Kickstart to Summer!

We took a week to enjoy some SUNSHINE before school started . . . 

It was time to pack up our skis, snowboards, poles, boots, and winter clothes. Although some of us were not quite ready to put them away (Jedd and Shae!), we left the beautiful state of Wyoming knowing that we have many more white winters ahead.

After shedding some layers, we took off for Moab, Utah, to do some hiking, climbing, and biking!

When we stopped in Provo to do our grocery shopping we met up with Laura, just to say hi. After an hour of picking out our goodies and planning our steak and potato dinners, Laura announced that the excitement in the air was too much and she was going to have to tag along. 

Needless to say, she completed the group! We became a rowdy group of six, a bunch of friends ready to have some fun!

Biking in Moab is a blast. We are on the famous Slick Rock trail (it is actually a designated trail, did you know?) If you ever go to Moab it is something you should do! We peddled up, we skidded down, we laughed, we held our breath, we cheered, and we were grateful to reach the end alive and still smiling.

The following picture has quite a story to go with it. If you look closely you can see a dotted white line. You will also notice that all of these bikers are following that white line. I am the very last biker in the upper left corner. Now look at the 4th biker. If that biker were to not follow the white line and go straight, you would see the path that I took. It wouldn't have been so bad if I hadn't been going mock speed and been taken by surprise. I hit that small double drop with a terrified look on my face and a feeling in my gut that this was about to hurt. I set my buttocks as low as I could behind my seat and braced myself. When I hit the drop, my bum hit my back tire with some force and my tire zipped those cute little shorts right down ! Not only was I now spandex-less (well, halfway down), but I continued to bounce down the rock trying to keep my balance, peddles smashing knees and all. And to put a cherry on top, not a soul in the group saw it! It left me with a good story to tell for a good laugh and a few great bruises and sore knees.

Canyoneering is a sport where you use your elbows, knees, hips, back, and feet to get through extremely small or steep spaces. It's like a park but for an adult! A giant jungle gym with tons of things to climb on, hang from, run through, and hide in.  

AddaLea (the 7 year old future exum guide below) convinced us that we were princess indians, fighting to survive from the reign of the evil cowboy men. We roamed the land, known far and wide as Feather Light, Sunshine, Ride Wild Horse, and Flower Bloom. We painted our faces and decorated our hair with the leaves and flowers of the land. After a long and hard battle, we were finally captured by the terrible cowboy white men. Below is where they held us captured above a frightening high ravine. AddaLea is refusing to give in, showing us her strong spirit and her will to never give up, haha. 

It was way fun to have the imagination of a 7 year old around to spark our memories and bring out the 'kid' part of us that we never truly want to let go of. I never want to grow up!

The week came and went. We made it through with only a few scrapes and bruises, some really bad sunburns, and maybe a few more smile wrinkles. 

P.S. We missed all of you who couldn't come (ehhemm, Ster and Mitch! Jessica! Wes and Spence! Megan and Drew! India and Shane, and all other family and friends!). Good thing we have tons more adventures to go on!