havaSUPai

I can say that I am a person who just does things. If I want to do something, I will do it. Like that time I wanted to see The Lego Movie and no one else did. So. I just saw it. By myself. In an empty theater. Well, it was empty until a black guy showed up and sat two seats away from me. I mean out of all the empty seats in the theater, he chose the one almost in the nearest proximity to me. Then he left halfway through the movie. I guess everything wasn't awesome for him...Or there was this other time where I just went on a hike. I met an old man named Dan and we hiked for three hours together. It was a delight. Everyone just told me it was sketchy, but man did I love Dan...Point being. I do things.

So this last weekend, I did something. I hiked to Havasupai Falls in Arizona. Now, let me preface this by saying that I have never backpacked before, camped without my dad or have hiked more than 7 miles. I am proud to say that I did all of those things and then some.This hike was sponsored by a guy who just creates these adventures and invites people. This was a group of around 50. I knew one person who was going. I wasn't convinced to go, but then two weeks before the trip, I remembered my Grandma Faun saying how I should go because I am young and will never have this opportunity to do something like this ever again. She is right. I am so grateful for her advice. Honestly, old people know what's up. Let's break it down.

• I backpacked for the first time in my life. I had to pack my bag. I had to figure out how I was going to feed myself. I had to figure out how to cook the food I prepared. I had to carry it all on my back. I had to hike with it on my back for ten miles. Luckily, I have friends from whom I could borrow a backpack and a tent. ***notice how I did not say sleeping bag. this will be talked about later***
• Out of the fifty people going, I knew one person. One. And I basically did not even see her the entire trip.
• It rained. every. single. day. turns out, my tent is not waterproof. It is water resistant, but not proof. So I was very excited when I was setting up my tent and proud that I accomplished something. Then it started raining and I was soon sitting in a puddle. I was laughing at the people getting drenched and then I was humbled, slowly as it seeped all around me.
• I stole a tent. Well, not really, but really. People leave stuff behind at the campground all the time. So I took what someone left behind. A tender mercy. It was a three person tent. So I asked the rain soaked boys that I just met if they wanted to share the tent with me. They obliged. (obvi. they would be sharing a tent with me. like, who wouldn't?)
• I did not bring a sleeping bag. Every site I saw when researching this trip told me I did not need to bring a sleeping bag because it would be so hot, I could just layer up my clothes. WRONG. WRONG. WRONG. Wrong in your weeny. Well, for the first two nights. It was freezing and I was cold. Luckily, I shared a tent with two guys and their body heat helped it be warmer in the tent. No, I did not have to snuggle with either of them for warmth. Thanks for asking. But one of them did have a space blanket that, as the moon is my witness, it kept me remarkably warm--er. Warmer than if I did not have it.
• fun fact. one of these boys asked me out and we have been talking. I'm a charmer...even in my sleep.
• I hiked out ten miles. Now, that is not a very far distance. The hike in was ten miles downhill. So that meant the hike out was ten miles up hill. I felt that uphill at around mile 5.7. And then I felt it even more every step in the last two miles. The last two miles is a steep uphill with a ton of switchbacks. I mean, you literally have to climb out of the Grand Canyon. You are traversing a canyon wall, of course it is going to be steep. But I did it. I could have helicoptered out, and you better believe I thought about it. I could have rode a horse or even had my pack carried by a mule. But no. I did it. I was a She-hulk. A She-wolf. Easily the hardest thing I have ever done physically.

Those were the struggles of the trip. But it was all worth it. Seriously. I have weighed it in my head. The pros and cons. They came close, but it was worth it. A strange experience, but an adventure.

• The waterfalls were AMAZING. I felt like I was in Hawaii, but I was in the bottom of the Grand Canyon in the middle of the desert. I can only describe how cool it was by my pictures. So please, take my word for it through my pictures.

 

my tent, preflood

'Murica

my favorite hike down to the following waterfall

nameste

can you see me?

the most beautiful place I have ever eaten a pb&j

I work every runway

the cool climb, remember?

we're following the leader...

*not hawaii

everything the light touches will be yours...so nothing. cause it rained all weekend. But this is the top of the canyon before we climbed down.

I mean, I wasn't lying was I?

You plan your trip, save a spot for me!

xoxo GG

chapter closed

For my posterity, do not drag something on longer than it needs to be. When you read this post, talk to me and I will tell you the story. It is not something for me to put online. Mainly because I am just moving on from it and not looking back.

Ask me what happened on the eve of my 24 birthday and how I entered my 24 year.

Hint hint...I entered it, leaving the baggage at the door of 23.

oh deer!

So a few weeks ago I want on a 24 hour scavenger hunt type thing. We went all over Salt Lake City down through Provo and on to Moab and a little further. Well, at around three thirty in the AM, my teammate an I were in the front seat of the van. We had been in the race around ten hours going nonstop.

We were tired and everyone else in the car was sleeping. I was in the passenger seat and Tyler was driving. He had had a couple redbulls or monsters, some sort of caffeine. Basically, he was pretty wired. I was pretty tired. We were in the middle of nowhere heading to Hanksville, Utah. Tyler saw that I was tired and told me it was alright if I wanted to take a little nap. Thinking it would be better for the later on if I took a little snoozer, I tried to get comfy. I was tired, but I couldn't sleep because I was not comfy. I also felt like I should not sleep. After about five minutes of not getting comfy and feeling like I needed to be awake, I opened my eyes and decided not to sleep.

A few minutes later, I saw a shadow on the side of the road. It was moving. We were barreling down this deserted highway at like 75 mph, if not faster. I started saying, calmly, "oh my gosh." Just then Tyler saw the same thing, but a little different. He saw the shadow that was following the shadow I saw. There were two deer! Tyler, very calmly, just slowly went between the two deer.

We. Went. Between. The. Two. Deer.

The deer on my side of the road was so close, I could have rolled down my window and kissed its nose, which I would have wanted to do had I been thinking more quickly. After that, the entire car was wide awake.

It was a miracle.

"Make that of it what you will" (Peace Like a River by Leif Enger).

btw...everyone should read this book. it is fantastic.