There and Back Again.: 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.