Zion' National Park

CAMPING ROUND 2

So this last weekend adventure sure was adventuresome! We started leaving Provo around 8pm and drove the 4 hours to Zion's National Park. We had 2 cars, one with the ladies and the one with the men. We ended up taking different routes and we ended up on the east side of the park at 1:30am and the boys were on the west side at the same time. With little reception we finally found each other and had no place to camp because all was full. We drove around searching local state parks and everything looking for a place to camp. Around 4am we finally decided to sleep in an LDS church parking lot. There was 6 of us total, 2 of us slept in the bed of the truck, 3 were in a gated area by the air conditioners and one slept on the grass with the sprinklers on. 

After about 2.5 hours of sleep I was woken up to sawing and drilling and pounding. There was a huge Ironman World Championship going on starting at 6am that morning. They just so happen to be biking by where we finally decided to sleep. All I could soon here was cowbells and people screaming WATER! Not the best nights sleep I have ever gotten but surely one of the most interesting.

Early Saturday morning after the race was over and we were able to drive out, we finally made it to Zion's! We quickly found a camping spot so we didn't have to suffer like the night before.

Even though we were super tired from not sleeping much we figured we would hike Angel's landing early evening when it was cooler. I was told it was the most famous hike in Zion's and that it was strenuous but I figured I could do it. Be prepared to see lots of pictures about the hike because it was one I will never forget...

It started out nice and the path was paved and we were in the shade.

Daniel pretending he fell...

The group in the shawdows

This was about the first mile...

They say that this hike should take about 4 hours and we were like why it is only 5 miles round trip. Well we made it the first 2 miles almost no problem. The last .5 mile takes about 45 minutes and I laughed at that too until I saw the path started with this chain...

Pretty much for half a mile you walk along the edge of a cliff. A lot of people don't finish the hike because it can be dangerous and very scary. Most parts it is you on a small path and cliffs down 2.000 ft on either side of you. It is not like you can cling to a wall and scoot along. You grab that chain and hold on for dear life.

That is the path up the side of the cliff. Looks steep and narrow...

So grateful for the chains or I would not have made it

BUT I DID IT! It took me a really long time but Daniel and I finally made it to meet the others.

I am going to miss Nicole when she moves away, but it gives me an excuse to visit Texas, a state I have not yet been to.

I feel very accomplished

Funny picture time (not real life)

Back down was scary because I kept feeling like I was going to slide right down and my knees were shaking a lot

Glad that's over with

Oh stinkin' switchbacks. I tried running up them but only made it up about 5 before having to walk the rest.

SCARY!

But that was me at the top

Sunday we did some easier hikes and they were just as beautiful.

The last 2 weekends have been camping so we felt like we needed church in our life a little bit so we stopped at the St. George temple for some good spiritual time. Since I knew Erika lives here now I figured I would call her up and see what the chances of her meeting me were and she did! I was so excited. We have actually talked quite a bit lately because the wedding is coming so soon!! I felt like such a bum and super dirty and she was all cute and pretty, that's how it usually is with us though :) Best friends since we were 3, college roommates, and now maid of honor! Nothing can keep us apart.

Bryce Canyon

I have this friend that I grew up with in Pennsylvania and her name is Nicole. After high school we both ended up in Utah and I love that we live close enough that we still get to hang out. Although with my crazy life I barely get to see her. She recently broke the sad news to me that she is moving to Houston this summer, probably sooner than later. From now on I want to spend as much time as I can with her until she no longer lives 30 minutes away anymore. 

To start our awesome adventures she called me up and asked if I wanted to go down to southern Utah to Bryce Canyon. I love camping and I love southern Utah and I love Nicole so there was no way I was turning that down. We drove down Saturday afternoon, set up camp, did about a 5 mile hike I think and then hung around the campfire until late, (for me that is 10 or 11 these days). 

Sunday we got up made some pancakes for breakfast, packed up camp, drove around the park to some lookouts, and then on a 8 miles hike, that is where it gets interesting....

I bought this hat recently and I love it! Perfect time to wear it is camping :)

It started to get cold after the sun went down so we made some hot chocolate, except we forgot to bring something to put it in so I guess Gatorade bottle had to make do.

I love love love s'mores! A friend Josh who was on the trip taught me the most genius thing about s'more making and that is getting the chocolate covered graham crackers to make them with...DELICIOUS!

 Nice archway...this is where a friend Josh proposed to his girlfriend. We kept walking until we heard her scream and say "IS THIS REAL LIFE!" haha

 Nicole, Liv, Tomi, Cait, and I

 The beautiful hoodoo's

 Greensburg girls!

Stinkin' switchbacks!

If you don't know about Bryce Canyon, it is a big plateau in southern Utah. So of course our last hike the 8 miler we went on was down the plateau through pretty woods to a spring that was going to be so beautiful....really it was an ugly burned down forest to a spring that trickled out of a pipe at the end. Oh and it was pretty steep down hill the first 4 miles. What does that mean you ask?! Well the 4 miles on the way back was pretty much straight uphill. Let's just say I went at my own pace and eventually made it after 4 bottles of water. I am proud that I rarely stopped I just wanted it to end so I kept going.  It was kind of nice because I was so slow I was by myself most of the time and did a lot of thinking. Well that came after freaking out that I was lost and was going to get eaten when I entered the wilderness area!

DIY- Just Do It Yourself

Well when you live on your own things start breaking and need fixing. I started asking friends for help and they were either busy or said they didn't know how to help. So I got on the internet and YouTube has become my best friend. It all started with a washing machine which needed a new water pump...

Like I said I enlisted the help of YouTube and got to work dissembling my first washing machine. It was not the easiest of tasks but I got it. Then I got water all over the floor but after about an hour I had it fixed and put back together for the most part. The front cover is not on the whole way but the washer now works!!

Next on the list came the tub/shower drain that doesn't drain. I had to do a lot of very nasty digging and pulling, but now the water actually drains instead of turning into a bath by the time I am done showering! Yay for getting things done yourself.

This last one was probably the hardest of them all. Someone used our mail key to try and get in the back door, and broke our only key in the lock making it impossible to use. So I again looked online for how to get a key out of a lock. I went to Walmart and bought some WD-40 and jigsaw blades to try and get it out. Since the key was not supposed to be in there to begin with it was real stuck and would not budge.

Finally my roommate and I gave up and just went to buy a knew door handle, but we hadn't told our landlord yet. Luckily door handle making people are pretty smart and we bought one that you can re-key yourself to fit any key. We re-keyed the lock to match our house key and tadah we don't even have to tell our manager! The only problem was getting the knew handle on the door. They say the 3rd time is a charm because we kept putting it on wrong and not being able to get the knob to turn. But after a lot of screwing around (pun!) we got and it works like a gem!

I do love the things that I have been learning lately! Although I could use a break from home repairs!