So, I am alive. I apologize if my disappearance had you wondering whether I was dead or having some sort of traumatic life experience. I was simply not up to a whole lot that is appropriate for this blog. However, I did recently go on a 7 day backpacking trip to Yellowstone National Park with my friends Amber, Meghan and Dave.
I haven't been to Yellowstone since I was little. That trip, which I only vaguely remember, is what sparked my obsession with moving to Montana. We were driving on what I assume was the Beartooth Highway and I was lying in the back of our van incredibly motion sick. Looking up through the windows I remember thinking "this is the most beautiful place on earth."
I haven't been back on the Beartooth Highway but enjoyed the opportunity to get a more thorough Yellowstone experience beyond Old Faithful (though we did visit Old Faithful and watch it erupt when we got there -- gotta do it).
Our trip started on the Lamar River in or near the Hayden Valley and made its way to the Hoodoo Basin, to Yellowstone Lake, to the Thorofare and out Heart Lake. We covered roughly 100 miles. I was particularly exhausted during this trip, but made it and enjoyed it (though I was ready to be done by the end).
I'm not very good at describing the blow-by-blow of such a long trip, but suffice it to say that getting out into the woods for at least a few days unplugged is soul cleansing. Being totally away from my work email and voicemail is probably the best thing I can do for myself. If you can believe it, I actually felt ready to return to work afterwards.
It's also a wonderful way to spend quality time with friends. I wish all my friends could go backpacking with me. At least the ones who wouldn't whine that is :p
We call this "Fat Camp" and the first year, when Meghan and I hiked the Highline Trail in the Uintas, I did actually lose weight. The past couple of years I seem to have gotten fatter. Especially this year. It seems that it would be impossible but it's not.
5 comments:
Ha ha, Fat Camp. I think I only lost two pounds when I hiked the JMT last year. My body is so efficient. It looks like a great trip, bears?
I wish I could be a friend you take on such trip, and Gretchen would take me, and Meghan, and a bunch of others who do that - and that Larry would be ok with me going without him too! :) I need to unplug so badly, but 3 days of half-day jaunts is all I'll be doing this upcoming weekend. Still better than nothing.
If I don't eat my weight in salt during a trip, I'll usually lose weight, but it seems almost impossible to avoid it with backpack foods.
The scenery definitely looks soul cleansing, even without the unplugging aspect of it. I need to make it to Yellowstone someday.
I love you and Fat Camp and Yellowstone and shutting off the damn phones and laying on the pebble-y beach of Yellowstone Lake and ice cream and beer and your laughter and the fact that your mad face is really a happy face and big flowers even if they make us sneeze. Thank you for an awesome 2013 Fat Camp. I can't wait to see how 2014 Fat Camp pans out.
Can I go on Fat Camp next year?
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