The Vibram Experiments - Part 2 - Angel's Landing

Hey there everybody! I'm back with another grand adventure! This morning I decided to put my new goofy shoes to the test and hike Angel's Landing in Zion. If you got too scared by the rappelling pics, you might want to stop scrolling - Dallin, you might to triple unpeel you eye lids. Without further delay, here are some cheesy cell phone (didn't bring the good camera) pics for you eye balls to feast upon:

Here's what Angel's Landing looks like from the ground

Looking off a little more than half way up.

Taking a sit and chill break just a little before the top.

A view looking back on were I'd come from (you hike right along the ridge next to the cliff).

Here it is! The top! (insert ominous choir sounds here)

Ridiculous self portrait attempt #1 (Unsuccessful)

Ridiculous self portrait attempt #2 (Semi-successful)

Looking over the edge from the top.

Some nice European girls played "You take my picture, I'll take yours." with me. This is the result.

You made it! And you're in one piece. You didn't fall! You and I are now both better people.

And there you have it! The thrills, the chills, the smiles, the feet. Thanks for coming along with me on the pictorial reenactment. I sure have had fun. How about you?

P.S.- I did the whole hike in 2.5 hours (total up and down). I share this fact with you because it makes me feel special. And hardcore. And..... I guess that's it.

The Vibram Experiments - Part 1 - Rappelling

So I'm planning on doing a canyoneering hike in Kolob Canyon in a few months with Kevan (a coworker of mine). It will consist of rappelling down waterfalls, jumping off cliffs, swimming, lots of hiking and a rope climb up a 400 foot cliff to get out. Exciting much? Yes.

Well Kevan invited us to do a practice run at Red Cliffs today and I thought it would be the perfect opportunity for us to test out our new Vibrams (funky monkey toe shoes). All I can say is that they are fantastic! They grip the rocks unbelievably well and really make it fun.

And guess what? We took pictures! Go figure. Here they are. Look at them. Now. If you're not scared.Me on top of a cliff. Do I look good?

Here I go.

Aaaawwww. Look at Meisha in here funky monkey feet. :)

She's so hardcore. Notice the little people standing on the road below. It give a good idea of how high we were.

Meisha. Workin' it like a pro.

Hey! This is fun? Who woulda thought?

Still so hardcore.

About 2/3 of the way down.

Did I just come down that?

Practicing the rope climb. I was tired after 10 feet. On the big hike I get to do 400. Workout time anyone?

Trying to look like a pro rock climber. Did it work?

That's it. Thanks for looking.

4 AM Rant?

I would.

If I could.

But I'm tired.

So I'm going to bed.

This is all you get.

Good night.

Or morning?

:P

PLUS:

Check out the band playing on my playlist.

They're called Agalloch.

I like em.

However,

If you're going to listen to the song,

You must have at least a 9 minute attention span.

OR

You must open a new tab and allow the song to play

While you sooth your ADD.

With me.

And the song.

Don't worry.

We'll get through it together.

It'll be OK.

2 AM Rant

I am lost, but not. I know where I'm going. I just don't know the path to get there. Everything feels so right and everything feels so wrong all at the same time. I love my life and hate it. I want to live and I want to die.

I don't know who "I" am, and I know exactly who "I" am. I know that not knowing is ok and actually much closer to knowing the true self than constantly "searching" for who "I" am and what the label "I" represents. I comfortable with that idea.

I don't want to know who "I" am anymore, I just want to be. The problem I'm having is that I find myself not enjoying being far too often. I feel the reason for that is because I don't want to be who or where I am now, but I want to be somewhere or something else as I don't find the present moment enjoyable.

So the times when I don't enjoy the present moment and the times when I'm not actually in it.

In order to go where I am going, I need to be where I am. There is no other way to get there. I'm realizing that I've spent a large majority of my life living in the future (the past too, but the future is where I spend most my time). I create some great big idea or concept or goal and tell everyone I'm going to do this or that or be here or there. I spend so much time "going to" that I never get there.

This time, I want to get there. This time I will get there. If it kills me, I will get there. I'm understanding that the only way to do that is to take charge of the present moment and accept that I am where I am and I cannot change that without action.

Action - I just looked up "action" in the dictionary because I felt an overwhelming need to. The first definition for action is something done (usually as opposed to something said). Appropriate? Yes.

So I have a new creed when it comes to creating my future. Talk means nothing. Talk is simply sounds jumbled together to describe an idea. Written words are just shapes jumbled together to describe an idea. Action changes present and affects future. If I don't like my present situation, I need to act on it.

I'm tired of sitting around waiting for myself to get it.

Manwaring Family Weekend!

