know that we had to climb far down to reach the bottom of a canyon in one hundred degree weather only then to reach the slot canyons. It was brutal sliding down the cliff knowing that later I would have to climb back up them with the sun beating down on my back. ...
Today was our first real day of adventure on our Utah road trip. Our very first destination was the upper section of Zion National Park called the Kolob Canyons. Sadly the lighting was terrible so I couldn’t get great photos of the terrific landscapes that were all around us. There were giant canyons with walls seemingly stretching to the skies and rivers that paved roads for giants. It was quite the sight and to enhance the experience we decided to take a hike up Taylor Creek. A nice six mile hike along a river that eventually ends at a double blind arch. ...
Today was a driving day. With each days goal in mind we have set out again on another road trip to try to grasp just one corner of nature’s beauty and try to hold onto it. AS always, our beautiful country has so many wonders it is near impossible to see them all. But that will never deter my attempts. The following week my mother and I will be doing a road trip around all of southern Utah, seeing national parks, hiking, running, photographing, and having a generally awesome time together in the desert sun. ...
The dust is the shroud wrapped tightly around her shoulders A death shroud veiling her from the world she is simply passing through Transparent eyes look at nothing but the horizon of the world With feet that drag as her invisible chains burden her steps She moves on, deliberately, persistently with no goal in mind She must move, she must not stop or else she will be found You see, her shadow is chasing her but cannot find her in the dust storm She is the lost, she is the invisible left to wander when the storm is over Determination is her name But what good is determination when there is no objective Simply the will to keep going, keep moving when all has imploded around you She knows all about failure, pain, and the bottom of the hole The grave she has dug herself into yet seems to continually evade She dances around death with the practicality of a mathematician Life is a calculation to her, the only components that exist Are her obstacles and her ability to push onward So she finds herself walking down this road again Chased by her shadow and the inevitably of death But this time as it always has been Lady Luck has swept her away In the arms of a storm that is all consuming and all knowing Maybe Luck knows just how it feels to be out of luck So she took pity on a poor girl down on fortune who was betrayed by her shadow But in the end luck has nothing to do with it Her shadow will eclipse her in the end as all are and no storm can save her then But for now she continues her dance, her game of Cat and Mouse With those who cannot be tricked or avoided With bare feet she continues forward, pulling the cowl of a dust storm close To hide her face from eyes that can see all and know all How long she wonders, how much longer can this game continue For even now she grows weary, even now her soul Just as the soles of her feet grow bloodied and bruised From a fight she knows she cannot win Yet she continues to fight because it is simply who she is She is determination and does not know what it means to give up So she doesn’t
Because I have so many photos from our zoo adventure I am going to break ti down for each animal we saw. The first is the Emu. An incredible creepy and slightly gross bird. Similar to an ostrich but weirder. There is only one thing I enjoy about emus, their eyes. They have such brightly colored eyes and it is there only redeeming feature to me. Within an animal’s eyes lies all their beauty. ...
Today is an interesting and probably history making day. Today our President Obama made a public announcement declaring that Osama Bin Laden, the figure-head of Al Qaeda, has been killed by American troops in Pakistan. This event puts us in a strange position for many reasons. The main being that events like this allow us to sit in wonder and realize that in this very moment that history is being made around us. Will I and thousand of others remember this day, or will it be swept away in the tide of our memories. It is a strange thing to be able to take a step back and realize that in this very moment history is being formed. Not just in regards to Osama’s death but events all over the world. ...
Blue Herons are an animal that I see plenty of but still pique my interest like all wildlife. It is amazing how even after seeing this animal all my life I still find it fascinating. Wildlife never gets boring because it is never the same. Each movement in its fluidity is a step towards something new and I hope to be there to watch as this creature sets out on its path to who knows where. ...
While surfing the internet I saw a really cool idea for coloring eggs. Since it is Easter time I decided to give it a try in the name of the holiday spirit. It is really simple actually and has amazing results. You take a bunch of eggs, hard-boiled them and let the fun begin. You roll the eggs on the counter causing them to crack but not fall apart. With your lightly cracked egg you add the food coloring and let it sit. ...