Strength

Last week, Steve and I had the incredible opportunity to hike Havasupai Canyon, along with my parents, my four youngest siblings, and a few aunts, uncles, and cousins.  For those of you who don't know, Havasupai Canyon is an offshoot of the Grand Canyon (which means that, yes, I did get to see the Grand Canyon and accomplish #7 on my list!), and involves a 10-mile hike in to a campsite at Havasupai Falls, which are gorgeous beyond description.  

So, since I can't describe the gorgeousness, you're going to get a lot of pictures (thanks to my aunt Lisa, who took the majority of these!) 

We drove up and camped up at Hilltop (the trailhead) the night before so we could leave early enough to do the majority of the hike down in the shade.  We left at 4:00 and ended up getting  to the actual campsite at around 9:00, after a LONG break at Supai, the Native American village in the bottom of the canyon. 

Mooney Falls was another hike about 2 miles further than Havasupai Falls, and it included a CRAZY steep rock-climbing section where you had to literally hold on to chains, climb down ladders, and climb through tunnels.
I learned something about myself on this trip--my fear of heights has gotten a little ridiculous.
I used to be pretty fearless--there's a creek close to my hometown where the youth used to go cliff-diving quite often, and I remember as a teenager jumping off the second-highest cliff with little to no trepidation--but as I've aged, I've developed a fear of heights that has gotten more intense the older I've gotten.  In college, I specifically remember having a bit of a breakdown as I was walking across a fallen log that was crossing a ravine, and since then, any time I'm even near a cliff, I get a little bit freaked out.  So, as you can imagine, on this trip--I was kind of a nervous wreck!! 

The entire time we were climbing down this last, steep section, I was on the verge of hyperventilating.  It was, quite frankly, one of the most terrifying experiences I have ever had.  But, thankfully, there were so many people climbing down behind me (obviously in single file) that I had no time for a full-blown panic attack, so I had two choices--either go down, despite my intense fear, or make a good 15 people (some in my group, some not) sit and wait for the one crazy girl to freak out. 
And, when it came time to climb out, I wish I could say that I was much more calm and collected--but I've resolved to tell the truth on my blog, so I'll just say that only one person actually saw me start crying--the rest of our group just heard it.  Once again, however, I had two choices--stop and freak out like I really, REALLY wanted to, or keep climbing up and finish the hike.
Honestly, though, it felt good to face my fear and to know that somewhere deep inside me, I had the strength to conquer it--and if I had the chance to hike that hike again, I would totally do it.

P.S.--remember the post about my blindingly white, unshapely legs I wrote a few weeks ago?  To the top, you'll get an AWESOME view of them--I'm the one in the blue shorts with the backpack.  Yes, terribly flattering shot, I know, but I wanted proof of the fact that I did it.  It looks way less intense in the pictures, by the way.

 

 

Havasupai Falls was definitely my favorite.  There were a lot of little pools and shallow areas to play in, and Steve and I had a blast swimming, soaking our sore feet, and not having to worry about whether or not any of our children were on the verge of drowning.

We were lucky enough to have an awesome neighbor who was willing to watch our children for the entire three nights and four days that we were gone--and I'm so grateful.  This hike is not child-friendly.

In fact, we passed a family on our way up who had brought their young daughters--one looked around six-ish, and the other couldn't have been any older than two or three.  Watching the older one exhaustedly hanging on her mom's arm and the younger one bawling the entire time made me SO glad we didn't bring our children.

Not only would I have been a nervous wreck the entire time, between the heights and the water, but we may not have made it out of that canyon alive.  That hike back up is TOUGH, and having to carry/drag someone else out of it might just have killed me.

I was grateful for such an intense training regimen as Steve and I climbed out of the hike--the majority of the hike back up is actually pretty flat, but the last two miles are steep switchbacks, and after you've already hiked 8 miles, the last two are pretty exhausting.  I was proud of our group, though--everyone, from the 11-year-old to the 50+-year-olds, made it!

The reason we all were able to go was to celebrate my parents' 30th wedding anniversary--Mom and Dad hiked Havasupai for their honeymoon, and although they'd always wanted to go back, they never were able to, till now--and they decided to let us all tag along.  Isn't that kind of them?



Happy anniversary, Mom and Dad!!  You two sure know how to throw a party!

So, this post is a tribute to strength and the rewards that come from exercising that strength.  Whether it's having the strength to build a strong marriage through difficulties, the strength to hike 10 miles into the desert, or the strength to conquer your fears--the rewards are always, ALWAYS worth it.

 Thanks for one of the best trips ever.  I can't wait to do it again!