Free website - Wix.com

The Ponchos Were My Favorite

So I had a birthday and got older. In honor of the annual celebration of the day of my birth, Meisha and I spent a lovely afternoon in Zion. I thought I'd share a few of those wonderful memories with you here. But first, we also took a (very) quick visit to Snow Canyon on Sunday. Those pics come first. Be patient. There aren't too many. Then you get to enjoy staring at the wholesome goodness that was our Zion birthday happy fun time afternoon.

Petrified Sand Dunes in Snow Canyon. You can walk all over them. Hehe.

Meisha smiling =)

After Meisha smiled, she decided she didn't want to anymore.

But I found an egg. This made everything better. It had 2 quarters (50 cents) in it. I kept the quarters. I actually found a few more eggs with some delicious chocolate candies in them. I left them so someone else could enjoy the chocolates. I decided not to be greedy and only enjoy the money.

As a result of my generosity, the Karma Gods bestowed upon me the finding of another great gift- a beautiful Barbie comb. I beautified my hair and left this for another happy stranger to find as well. Ah, I love me some good karma.

and now....

the moment you've been waiting for...

Zion.

We started off by walking down a trail. My mom gave us directions, but either they weren't any good, or we (I) can't take directions. Either way we found some neat things on the trail. I've decided to share some of those things in the pictures below. Read on.

I'm not sure if you would call the thing I have for trees a fetish or an obsession. By the dictionary defintion, I guess I would say obsession.

Meisha took a moment to look at the big rocks. I took a moment to take her picture.

Then I decided to test out the timer function on the camera. Looks like it worked.

I found a creepy little tree/bush off the side of the trail. I decided that the best thing to do with this creepy tree/bush was to crouch under it and look creepy. So I did.

We were both feeling quite poopy, and almost left. We decided instead to suck it up and go hike Emerald Pools. It's a good thing we did. Things got better from there.

It's hard to look gansta and kissy-faced all at the same time, but somehow we pulled it off.

This is us... looking super cool under a waterfall at Lower Emerald Pools.

This is what Meisha looks like when she takes a break.

This is what I look like when I take a break.

So I was in the process of taking a super awesome ominous dark and cloudy cliff action picture when a rain drop came along and screwed it all up.

I decided to show Meisha "My Spot" at the Middle Emerald Pools. We decided it was prime time for yet another photo opportunity.

This is the trail leading to The Grotto. We were going to do that hike too, but we decided that we'd save it for another trip. We got an annual pass and didn't want to burn up all the good hikes too quickly =)

This is us... standing in the rain.

This is me... standing on a tree. As happy as can be. Can't you see?

Meisha decided the best thing to do at this particular moment would be to show off her rainy hair-do. So she did. And I took a picture. Here it is. Do you like it? I do.

Then we hiked up to the Upper Emerald Pools. At these pools, water falls. It falls off of rocks. It lands on the ground. It gathers into a pool. The pool is green (or emerald). Now you know. Go there some day. See for yourself. Or don't. It's up to you.

In this picture we are standing atop a rather large cliff. Looking hardcore. Because we are. Hardcore. And then we hiked some more.

These people don't know it, but I snapped some super top secret cell phone pics of them. Because I loved their ponchos. There were lots of people who seemed to be very scared of the slight drizzle of rain coming down upon us. Maybe they thought it would get worse. Maybe they thought they just looked cool. Maybe there was a guy standing at the bottom of the trails with gold teeth and he would open up his trench coat to reveal a plethora of ponchos in all shapes, sizes and a variety of colors. Maybe this man made a lot of money from these unsuspecting tourists. Maybe he didn't. Maybe.

The ponchos were my favorite.
P.S. If this just wasn't enough fun for you, maybe you'll have fun looking at the --->ENTIRE ALBUM<--- from the day. (For those of you who need help, you have to click the words between the ---> and the <--- to go there. They're in red. You can't miss 'em. Try it. You'll have fun. It's better than Christmas.

Just one "Must Have"

It's not all that often that I come across a particular thing that I feel like I absolutely tremendously desire. The above item is one such thing. These have to be the coolest shoes I have ever seen. I am definitely going to find a way to get these. Seriously, how can you not want a pair?

Thank you! Thank you!

I had a birthday gift show up in the mail yesterday. Meisha said it wasn't supposed to get here so soon, but she was so excited, she couldn't wait and keep the secret, so she had me open it. Inside was this book from my dear friends. I'm so ridiculously excited to read this and oogle the amazing pictures of Alex Grey for hours on end. So THANK YOU THANK YOU Dallin and Nadya! It means a lot to me.

Life, Death and Rebirth

Here are a few things I've discovered lately:

1. I died
2. I have been very lost and confused.
3. I have been wandering in post-death contemplation without realizing that I've been contemplating post-death.
4. I haven't been born yet.
5. To be born, I must enter a parallel reality.
6. My life and my death have been specifically designed to prepare me for entrance into this parallel reality.
7. This reality has shown itself to me. And it feels fantastic just to think about.

I printed our passport applications today.

No more waiting.....

I am prepared to live.

Now.