Growing up my family did not do vacations. I was in high school when I saw the beach for the first time. I fell in love and immediately assumed the beach was my happy place and where I was the most relaxed and Zen-like—as Zen as a person with a hamster wheel for a brain can be, anyway. This held true for many, many years until one day when my husband and I were planning for a vacation and he said, “What about the Grand Canyon?”
I may have gasped upon this suggestion. In all my days, I never dreamed I would actually get to see the Grand Canyon! It was too much. I was immediately on board. This was one of my wildest dreams come true. I had a hard time wrapping my head around even the possibility.
We had driven through the desert years before and visited the Painted Desert and Petrified Forrest. I loved it. However, it was a quick pass-through. I really did not have time to absorb all the glory that is the desert. I knew I wanted to return someday.
As we planned our trip out west, I grew more and more excited. I just kept thinking about the first explorers to stumble upon the Grand Canyon. Here they are headed west and all of the sudden, “Fuck! That is a really big hole! How the hell are we getting around that shit!?” It must have been quite the shock.
When I first laid eyes on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, I was speechless—a rarity for me. There really are no words to describe this marvel. It is truly, “grand.” We hiked all around that day and found a secret spot to view the canyon almost all to ourselves. It was glorious. Even a cranky seven-year-old did not dampen my spirits. I was at the Grand freaking Canyon!
Fast forward a few years and back to vacation planning. I was going through a bit of a tough time mentally and struggling with my depression and anxiety. However, something inside of me said, “It’s the desert you need.” I listened. We booked a trip where our home base would be Utah, but we would hit three National Parks. First up was the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, followed by Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks. I was stoked, but concerned I would not feel like all the hiking and exploring.
I need not have worried. As we drove out of Vegas into the desert, a calm came over me. Seeing all the rock formations and the beautiful colors of the desert, I felt my head clear and my spirits lift. It was glorious.
The North Rim of the Grand Canyon immediately set the bar for all the wonderous things I have seen. The lodge there is exactly how I feel Teddy Roosevelt must have imagined. It was perfect. And not at all crowded. That being said, the North Rim is literally in the middle of nowhere. Even better.
Bryce and Zion were also a delight. Bryce is second in my book only to the North Rim. We were out west for 10 days. My mental state improved each day. I hiked and climbed and enjoyed every ray of sunshine each day provided.
I feel the desert calling me again. It has been too long since I have seen the Red Rocks. Also, two of my friends were just there and I loved living vicariously through their photos.
There is something magical about the desert. I still love the beach, but given the choice, I would prefer the rocks and vibrant colors of the west. When Horace Greeley uttered his famous words, “Go west, young man,” that was some damn good advice.
Angela Traver
What is this blog about? Well, it's a general blog, but it is also a very specific blog. If you get that reference, you get a gold star! I have been a public relations professional and writer of press releases for more than 20 years—primarily in the booze biz. I decided to do some writing for fun and embrace the humor that gets me through most days. Hopefully it will make you chuckle—or at least smile. I’m a certified crazy magnet, and more than a little nutty myself, so buckle up. Also, I have two vices—profanity and red wine/whiskey. You’ve been warned. It should also be noted, that I’m a HUGE Bob & Sheri fan. I’ve been a listener for more than 20 years. This opportunity is a dream come true and it may have made me cry. That being said, I cry at everything. If you are into booze, dogs, food and/or knitting, hit me up on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter (although I’m terrible at Twitter and it scares me) @kyspiritsgal. You can also find all my previous blog posts at www.kyspiritsgal.com.
