Reason for the trip: this guy, Sammy. This week, he is headed to the foreign state of Iowa for the next two years to serve a mission for our church so we had to get the bros together before he left.
I know my husband is an avid outdoorsman, but I had no idea that he is big-time when it comes to canyoneering.
He took us on a couple of really cool hikes. Here's the top of Elephant Butte in Arches National Park. 
The other hike, Dragon Fly, made me hysterical - no joke. I was fine swimming through two freezing pools 
and doing an 80 ft rappel.
But when I had to squirm my way through a slot canyon with my back on one wall, feet on the other and about 15 feet of space to the ground below me only to find a 150 ft drop off rappel at the end, I was no longer fine.
NO WAY JOSE!The thought of putting myself over that cliff by a rope put me at my complete emotional limit. I cried and I nearly hyperventilated. That's what you do when the only way out is down, and you thought you were brave and have been acting all tough, but you're actually afraid of heights.
This is me crying (I tried to give a little smile) while contemplating my downward fate. 
But Ben came to my rescue. He calmed me down and scouted out a way for us to climb out of the canyon without doing the drop. Follow the yellow line in this pic to see our route.
But Ben came to my rescue. He calmed me down and scouted out a way for us to climb out of the canyon without doing the drop. Follow the yellow line in this pic to see our route.
His brothers, who are fearless, did the rappel and said it was pretty cool, but that I would have been really scared doing it. Going up out of the canyon wasn't easy either, even though Ben belayed me up.
Let me tell you, crawling out of a 60 degree angled canyon wall by a rope that is hooked to your husband is quite the bonding experience. Here we are at the top, glad to be out. Yes, those are now my tears of joy that you see here.
We finished the trip with a hike to Delicate Arch. We had a poster of Delicate Arch hanging on the wall of the basement in the house where I grew up. I've always wanted to see it. It's breathtaking!
As for canyoneering, we're going to join a climbing gym so I can practice rappelling. I think I did alright with the first three drops of the day considering that it was my first time rappelling ever. I just freaked out for the last one. It's all about trusting your fall. Trusting your strength. Trusting your ropes and the bolts that hold them into the rock and knowing your physical (and emotional) limits. I think I can do it again.
We finished the trip with a hike to Delicate Arch. We had a poster of Delicate Arch hanging on the wall of the basement in the house where I grew up. I've always wanted to see it. It's breathtaking!
As for canyoneering, we're going to join a climbing gym so I can practice rappelling. I think I did alright with the first three drops of the day considering that it was my first time rappelling ever. I just freaked out for the last one. It's all about trusting your fall. Trusting your strength. Trusting your ropes and the bolts that hold them into the rock and knowing your physical (and emotional) limits. I think I can do it again.
3 comments:
Hahaha, oh my goodness. I know this isn't funny but the pictures of you just make me laugh. You look so sweet and pathetic. But in a good way. :) I love you!! You did more than I could have done.
haha! It's laughable now. I did look pretty miserable.
seething with jealousy. so you know, I've a fear of heights myself, most out of my brothers anyways. I'm sure with a little climbing practice you'll master it like being a brother to Ben made me have to master mine.
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