KTB: Photos: Spirit of Utah

St. George, Utah is truly a beautiful place. I've never seen a bluer sky or a cleaner night. Shining stars were visible in every direction and the light of the moon illuminated over the St. George landscape like a fluorescent beacon.

The daily routine consisted of waking up at 7AM, having breakfast, relaxing and then embarking on a 4 to 7 mile hike. The hikes varied from a walk in the desert to ascending 10,000 foot peaks. OK, so maybe I'm off on the exact footage but it was damn high. Without the aid of my sturdy Camelbak and my rugged Merrell hikers, I'd have been toast. I literally felt the remnants of years of alcohol abuse escaping thru my pores as I sweated away under the hot Utah sun. The guides that led their respective groups of hikers were all St. George locals and utter professionals. They took us on trails that we'd never have found, much less completed, on our own.

Some hikes involved rock climbing while others subjected those who could to rapelling down a cliff side. The first rapell that I attempted was an 80 footer. Let me tell you that taking that first step is preposterously frightening. So much trust is involved. Do I trust my harness to hold me? Do I trust this little piece of metal (carbiner) to support my weight? Will the rope hold securely? Will my guide clamp down on the rope in case I slip? All these terrible thoughts raced through my mind while I stood on the brink of the cliff. But it was to be and I took that first step. Both on the 80 foot cliff and subsequently on a 200 footer, I fought my lifelong fear of heights and braved my way down. On my first attempt, the guide at the top of the cliff told me to look down. I told him no! I knew that if I took my attention off securing the rope at my waist or my footing on the surface, anything could and would happen. But I made it down and I am so psyched that I did it.

Once we summitted our respective peak, we'd take a break and snack on either an apple, trail mix or both. We would also bask in the late morning sun while enjoying the never ending vistas of Zion National Park and other beautiful peaks.

Mind you that this was all done by noon every day.

Arriving back at the resort, I would proceed by having a freshly prepared and delicious lunch. And after lunch, I would either retire to my room or lounge by one of the pools while reading a book. It was truly a relaxing and soul cleansing get away.