Well, well, well... looks like I finally decided to post :) Sorry beck - I really am. Maybe if your posts weren't so eloquent and profound I wouldn't worry so much about what I was going to post. But I'm swallowing my pride, and I'm putting myself out there for you to read - here it goes... (OK so I started that a week ago ... and now I'm finishing... but its going to happen today...maybe I'll post 3 or 4 times!)
Sunshine, waterfalls, cliff jumping. Clear, sparkling, blue water, green trees,
and blue skies. It is impossible to describe this place. Even a picture doesn't completely capture the natural beauty of Havasupai. Located in the Northwest part of Arizona and connected with the Grand Canyon, this small Arizona oasis is home to a small Indian tribe, as well as host to hundreds of tourists each day. But don't be fooled by the pretty pictures, and the glowing things I have to say about it, and think this 3 day camping trip was all fun and games. For most, the trek to and from this Garden of Eden, is one of the most physically challenging things they've ever done, me included. And I've done some hard things.
We left Salt Lake Tuesday after work, driving 9 hours through the night to the trailhead. Carpooling and caravanning, left some time for sleep, but car sleep is never good sleep. So at 5am, when ordinarily we would have been exhausted and likely still in bed, we were eager and excited to hit the trail and descend into the canyon. Remember that I say descend, and note that whatever goes down, must eventually come out.
And I am forgetting one other crucial element of the journey. This wasn't car camping. You pack on your back everything you will need for 3 days. (except the water - luckily there was fresh spring water we could fill our canteens down there). (There is a store down in town, but its 2 miles from the campsite). Food, clothes, shoes, sleeping bag and tent. You wouldn't believe how quickly the weight adds up. And what might not bother your back, neck, shoulders, and hips for the first 10 minutes, might have you cursing 5 miles into the hike.
Sunshine, waterfalls, cliff jumping. Clear, sparkling, blue water, green trees,
and blue skies. It is impossible to describe this place. Even a picture doesn't completely capture the natural beauty of Havasupai. Located in the Northwest part of Arizona and connected with the Grand Canyon, this small Arizona oasis is home to a small Indian tribe, as well as host to hundreds of tourists each day. But don't be fooled by the pretty pictures, and the glowing things I have to say about it, and think this 3 day camping trip was all fun and games. For most, the trek to and from this Garden of Eden, is one of the most physically challenging things they've ever done, me included. And I've done some hard things.We left Salt Lake Tuesday after work, driving 9 hours through the night to the trailhead. Carpooling and caravanning, left some time for sleep, but car sleep is never good sleep. So at 5am, when ordinarily we would have been exhausted and likely still in bed, we were eager and excited to hit the trail and descend into the canyon. Remember that I say descend, and note that whatever goes down, must eventually come out.
And I am forgetting one other crucial element of the journey. This wasn't car camping. You pack on your back everything you will need for 3 days. (except the water - luckily there was fresh spring water we could fill our canteens down there). (There is a store down in town, but its 2 miles from the campsite). Food, clothes, shoes, sleeping bag and tent. You wouldn't believe how quickly the weight adds up. And what might not bother your back, neck, shoulders, and hips for the first 10 minutes, might have you cursing 5 miles into the hike.
I'm rambling… so I'll cut to the point of all this. We didn't sleep. We hiked for 10 miles with an uncomfortable awkward load on our back in the Arizona morning heat (it could have been worse, it could have been afternoon heat). The last two miles were in sand. Attempted to sleep for 2 nights on hard uncomfortable sand (note for next trip, invest in a better sleeping pad). Then we hiked the 10 long miles out of camp, up the switchbacks to our car. No time for rest, cause we again drove through the night to get back home. Now are you ready to sign up for that adventure :)
Two weeks have passed since we've been back. Blisters, sore muscles, scrapes 
and scratches, sunburns, and exhaustion - we've all mostly recovered. If you had asked me during our Friday night hike out, I would have said, this is too hard, I can't do this trek for another 2 or 3 years. But 2 days after the hike, I was ready to strap on my pack and do it again. I can say without hesitating that it was one of the most incredible adventures I've been on. It was the challenge that made it worth it. And isn't that how most things in life are- the best things in life are worth working for, even working really hard for. You don't take for granted the things you earn. So now I just need to figure out what I want next in life - what I'm working toward next.
and scratches, sunburns, and exhaustion - we've all mostly recovered. If you had asked me during our Friday night hike out, I would have said, this is too hard, I can't do this trek for another 2 or 3 years. But 2 days after the hike, I was ready to strap on my pack and do it again. I can say without hesitating that it was one of the most incredible adventures I've been on. It was the challenge that made it worth it. And isn't that how most things in life are- the best things in life are worth working for, even working really hard for. You don't take for granted the things you earn. So now I just need to figure out what I want next in life - what I'm working toward next. 
No comments:
Post a Comment