Super Slow Motion Lightining Strike= Cool!

A Taste of Zion in the Form of Angel's Landing

That's a brief video I took when we (my mom, Ned, Wes, Rob, Laura and me) reached the pinnacle of Angel's Landing in Zion National Park during our family trip in June (everyone else stayed back at the camp for various reasons). The photos I took are better at illustrating the grandeur of the hike, but I just happened to have uploaded this video first, the photos will come later.

There is no way to sufficiently describe this hike, but suffice to say that it's one of the most thrilling and scary things I've ever done in my life due to the dizzying, sheer cliffs that drop off on either side of the trail at times.



Here's a description I found of the hike online:

"The Angels Landing Trail is one of the most famous and thrilling hikes in the national park system. Zion's pride and joy runs along a narrow rock fin with dizzying drop-offs on both sides. In complete contrast to the level Zion Narrows trail, the route to Angels Landing, one of the high mountains of Zion National Park, ascends 1,500 feet over a distance of 2.5 miles to the slickrock summit, which is ringed on three sides by the Virgin River far below and has amazing views in both directions up and down the canyon. The a perch boasts magnificent views in every direction. Rarely is such an intimidating path so frequented by hikers. One would think that this narrow ridge with deep chasms on each of its flanks would allure only the most intrepid of hikers. Climbers scale its big wall; hikers pull themselves up by chains and sightseers stand in awe at its stunning nobility. The towering monolith is one of the most recognizable landmarks in the Southwest and is generally considered the best high elevation viewpoint in the park. The round trip can be done in less than 2 hours, though the NPS suggest 4 hours is the average time [we did the hike up in about 2 hours]."

The chains are a must during portions of the hike:



I will be doing a "mega post" with all of the photos and videos we took during our 4 day stay in the beautiful park, but I'm trying to find all of the photos I took when I went up to Utah for my cousins Christianne's wedding in May which have disappeared (I think they're on my external drive).

How "scary" is it? Well, if you keep one foot in front of the other and think clearly, it's not THAT bad, but I think this photo shows how crazy it actually is:

$664...for gas!

Yes, that's right...$664.43

That's exactly how much money we spent on gas during the month of July. We did take two trips: one to San Luis Obispo and another to San Diego, but other than that our driving was to work, to visit friends and family, and the normal day-to-day driving to run errands, shop, etc. I think it's time to attack Venezuela. Did you know it costs about $1.50 to fill up a TEN GALLON TANK in Venezuela right now?

Now, although this is difficult for us, we're not naive; we understand that we could drive less, we could stop eating out -not that we do so very often- and have more money for gas, etc. but one has to admit that compared to a year ago, gas is $&%# expensive!

I Love This Picture

I didn't create this image, it's been around for some time. A kid in a tux holding a sewing machine and a UPS truck in a ditch. So, what's your explanation?

Summer Sampler

Here are some photos from April's graduation and then just a bunch of pictures from June. There a few we took on our way to Zion. The Zion photos will come later this week.


Carter crawled into his drawer and got stuck. We thought it was hilarious, he didn't. With the abuse it's taken, it's no wonder this dresser currently sits in front of our house in pieces.


April at her graduation. Go Apes!










Belly button gazin' at its finest.










April, my mom (Annette), Sarah & Claire

PYRO

Carter and I had been playing with those little "poppers" that you throw on the ground. A few times they'd open up and once I examined what's inside. There are little rock-like granules that explode when rubbed or smashed together. So, I told Carter that we'd make a "Biggie Bomb." He thought that sounded great but he did not like the fact that it took me a long time to tear open every little popper and separate the rocks from the paper. Anyway, what you see below is the biggie bomb:

I used plastic wrap to hold together all of the granules and we went outside and I threw it in the air and...boom! It didn't disappoint. It did, however, wake up the neighor's dogs so we ran, both of us like little boys, to the side yard. Best night I've had in a while. I've been in need of a little rascal with whom I can stir up trouble and lo and behold, he's my son!



So Carter didn't feel left out, I intertwined two or three poppers together so he had some mini-biggie-bombs. They didn't work so well, but he didn't mind.

The following photos were taken in Vegas on our way to Zion National Park (it's NOT "Zion's National Park! OK, people can say it that way, but at least they should know it's not correct...aren't English teachers brats?)

We met this really cool Ent:






Sarah took Claire to the ladies' room so I let Carter wander around and look at this cool train set. He kept wandering away so I hid to see if he'd get scared. He didn't; this was the closest he came to looking nervous but soon turned back to the train and forgot about the fact that he has a family. I guess it's best to get your kids used to being alone in Vegas...at least that's what grandpa used to say.


The Bellagio is a very beautiful den of iniquity...I mean Casino. Actually, it's one of the few (the only) in which you can traverse the interior without having to enter the actual casino floor where the slots are. We find this much more family friendly.

These glass flower things are on the ceiling inside and we're always struck by their beauty.








The Bellagio fountain show. Both kids enjoyed it and it seems to happen more often, about every fifteen minutes.




Until next time!

Mr. T's Snickers Commerical

This commercial was pulled from TV and honestly, I can see why. That didn't stop me from enjoying it though and I think it deserves to be seen so you can judge for yourself.

Double dipped and deep fried ...and now with 25% more family tradition!

I'm not a big fan of Domino's or Pizza Hut. I am not a full blown pizza snob, but living in Italy for a couple of years did disillusion me to what most Americans think of as Italian food...or food in general. Most Italian families, for example, eat out at a sit down restaurant no more than once a year, probably less in most cases. They have little food stands where they sell little pizzas baked fresh each morning and you want fresh bread? Foggedaboudit! There's a fresh bread bakery and little produce and meat markets everywhere! People buy their fresh ingredients and go home and cook as a family or with friends and consume what they cook together. So it often makes me chuckle when I see ads trying to sell their product as something it's not. For example, I often feel upset after watching an Olive Garden commercial since they try to spin their restaurant as some sort of "bring the family down and enjoy a true, homemade Italian meal...and create some lasting family traditions too!" Tradition of consuming over salted food that comes in from a central warehouse and is heated up and served by a guy who doesn't tip his bus boy enough. Can you tell I'm still upset about getting shafted as a bus boy back in the day?

Now, I'm not saying I don't scarf down the occasional slice of Pizza Hut pizza or enjoy the bread sticks and salad at the Olive Garden (I used to work at the one in Chino in fact), BUT I think marketing is sickening sometimes and I think too many of these pizza places water down their own product by creating all kinds of double-crust-nacho-filled dough with seven kinds of pepperonis. What the!? I must say, however, that in Italy people actually eat pizzas covered with hot dogs or fried eggs, but at least they don't have franchises!


Domino's Scientists Test Limits Of What Humans Will Eat

Oh, and check out the new feed bags that fast food franchises will soon be offering. Personally, I can't wait. I HATE having to lift the food to my face...so fatiguing!

New Wearable Feedbags Let Americans Eat More, Move Less

Man vs. Woman