Jumped out of a perfectly good airplane this morning. My instructor, Leonard, was also a former aero engineering student, so we had a nice relaxing technical talk about the safety systems and the aircraft capabilities on the way up. Before we slid out the door he said: “whatever happens, I’m coming down with you.” True to his word, we landed safely. Checked another item one off the lifelong to-do list.
Following my foolish tradition of traveling to the desert every summer, I somehow convinced Ruth to hike 15 miles in the 100 degree heat. Because we only had one sturdy pack, I carried the majority of the weight. By the last mile, I acknowledged the justice of her skepticism. Still, the photos speak for themselves.
Hiking in Zion NP
View from our campsite
Ruth is skeptical of hiking
Rattlesnake!
Almost there
Utah!
Dinosaur NP
Ruth finds a dino bone
Buffalo
Buffaloes
Practicing Rustling
Finally got to the mountains!
Alpine Views
Continental Divide
Moose
Meese
Saw the best of South Dakota today: Sioux Falls, 400 miles of I-90, the ur-tourist trap at Wall Drug, the sudden rise of the Badlands from the plains, a decommissioned nuclear missile at the Minuteman National Historical Site, buffalo BBQ in Rapid City, and Mount Rushmore at night. Went for a swim in our hotel pool to relax, only to be told that it was closed to due child vomit ten minutes after we got in. I wondered why it was that color…