Take that Timp!

Earlier this summer I set a goal to hike Mt. Timp before it got too cold. Friday evening I found out I didn't have to work on Saturday so I decided it was time to go for the big hike. I started at Midnight in hopes of reaching the top to see the sunrise. I walked alone for the entire way, using only a flashflight and the sometimes just the moonlight, and followed the trail. Here is a picture of me before the hike, its not a very flattering shot, but you can see here that I am still bright eyed and chipper.

The first three hours of the hike were wonderful. The moon was out but it was foggy down in the valley above Heber. It made the mountains look very mystical, I felt like I was in a King Arthur movie. I wish I could have taken a picture of it, but it was too dark. A picture could never have captured how truly amazing it was anyway.

At about 5 am, I was scrambling over what appeared to be a big pile of rocks with a steep drop-off into a seemingly endless pit of darkness on one side. I didn't even know if I was going in the right direction anymore. I got really discouraged and almost turned back, but instead I just sat down on a rock, called my mom, and took a nice break while I chatted with her. After a little while I decided that I was so close I must go on! Here is a picture I took of the rock pile on my way down, or as I nicknamed it, Satan's Rocky Hell. Imagine having to climb over these in the dark with no real trail to follow and only a flashlight. You can see my displeasure here.

An hour and a half and many many rests later, I made it to the top, muscles aching so badly I didn't know how I would ever make it back down. I reached the top just before 7 a.m. Just in time to snag this picture of the sunrise before it was covered by clouds again.

A nice man at the top took a picture of me standing at the little shack that's at the very top of the mountain. I don't quite look so chipper anymore. Notice the fashionable outfit? Blue pants, red coat, one black glove, one pink, yep, I was working it. Some random guy told me my pants made me look like a blue beacon coming down the trail, hahah, awkward!!!

Last of all, here is a shot from above of what I had to climb in the dark. I had no idea it looked like this until I was on my way down.

All in all, it took me 6 1/2 hours to climb to the top, I sat up there for a good hour and a half having a rest, and then it took me another 4 1/2 hours to get back down. I started just after midnight and got back just after noon. It was a long 12 hours and I'm still undecided as to whether it was worth it or not. But at least now I can say that I climbed Timp.

My First Rodeo

I didn't take any pictures, but last weekend I finally went and saw my first rodeo. It was amazing. My favorite part was definitely the bull riding, although the mutton-bustin' was pretty sweet too. I wish I could have ridden a sheep when I was 4.
So I just realized that the bull riding was not my favorite part, the cowboys were. I don't think I saw a bad looking one among them. And they all looked very handsome in their hats, boots, and of course, tight jeans with giant belt buckles. I have a weakness for a good belt buckle, well, unless your are Mac Davis and wear a belt buckle set with turquoise .