Sun, Sand, ER, Moab

Do you like how I just slipped the word ER into the title all sly like.  Haha, just seeing if you are awake.
Thursday night we headed south to Moab for our annual ward campout.  After a late evening of shopping and loading trailers we arrived in Moab at 2AM.  The ward came down Friday, but I wanted a few hours Friday morning to play in the sun before I went into "hostess" mode.   We camped on a tarp under the stars.  It was a beautiful evening and the stars were amazing.

Hiking Bill - Dan isn't fast, Matt is just really slow

Friday we headed to Negro Bill canyon and hiked to Morning Glory Bridge.  I got back to camp and went  mountain  biking with the ward.  We biked Klondike Bluffs which I had done a month earlier with friends.  I was doing so much better than the first time we did that trail.  I kept up with everyone really well and I was more confident on the bike.  Maybe too confident.  Never get cocky, you will be humbled.  Coming down I had to stop (I was following too close behind one rider).  I decided I was doing so well I would jump on my bike on a steep hill instead of walking down to a more level area before getting back on my bike.  I should have listened to the little voice because I quickly stumbled and after an unsuccessful recovery I fell, landing hard on my knees.   There is something funny that happens when your body has an impact like that.  I had already been feeling dehydrated and needing some food, but after I fell I was immediately sick.  I had a headache and my stomach was literally eating itself.  I crashed in the car until we got food at the Moab Brewery (delicious Jack Daniels Burger).  Burgers always revitalize me.  Back at camp Bro Buie got me all cleaned up and had my knees wrapped in ice within 20 minutes.

Knees all bandaged up

Saturday was rafting day.  I wasn't able to do any hiking the rest of the weekend so there was no way I was missing rafting.  We had a great day on the river despite the fact that the wind was so strong and the sun hid behind clouds all morning.  As far as I know no one died. (What I meant to say was everyone survived even though a few people ended up in the river and we all had fun.)

Rapids are fun

Don't be fooled, Buie is mean and mothering

Bro Buie can be very mothering when he wants to be.  After a day of rafting Buie and I headed to the ER for some xrays.  Four xrays, tetanus shot and an ice pack later I was back at camp with no broken bones, just a lot of swelling and bruising.

Check out the view...only by 4-wheel drive

The highlight of my trip was going 4-wheeling with the Carters and Smiths and listening to some new music (new to me).  After cleaning up camp I hopped in the back of Heidi's jeep for an awesome 4-wheeling trail.  The wind was so crazy that when we jumped out of the jeep to take in the views you had to brace yourself so you didn't get sweeped away into the grand canyon of Moab.  The entire drive home I listened to tones of great music who of course I can't remember the names of, but once I find out I'll share.

Mike's Pathfinder only made it after Heidi showed off her wheeling skills

From what I have been told everyone had a great weekend.  I was a little jealous of all the hiking the ward did, but I'm super happy that everyone enjoyed themselves.  I am grateful I was able to be a part of it, but secretly pray I get released before next year. :)

Sunday service and musical number...amazing.  Who says you can't be spiritual and dirty (camping dirt that is)

Real Mountaineering?

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Views from Mt Superior

This is a few weeks late because I was waiting for pics from the guys.  Still no pics, but I wanted to put this up here. 
Ok maybe it isn't Everest, but I got out on the mountain a couple weeks ago to try out alpine mountaineering.  I got myself a straight axe from REI with my dividend, borrowed some boots and packed my crampons.  The day started early, getting out of bed at 5:30 to pack, eat and hit the road so I could meet Glenn and John at the base of LCC at 6:30AM.
The peak for the day, Mt Superior.  It was a really sunny day which meant 20 minutes into the climb we stopped to strip off some layers.  The snow was really soft and wet (don't laugh yes most snow is wet, but this is different then light fluffy powdery snow). We never even put on our crampons because we posted holed the entire route.  Due to the conditions we only climbed about half way to the summit, but it was enough to expose me to some awesome climbing and allow me to have some internal freak outs.
This was my first time doing this style of mountaineering and I will fully admit I was really scared.  We climbed on steep slopes and scrambled over rocks made more difficult by the large mountaineering boots.  I had a constant vision of myself slipping off the face.  I don't think I would have been as scared if there weren't tons of exposed rock popping out of the snow.  If I was just sliding down on snow or ice I could use my axe to stop myself (although that was freaky too...never done a self arrest before that day).  I was more worried one of the large boulders would stop my fall instead of my axe.
The freakiest moment of the day was climbing the knife edge ridge line.  Glenn and John were nice enough to rope up for this section and place protection along the ridge.  I was nervous every step that the snow would collapse beneath me and I would slide down the 70% slopes to either side of my.  I made it across safely and we enjoyed lunch on the only flat section of snow before hiking and glassading down the bowl.
The entire time we were climbing my thoughts were, "What am I doing? This is crazy." or "Don't fall. Don't fall." or "I'm never doing this again.  I just want to get down and never do this again."  I couldn't look around much.  Whenever I looked down I realized how steep the slopes were and immediately felt like I would fall.  So I kept my eyes on my feet and where were going.  But SURPRISE when I got done I was ready to do it all over again.  Next time I'll be less freaked out, but not too much (that is what makes it fun).
Thanks for John and Glenn. They were great company and really coaches.  And if I get more pics I will post them, until then enjoy what few I took (I was too scared to take out the camera too much).

Glenn & John climbing over some rock

This was when I was not scared...see there is a smile

Glenn forgot his axe, but he had no trouble using a replacement (trekking pole)

This was a typical slope angle

I remember this spot well...scared to get out there.

Glenn getting ready...we were about to cross that ridge line

Just so you understand why I was freaked out...look at that angle!!

Goblins of Death

Sweet Pic of Goblin Valley

Last weekend we headed down to Goblin Valley State Park for some good old fashion clean (or should I say dirty...we were camping you know) fun.  It was a great weekend that ended with DEATH.  Well not real death, but maybe just death of Goblin fun.

We are cute

After 2 great hikes thru Little Wild Horse and Ding & Dang we headed into the state park for some romping around in the goblins.  This is where "The Incident" occurred.  Our dear friend Matt slipped and fell while he was trying to climb on a tall goblin.  He fell a total of 20 feet when is fall was finally stopped by his face meeting the red soil.  Luckily he survived (told you there wasn't real death).  He left soon after Tyler cleaned him up and headed to SLC and the hospital for some stitches.  The death part is when after witnessing "the incident" none of us felt much like romping thru the goblins anymore.  We headed back to camp and chatted around the campfire.  The End.  Enjoy the pics from Talena and Mike.

Little scouts, tight canyon, London Bridges

Tbone loves hiking

Little Wild Horse aka Awesome slot canyon

Hiking Ding & Dang (this is Ding)

We think we are funny

Hiking Ding & Dang (this is Dang)

We had to do hardcore stuff like this to climb out of Dang

Valley of the Goblins

Yoga in goblin

Matt getting medical attention

Poor guy but still hardcore

Family photo (minus one of the Mikes)