Selfie Stick

It seems experience has been eclipsed
by the proving of experience
we are no longer concerned
with wonder or adventure
but only with the ability
to have others observe us
in wonder or adventuring
hundreds of visitors see the surrounding beauty
only through their screens
incessantly documenting
but neglecting to actually be
where they are
reveling not in the majestic canyons
but in the anticipation
of the coming praise and envy
they expect to elicit
via their preferred digital attention farm
if Gaia were to kill us all
in an ecstatic rockslide
I could not fault her
so obstinate are we
in capturing her image
not out of gentle joy or grateful pleasure
but out of a perverse desire to possess
for the sole purpose of proving
in this our corrupting modern age
there is nothing more hubritic than the selfie.

The Bones Of Ymir

Before the beginning
there was the void,
the world of fire,
and the world of ice.
Where the three met
there formed the first being, Ymir.

Then came the gods, the Aesir.
Odin, their leader, and his brothers slew Ymir.

From Ymir's flesh they made the earth,
from the blood the sea,
from the hair the trees,
from the skull the sky,
and from the bones the mountains.
Thus the world was made.

Walking through this silent plain
I cannot help but give thanks
to that primordial giant
on whose flesh I tread
and on whose bones I gaze
in veneration.

Kolob Canyon

Golden grass

  red rocks

Bleached trunks

  whipping wind

Creeping creek

  canyon cliffs

Desert dunes

  and only us

  to share it.

Lance The Legend

The ropy cowboy
tells us he spent time
in Chicago in the 80's
working at Arlington,
tells us he once paid off
a cop with a twenty
to get out of a speeding ticket,
asks us about The Fridge
as if all Chicagoans know
the fate of our champion '85 Bears,
bizarre to feel so at home
riding horses along the Virgin river
as the painted cliffs of Zion surround us
in impassive solidarity.

Last Day At Zion

Last full day in Zion today, head out tomorrow morning for Vegas for the fly back. Went on a longer hike on the East Rim Trail for most of the morning, rolling desert surrounded by colorful crags, had the trail mostly to ourselves. In the afternoon we took one final spin around the park in the shuttle and walked around a bit saying our goodbyes. Capped it off with dinner at the tried and true Subway.

Coming into this I was somewhat apprehensive about how crowded the park would be because that's the warning in basically every review or write up. And it certainly was well attended even at the end of October but it seemed like most people were only there to do the two most well known hikes, Angel's Landing and The Narrows, and quite frankly most of the people weren't rude exactly but certainly weren't particularly friendly. A stark difference than most of the National Parks we've been to as far as the culture. It was more tourist destination than natural sanctuary. Which is fine, the park service needs the exposure, but the relief for me was that with a little research we could go off the beaten path, and be virtually alone. No matter where you are the park is breathtaking, vast, and stirring. There's an serene enormity to it, a graceful yet daunting beauty, that's really moving. Nicole and I had a wonderful time, we did a bit more planning this year and struck the perfect balance of activities and longer exertions. It's always nice to get away from work, get out of the city, but this was particularly needed and particularly special.

Ghost Town

After yesterday we took it pretty easy today, went to the Grafton ghost town which is a half hour or so outside the park. Pretty picturesque and eerie. We were the only visitors for most of the morning so that certainly enhanced the experience. In the afternoon we went on one of the more sedate hikes in the park, the paved trail that leads up to the Narrows.

Kolob Canyon Hike

Went to the Northern significantly less traveled part of the park today, Kolob Canyon, for our big hiking day. Made it pretty close to the Kolob Arch but had to turn back because we were losing daylight and the temp was dropping, did about 12 miles in all. Both of us were pretty burnt out by the end but it was gorgeous and felt great to push ourselves.

First Day In Zion

Nicole and I are spending the week in Zion National Park. Flew into Vegas yesterday and drove up towards the end of the afternoon. Today we hiked up most of the Angel's Landing trail then cut in towards the Zion interior for a couple miles. Really breathtaking. Went horseback riding(Nicole's first time) in the afternoon led by this aging grizzled cowboy Lance and took a guided tram tour at dusk with Zion enthusiast and retiree Jane. All in all an incredible day.