Guest Blogger - Nick Timmerman!!

So, we started off for Arches National Park this AM!  I had a pretty sleepless night, so as usual, we were hitting the park at prime time for people and heat.  :)  Poor Nick.  We made a trip through to see the arches and they were beautiful, but I just didn't have another day of hiking in me!  So, he dropped me off at the hotel room where I watched murder mysteries and those home shows.  What's wrong w/ people!?  When did granite counter tops become something people could NOT live without??  Also, the things that people can not live without are just amazing to me.  This paint color is hideous!  You're a grown up -- REPAINT it.  :)  I would be a terrible realtor.  People have no imagination.

Anyway -- Nick came home pumped up about his journey through the trails!  He loved the park, so I think he should just tell his story! :)  Have at it honey!

I love it out West.  Big open spaces that let you feel free. The way overused adjective of the trip is "wild."  I need to find a better word but that's just what comes out of my mouth around every turn.  It's not exactly the old Wild West, but there is still plenty of wild to draw me here.  I have to admit though, the wildest thing I've seen is Emie hiking day after day including a hike through a river deep into a canyon.

Arches was beautiful.  Em and I hit it up for a short bit, and then I dropped her off at the hotel and went back for a couple hikes.  I had to do the famous Delicate Arch.  The great thing about it is that it didn't disappoint as famous landmarks sometimes do.  The bad thing is that it is famous enough to draw the masses...dozens of umbrella wielding hikers (a little strange but not unwise); boy with pants ripped down the backside; lot's of sandal wearers and others who underestimated the hike; and many with no water at all (makes me want to write a hiking guide : )  But it was beautiful and everyone was great.  In fact, a woman who had asked aloud whether the hike was worth her life half way up was the life of the party while getting her picture taken under the arch. 

Outside of just sitting and enjoying the view I learned that "cheese" is a universal language.  "Uno, dos, tres...Cheese;" "eins, zwei, drei...Cheese."  It seems that everyone has nice cameras and loves taking pictures, but after you get your shot you gotta sit back and just enjoy being there!  It's more than a picture and it's more than scenery.  For me it's definitely something that I feel in more ways than I could explain.  Besides, I've told Emie that I'm private enough that there are things I don't even share with myself : )  So Em's blog is fun, but a little bit scary at the same time.

Anyway, so far so good.  I've wondered what the best part is, but it's like trying to decide what kind of pizza is best.  They're all good.  My only preference is extra large and that's what it is out here.  And out here is away...and that's good too - to just get away from it all for a while.

Emie under a wildly big arch

Delicate Arch

Landscape Arch

Wild Balancing Rock