12/14/22 - Life has never been better.
I've lived in Bishop for more than two years now. It seems that I've landed in a place that suits me perfectly. I have no desire to be anywhere else anytime soon. I feel gratitude every single day for my situation. With world-class outdoor activities just outside of my front door, I live in a place people come from all over the world to visit for a vacation. The peaks of the Eastern Sierra and the White Mountains still tower over the Owens Valley. I try to walk outside early enough to see the sunrise each day and marvel at what's just outside of my house. I sometimes wonder if I'll ever get used to living here.
My self-confidence has skyrocketed this year due to a combination of several things. Paying off the student loan was instrumental. It was a huge goal and I attacked it aggressively and consistently. I love my new apartment, its huge patio and grassy front yard. I did a fair amount of hiking over the summer and attempted some truly difficult hikes such as Gable Lakes, Bishop Pass, North Fork Big Pine Creek and Clouds Rest. I attempted hard shit all year, stuck with my plans and accomplished goals. I've impressed myself on multiple occasions.
I finally understand why my parents love Yosemite National Park so much and why they consistently spend weekends there and hike there so much. They used to drag me to Yosemite in my childhood and teen years, but it was a chore to spend a whole day several hours away from home. I'm now 32 years old. I get a rush of excitement each time I pass through the eastern or western gate into the park. Yosemite is a wonderland. It's paradise, to such a degree that I pinch myself that I live close enough to visit several times a year. Some people will never visit Yosemite. Others will only get one chance to see the splendors of the Sierra.
This year I hiked Clouds Rest, Glenn Aulin, Lembert Dome, Upper Cathedral Lake, Dog Lake, and ventured into Yosemite Valley for a short visit, all in the summer. I've seen a lot of the park, but it's still a tiny fraction of all Yosemite has to offer.
I haven't done much traveling outside of eastern California, but I did fly to Alabama and Georgia for a long weekend to visit an old friend. I also spent a lot of time this year daydreaming about traveling to certain places within the United States, like Glacier National Park, Badlands National Park, Arches National Park, Vermillion Cliffs National Monument, or outside the states, like Uluru in Australia. One of my daydreams was to hike to The Wave, a red-orange sandstone geological feature on the north side of Vermillion Cliffs, near the Utah border. To do this hike, one much enter a lottery through the Bureau of Land Management for a chance to win a permit. For some people, this process takes years. For me, it only took about three months, perhaps because I accidentally applied for Friday, January 13 as one of the days I wanted to hike, among two others.
I was supposed to learn of the results of my entry on October 1, the same day I hiked Clouds Rest with mom and dad. That epic endeavor, combined with our campsite on the west side of the park, put us out of cell range, so I did not have access to my email. On Sunday morning after waving goodbye to the parents, I decided to make a visit to Yosemite Valley. On the way down there, I noticed that my phone had weak cell reception, so I decided to check my email. In the brief moment when I did have cell reception, one word appeared that sent an electric shock through my body.
"Congratulations!"
I screamed inside my car. I had actually won a permit to hike to The Wave! This meant I would be able to embark on one of my fantasy road trips through Utah and Arizona!
Entering Yosemite Valley and being dwarfed by its towering granite cliffs usually makes me burst out in laughter. Along with the news that I would soon see an incredible geological feature, I felt as if I had drank an entire pot of coffee. I was high on life.
Fast forward a couple of months. The road trip will happen about three weeks from now. I have this feeling in the back of my mind and my gut that this adventure will be one of the greatest things I will have done in my life. I have two weeks off from work, so that will give me plenty of time to enjoy the road. The first week is taking shape. My first major stop will be Valley of Fire State Park, just outside of Las Vegas, NV. From there, I'll head to Page, AZ where I'll join a tour of Upper Antelope Canyon, a world famous slot canyon. After the tour concludes, I'll drive to Monument Valley within the Navajo Nation, where I intend to watch a sunrise and sunset in that stunning landscape. After I get my fill there, I'll head to Kanab, UT and then eventually The Wave.
After seeing The Wave, the road trip is wide open. All I have is a list of places to see: Canyonlands National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Arches National Park, Dead Horse Point State Park, Goblin Valley State Park, Hanksville, Utah State Route 12, and whatever else catches my eye. This will be a photography road trip. I expect to take thousands of photos and see awesome shit with my own eyes, things I've only ever seen in books or on the Internet.
12/31/22 - I've begun watching weather reports for southern Utah and northern Arizona. The only thing in the forecast is partly cloudy days with highs in the 40s. In the week leading up to my hike to The Wave, there is only partly cloudy forecasts. This means there won't be much snow on the ground, if any, during my drive in and the hike. I can definitely imagine ice on the trail though.
However, I think I'll still rent a Jeep in Kanab, UT to help me get to the Wire Pass trailhead. That dirt road off Utah State Route 89 is about 10 miles long and from what I hear, can be quite messy in wet weather. In dry conditions, I could possibly navigate it in my car; I don't want to take that chance. It is recommended to take a high-clearance vehicle on that road at the very least. The Jeep will guarantee that I reach my destination.
I'm ready for the road trip. I'm prepared. I know the hiking route I want to take. I'll have warm clothes to help me stay out there all day. Plenty of food and water. Of course, I'll take the camera.
Time to see some amazing things with my own eyes and feel joy and wonder.
