it keeps coming up in everything I think about

I’m learning a lesson in perspective. How a canyon appears is constantly changing with every twist and turn. What I think a desert is – dry, sand and rock, little to no green – has changed and probably will continue to, with each new “desert” that I see and walk through.

Everybody says, “Yeah, it’s hot, but it’s a dry heat.” Well, let me tell you; I spent 5.5 hours hiking 11 miles in Canyonlands on my first day there (after 17 hours on the road the previous day) and it was probably the hottest day of my life. I’ve experienced different types of heat: stifling heat when I sat in traffic in I-44 west traveling to Tulsa, draining heat when I worked landscaping in New Orleans. This heat was like my worst enemy punching me on all sides of my head with each step. There was no shade to be had; the sun was inescapable. Yes, it was dry heat, but it was a heat purely derived in the ability of the sun to beat me down. If I could have found shade, as I did the next day, things would have been much easier. Somehow, just sneaking out of the sun for the little bits when I found shade, on my second day, saved me incredibly.

Today I hiked Angel’s Landing in Zion. It was by far the scariest hike I have ever been on in my life. I don’t quite know what it looked like or what the surrounding cliffs/mountains looked like. I kept my eyes on the rock in front of me, one hand on the chains supporting me, and the other stabilizing me. I’m quite sure I would have turned around, but my mom told me it was her favorite hike. How could I turn around on my mom’s favorite hike? This was a lesson in perspective. How could she enjoy anything about the hike? I really don’t know. 2 miles of it is paved and pretty easy uphill. Then it gets absolutely crazy scary, with sheer cliffs, sometimes on both sides. I don’t know if I have a favorite hike, really, but I know that isn’t it.

As I hiked Angel’s Landing I met two other guys who were also solo hiking. One actually snuck up part of the trail to sleep on the trail so that he wouldn’t have to pay the $16 for the camping fee. He didn’t even know what hike it was, he just found one that was deserted the night before. He told me he’d spent $3 the previous 3 days on food and lodging – sleeping wherever he could and eating Saltine crackers and peanut butter. He had stories from hostels, homeless shelters, and a Mormon ranch where he worked for a week to make some money to make it this far. I’m pretty sure the other guy I met had done time. He, like the other guy, was traveling on a motorcycle, and was totally sold out on the advantages. He said he had spent $44 in the past 5 days on lodging and food – between camping and “Top Ramen” (which might be different than the kind I prefer to eat dry). Meanwhile, I was paying upwards of $90 a night in my comfy hotel room, with my air conditioning, flat screen TV, mini fridge, and free wireless internet. I really like the idea of the trip that I’m on – going at it alone to visit friends and see the desert American west, but really, compared to these guys, I’m not doing much. It all depends on how you look at things – perspective.

Enjoy more pictures.

On the Chesler Park trail in Needles - Canyonlands.

A trail sign in Chesler Park.

Delicate Arch in Arches National Park, around sunset, from the upper overlook.

Entrance to Zion. What a great day.

On Angel's Landing, scared out of my mind. All I could do was smile and hold on.

Zion overlook. I really got up the courage to stand there. Angel's Landing helped.