September 14, 2014Dustin5 Comments

Ups and Downs

As they say some of the best laid plans often go awry and this year we have experienced no less. When our magical bubble popped earlier this year we decided on a few things:

We are down, but we will not be out
Lean on what we know and enjoy best (family, friends, and travel)
If someone pees in your Cheerios, throw it in their face (ok no one said that, but I was tired of cliche quotes)

The point is we are going to make the best of it because the alternative is, rightly so, too damn depressing. For obvious reasons we didn’t want to just be sitting around the house when our expected D-Day was going to arrive. So we got busy planning for the rest of the year on what to expect when you are not expecting.

Taking another glance at our goals for this year and adding a new one once we learned you couldn’t do when expecting (swim with whale sharks), we set out to Zion’s National Park.

Narrows — Quite a difference in water level since our last attempt

Narrows Wall Street — Wall Street – The narrowest spot on the Narrows

Angels Landing and Observation Point — A bottom up look at Angels Landing (left foreground) and Observation Point (middle left)

Switchbacks — Getting to the Landings & Points requires a bit of climbing

Angels Landing Narrow Chains — Perhaps the true Narrows of Zion’s

Angels Landing Arches — Top of Angel’s Landing looking down canyon

Zions Observation Point Yoga — On top of Observation Point you can see Angel’s Landing just below her knee

Angels Landing up canyon — View from Angel’s Landing looking up Canyon towards the Narrows

Scouts Landing — You can see the narrow path just to Angel’s Landing on the left

Downhill Knee Pain — The downs won’t get us down

5 thoughts on “Ups and Downs”

Kim September 14, 2014 — 9:38 am

You guys have the best kind of attitude.

I’m so sad I didn’t get to hike the Narrows when we were in Zion. It rained to much!! It looks incredibly beautiful.

Reply
1. Dustin@WeGoRTW September 14, 2014 — 7:33 pm
  
  Awww thanks Kim.
  
  Yeah our first attempt several years ago was flooded out as well but made us want to return. http://www.wegortw.com/zion-bryce-canyon/
  
  Hope y’all get the Half Dome permit if not wait until after Oct 14th and you won’t need a permit but maybe a safety harness; its easier than it appears. http://www.wegortw.com/cables-down/
  
  Reply
RC @ Allianz Travel September 25, 2014 — 6:18 am

Hi Guys,
Your blog caught my attention! It’s really amazing to read and see what other people shared their experienced in traveling around the world. I traveled too but not like you guys. I am traveling for business trip mostly in Asia, for me traveling is something adventure things to do like what you have posted here. Everyone has their ups and downs but doing something from your comfort zone and exploring new places is something fulfilling for me. I just wish that i will soon experience things like what you guys do.

Reply
1. (Post author)
  
  Dustin Orrick October 29, 2014 — 12:59 pm
  
  Thanks RC, traveling for business is great as they usually pick up the tab. I was lucky enough to see some of Asia that way before our big trip.
  
  Reply
Mark April 17, 2015 — 9:31 am

Before my wife and I left our home in Utah for a year, I went back to Zion with my brother and some friends to visit one last time. We hiked the Zion traverse over three days, crossing the entire park. But I still need to through-hike the Narrows. Looking forward to that this summer when we get home!

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