Moab Happened

I am determined to post about my most recent Moab trip.

I've been putting it off, because it wasn't what I had hoped (and really wanted) it to be. In fact, it wasn't even that great for me. It was great for everybody else, though, and that's got to count for something.

Our trip started (ridiculously) early; Brooke and I woke up at 2:40(ish) in the morning, so we could shower and get ready, throw our stuff in my trunk, and meet the rest of the crew at Brandi's so we could leave by 3:30. (3:30AM, guys. That is significant! And gross!) Turns out, one member of our crew was a bit late in getting to Brandi's, so we didn't leave until 4:00. (This was annoying, but only because I was on time and ready to roll by 3:30.)

Wow. At the rate I'm going, this post might last for pages. Let me sum up...

Thursday: we checked into the house we rented for the weekend, and some of us took naps while the rest of us (them) got groceries, etc. Then we split into two groups: one for biking, one for rock climbing. I was in the climbing group.

Lyndsey and Vinay set up...

...while we relaxed and watched.

Then Rosie scampered up...

...while NaeDene climbed the other side.

I would be lying if I didn't tell you I was the loudest climber that evening.
I think this was the part of the climb where I said,
"Swearing! Swearing!"
(Please note: I actually said the word "swearing."
And maybe only once did I say an actual swear word that anyone could hear.)

Here we have Keri, basically flying up the rock. Bare foot, even.

 It was both Rose and Keri's first time climbing, and they were both stellar! I have been a couple of times several years ago, and it is every bit as terrifying as I remember. (I'm afraid of heights, you see.)

How lovely is this? I want to say it's the Colorado River...?

After climbing and packing up the gear, we headed back to our cars, where Handsome Rob stubbornly refused to start. (Really, Handsome Rob?! I am trying to allow Moab to redeem itself, and you go and pull something like this?!) Anyway...this started the downward spiral for my Moab trip...but it must be said: my friends are very helpful and fantastic. We got Handsome Rob towed into town (although, during this ordeal, I took away the title "Handsome" and just called him "Rob"), and even got a bit of a police escort once we were within the city limits. Then we headed back home (all six of us squished into Rose's car) and had a late (but delicious) dinner of grilled hamburgers, while we chatted with our biking friends about their ride (which ended up being fun and uneventful. Good for them!).

It was a really good thing that Vinay was there.
(I. Hate. Car stress.)

Our police escort. And you better believe he had a mustache.

 Friday: I had O'Reilly Auto Parts troubleshoot "Rob" to see what was the matter. (It was the cam shaft censor, and they were able to order the part in by Saturday morning.)

Most of the boys went on a ridiculously long and arduous bike ride. The girls (and a few of the fellas) biked the Circle O trail. (I'm not going into detail, but I didn't love this part of the trip, and it's very likely because I just don't care for mountain biking. At all.) I did have a lovely time with Rose, though. We stopped to breathe on a number of occasions, and I just think the world of that lady...

I know it says "end" but we really took this picture at the beginning of our ride.

 Hmm. Now I'm thinking that maybe we had burgers on Friday night, not Thursday. Hmm. Doesn't matter. We had another lovely meal while we chatted, then a handful of us hiked to the Delicate Arch that night.

I had only ever been to the Delicate Arch once before, and it was in the late morning. I really liked the contrast, I must say. (Pictures c/o Tyler. Or, as I like to call him, "Ryan's brother." That's funnier than you understand.)

The Delicate Arch in all her glory...

Night shift...

Yes.

Saturday: Breakfast, a hurried packing of lunch, and heading out to Corona Arch (where a number of my friends defied death and jumped off it on a homemade rope swing--which became an integral part of our trip because of this video.)

The thought of jumping off Corona Arch (or any arch, I'm not prejudiced), puts me in a dark place and makes me want to curse. (Remember how I'm afraid of heights?) But? A number of my friends don't think in terms of fear, but rather in terms of adrenaline. Those are the friends who jumped.

The crew:
Ryan, Rose, Brandi, Jon, Lyndsey, Jason, Brooke, Vinay, Nate, NaeDene,
me, Keri, Tina, Tyler
(Where the heck is Amber? I know Jeff was up top, waiting to swing)

There was another group up there doing the same thing, so I think we (they) combined forces (and gear) and took turns on the swing. It ended up taking, like, all day long. After watching only a few jumps (including Nate and Jeff), Ryan, Rose, Tina and I left. (Tina was getting a ride back to P-town for work the next day, and I had to pick up my cam shaft censor from O'Reilly.) Although I missed seeing the rest of my friends make that horrific jump, I enjoyed a nice warm shower, a nice little nap, and some reading time.

We met up with the rest of the crew that evening at a place called, I think, The Blu Pig, for dinner.

Then we headed back to the house (with Handsome Rob, who decided to start, but I was unsure how well he'd handle the entire drive back to Idaho without some sort of intervention), where Nate and Robby replaced the censor, and we called it a night.

Sunday: We packed up, went to Sacrament Meeting (at a local church), and headed on home.

No issues from Handsome Rob (other than the A/C working horrifically--which has since been fixed).

I came to a decision, while in Moab. I don't hate Moab. Moab hates me. We'll see if time and space can make me want to return? (There were a few other dumb things that happened to taint my opinion of that place.)