“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
-Ferris Bueller

That ↑ was my senior quote in high school.
Ferris Bueller, you’re my hero. I actually ditched so much school that I almost wasn’t able to graduate. I believe in enjoying life. Luckily Donovan has a flexible work schedule, because I often convince him to take the afternoon off work so we can have fun.

“How can I possibly be expected to handle school on a day like this?”
-Ferris Bueller

Life with me is a spontaneous adventure. Yesterday, I got Donovan to leave work early and we spent the day in Zion National Park. We rode our bikes, ate lunch, played in the river, admired wildflowers, did some yoga… a chill day with epic views!

The question isn’t “what are we going to do,” the question is “what aren’t we going to do?”
-Ferris Bueller

We could all learn a lot from Ferris Bueller. Let’s all live life more fully.

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“You’re still here? It’s over! Go home. G0.”
-Ferris Bueller

Padre Canyon. 

Someone told me long ago
There’s a calm before the storm
I know it’s been comin’ for some time
When it’s over so they say
It’ll rain a sunny day
I know shinin’ down like water
– Creedence Clearwater Revival

Hiking is great. I like hiking. Hiking is even better when those around you have good etiquette! Now I’m not really one for rules, so here are 10 “suggestions” of ways to have good trail etiquette. 

1. Leave No Trace
Don’t litter. Leave the place looking better than when you arrived. 

2. Talk Quietly
Trust me, not everyone wants to hear drama, obnoxious screams, and vulgarity etc. Use your indoor voice while outside (haha) so we can all enjoy the birds singing and the sound of trees dancing in the wind.

3. No Smoking
Smoking is banned in most National & State Park areas, smoking increases the risk of forest fires, AND most people *gasp* actually want to enjoy the fresh air, not secondhand smoke.

4. No Loud Music
I love music, I really do! But usually not when I’m out hiking. It distracts from being connected with nature. If you really need to jam, try using this magical thing called headphones, or at the very least, turn your backpack speakers to a lower volume. 

5. Don’t Hog the Trail 
Be courteous and let others pass. If you are hiking in a group, hike in a single file line instead of forcing others off the trail.

6. Don’t Disturb or Harm Plant or Wildlife
Do your best to stick to trails and avoid stomping on plants. Don’t feed or scare wildlife.

7. Pet Responsibility 
Keep your dog on a leash when others are around. Dogs can easily spook horses and wildlife, some people are seriously afraid of dogs, and other’s hiking with their dogs will appreciate it. For your pet’s safety too it’s a good idea. Also, pick up their poop.

8. Respect Other Photographers
At populated view points, get your shot and then step aside so others have the opportunity to snap some cool pics too.

9. Be Friendly
Smile, say hi, help others out when they are in need… You know, basic human kindness.

10. Try Going Electronic Free
Do yourself a favor and occasionally put down the electronics. Allow yourself to take it all in, meditate, and enjoy nature without distractions.

“All you need is Mother Earth, Father Sky, and your dear old Uncle Tony.”
– Tony Perkis, Heavy Weights

“One does not simply walk into Mordor.
Its Black Gates are guarded by more than just Orcs.
There is evil there that does not sleep, and the Great Eye is ever watchful.
It is a barren wasteland, riddled with fire and ash and dust,
the very air you breathe is a poisonous fume.
Not with ten thousand men could you do this. It is folly.”
– Boromir, The Lord of the Rings

The lava tubes at Snow Canyon State Park are types of caves that were created by lava. There are a few different trails you can take to get the lava tubes. To get there you can take the Butterfly trail, the Lava Flow trail, or string together a few different connecting trails like we did if you want a longer hike. It’s a bit spooky exploring inside the caves. I felt like I was in Mordor. If you check these out, make sure you take the necessary safety precautions and don’t forget flashlights/headlamps!

“Now that she’s back in the atmosphere
With drops of Jupiter in her hair,
She acts like summer and walks like rain
Reminds me that there’s time to change,
Since the return from her stay on the moon
She listens like spring and she talks like June”
– Train

Walking through ancient lava fields, alongside a creek bed, and into a serene canyon where the echo of hawks is amplified off the sandstone walls. An impressive 200 foot arch sprawls above us. Johnson Canyon is a paradise in the desert.

Johnson Canyon is located just outside the fee area of Snow Canyon State Park in Utah. It’s a short two mile hike that is pretty easy and very beautiful. You must hike this in the fall/winter though because the trail is closed every year from March 15 to September 14.

I’ve been trying to be consistent with posting on this blog as well as on instagram, but I do have strings of time where I go AWOL. I miss my mom. When waves of grief engulf me, it feels paralyzing. I withdraw and lose motivation to keep up with everything in life. I do eventually pick myself up and keep pushing forward. Please just hang in there with me when I momentarily disappear.

The lead singer of Train, Patrick Monahan, lost his mother to cancer too. The opening lines of Drops of Jupiter came to him in a dream. He said, “The process of creation wasn’t easy. I just couldn’t figure out what to write, but then I woke up from a dream about a year after my mother passed away with the words ‘back in the atmosphere…It was just her way of saying what it was like – she was swimming through the planets and came to me with drops of Jupiter in her hair.”

“Tell me did the wind sweep you off your feet
Did you finally get the chance to dance along the light of day
And head back to the milky way
And tell me, did Venus blow your mind
Was it everything you wanted to find
And did you miss me while you were looking for yourself out there”
– Train