Oh Zion!

We went on VACATION over Labor Day weekend… AND LOVED IT!  We cashed in some of our reward points and headed down to Zion’s for some hiking and relaxation.  Brent’s time off is pretty limited so we wanted to take advantage of the looong weekend.  It was honestly the most perfect trip!  We had so much fun… just thinking back about it makes me smile!  It was so nice to just have a break from life and get to do just FUN things!  Time didn’t matter, we had no major agenda, we were both pretty flexible… it just made for a super terrifical getaway! 

 

When we planned our getaway we planned to cover most of our expenses with our reward points… part way into our vacation Brent commented about how food was costing A LOT more than he had expected.  I felt guilt.  I am admittedly a food hoarder.  Serious.  I could probably use some food hoarding counseling… and counseling in some other areas of my life as well I am sure.  I am passionate about packing food with me whenever I travel.  Who likes to be hungry?!  Not me!  I get super grumpy and tired and lethargic when I’m hungry.  I don’t like to feel that way… so I pack lots of snacks and food to take with me.  Brent has been weaning me off my food pack-ratting.  This trip I was “brave”… I didn’t pack ANY treats.  With that in the back of my head I pretty much LOADED UP at every gas station we stopped at, every grocery store we passed, and every food stand on the side of the road!  We came home with TONS of snacks I purchased on our trip… some not yet even opened.  I was big time panic buying!  Lesson learned… next time I’ll just pack my usual treats and save us a billion dollars spent at gas station concessions. 

What can I say… I LOVE food!  Enough about my weird issues.  Now for the GOOD stuff!

The first day in Zion’s we hiked Angels Landing. Wow, what a super duper amazing hike! I have been wanting to do this hike for a long, long time and I was so excited to finally get to see it for myself. 

We had to re-enact this scene in honor of a friend's dad (he started hiking Angels Landing on a hot day with little water and ended up laying down spread-eagle on the trail!)

Once we got to the “chains” we were lucky enough to get to follow this group of 4 Taiwanese girls and their guide.  I had no idea the “chains” were so long… I kind of thought like 20 feet of intense chain walking and you were there… but it was over a MILE of chain climbing to get to the top.  One of the cute Taiwanese girls was nervous and kept moaning with fear as she was hiking.  Brent and I kept giggling, she was pretty much just voicing how everyone was feeling.  It was cute.  Whenever the girls stopped for a break the guide would ask them what they promised and they would repeat: “I promise I will be safe”.  We had fun people watching! 

Just as we reached the top of Angels Landing it began to rain! It was actually perfect timing… it helped cool the air down (and us). Luckily there was no lightening so we just sat under a tree and waited out the storm… and snacked.  It was the perfect day to hike Angels Landing!

Angels Landing trail (the bottom right is Walter's Wiggles... fitting name for the switchbacks!).  Middle right is a pic of us under the tree in the rain... love the water on Brent's glasses!

Angels Landing Hike... boy, someone SMART must have packed some popcorn for the trail!

 

 

Yep, Angels Landing (from the beginning of the trail)

 

 

ALMOST to the top of Angels Landing!  This is the spine you get to climb up (on the left) to get to the top of Angels Landing!  So exciting and pretty!

 

Hee... we always look so funny when we try and take our own picture!

 

 We ran into Adam and Eve on the trail!  :)  This couple was bear-footed and wearing very little.  We had to laugh because when they saw us they said "I bet we are the most naked people up here!".  The guy was trying to convince the girl to keep going and the girl kept whimpering that she just wanted a Starbucks!  So many great people on our hike!  Hope she eventually got her Starbucks!

 

 On Saturday we had been hoping to hike the Narrows… but the rangers warned us that the flash flood danger was high and encouraged us to find a different hike.  We ended up doing Hidden Canyon hike.  It was also a really fun hike.  It had a few chains… but nothing near what we saw with Angels Landing.  The hike was spectacular.  Crazy thing, we hiked until we got to a narrow canyon and then reached a sign that said that was the end of the hike… but pointed out a few things of interest if we wanted to continue.  Um… that is a weird hike… you need a SIGN to tell you when you arrive?!  I pointed out my puzzlement to Brent and told him what a weird end to the hike… just a sign?!  No peak, no view, no overlook?  He kindly reminded me that the name, and the point of the hike was “Hidden Canyon”.  Luckily we did continue down the “Hidden Canyon” for a bit and found a fun little mini-arch.

Hidden Canyon Hike!

 

The arch in the hidden canyon

 

 

Brent IN the hidden canyon... the canyon walls were massive! 

 

We were able to do the Narrow’s hike on Monday.  It was perfect weather… hot and sunny!  We also met some really, really friendly people on this hike.  This hike was INCREDIBLE!  Every foot of the hike was so scenic and breathtaking!  Seems like I was constantly telling Brent to grab the camera out of our backpack for pictures! 

There is one picture I am sad I missed… just as we were reaching the end of the Narrow’s hike we passed two MEN (like mid 50’s) who were both wearing vivid LITTLE speedo’s with their polo and button down shirts TUCKED in.  …And I’m pretty sure they were NOT wearing these on a dare!  I made a note to myself for next time we hike the Narrows… “get Brent vivid BRIGHT speedo”…. That will make it so much easier to see him in our pictures as well.

The Narrows

 

 

I love that our water line in our clothes is the same height across both of us! 

 

Another image that makes me laugh... These are the shoes Brent packed on our trip!  More shoes than days we were gone!!  But... he did end up wearing them all!  (And to his credit... we did buy TWO pairs of new shoes for him on the trip.  He was wearing the white shoes in front as his everyday casual shoes.  Every time he'd put the shoes on or take them off pieces of his shoes would break off!  It made me crazy and I finally told him it was time to stop at the outlet mall and buy some new ones!) 

 

We ran into this sign in the Visitor’s Center the first day we were in the park… and laughed and laughed and laughed at it.  Really?!  Brent could do the voice perfect!  (And I swear the sign in the Visitor Center said: "The squirrel bit me TWICE in less than a second".)  We were pleasantly surprised to see this same sign also on ALL the shuttle buses in the park.  We were delighted even more to see this sign (and others) at every trail head.  We were also elated to find this same warning printed on the trail map the rangers handed to every car as they entered the park.  We thought all the publicity was a bit much… but appreciated the HILARIOUS ad.  Every time we saw it we would bust up giggling hysterically as Brent would imitate “the voice” of the victim.  Turns out hikers apparently needed MORE warnings.   Comically enough we SAW several people feeding chipmunks and squirrels and talking about OTHER chipmunks and squirrels they had fed on other hikes.  I thought it was pretty entertaining to see Brent hopping around getting out of the rabid squirrel’s way so they wouldn’t chew his leg while other sweet ladies were bending down sharing crumbs from their lunch with them.  Sadly we did not get to see anyone attacked by a squirrel.  (Guess that is a a good thing... probably would have been scaring for life!)