A Random Canyon Hike, On The Road In Utah...

“A person reproduces themselves by what he has done.” Boris Mikhailov, writer/photographer.

And this, is what we “do.” It’s a Verb, and we are but a couple  of subservient outdoor Nouns. 

In the scheme of life and death, with all the celebration and suffering that accompanies the minuscule span betwixt the two, how we spend the remaining sand in our "hourglass" sometimes feels a tad indulgent...like a guilty pleasure, if you will, especially when sizing up options available to the rest of the world. It doesn’t cure cancer, reduce tensions in the Middle East, or ease starvation. But if Boris is right, perhaps a small legacy will come as a consequence of our example of the mental and physical benefits of outdoor activity.    

But leave it to a New York Times article to burst our bubble and comfort couch potatoes all across America. The piece suggests that a recent "large sample" study in Europe revealed that there were no significant additional longevity benefits between subjects who did 30 minute walks and those who spent hours pushing aerobic thresholds. Well shit! Next thing you know they'll renege on the antioxidant promises retarding Dark Chocolate and Red Wine :((.  Absurd contradictions among health studies are so confusing, if not infuriating. I mean, what's a person to "do!"

  

What we "do" certainly isn't getting any easier over time. In fact, there are days (like today) when I question the efficacy of practicing what we preach. Doing what used to be a breeze, feels more like a tempest these days. Throw in "new studies" like the one in the New York Times and it's almost enough to make a guy throw in the "towel."  I'm left pondering whether it's worth the bother, expense, and retribution of aches and pains. 

But then we stumble across someplace that renews our souls and sends our spirits soaring... 

Oh yeah, this is why we do what we do, Not so much to add years to our lives, but to add life to our years. 

Boondocked at the foot of the San Rafael Swell, a massive uplift that rises out of Utah's red-dirt desert like some fossilized skeletal backbone, we chose a random wash out Goldie's front door. We were soon swallowed by one of the many narrow sandstone canyons that serve as "drains" for runoff. We followed curiosity, per usual, swinging counterclockwise on old uranium mine roads that crisscross the area's backcountry. A colorful butte caught our attention, and we made our way toward it to get a better look. I'm not sure how, but we ended up in another canyon...which we hoped would turn this hike from "out-and-back" to "loop." 

It took some scrambling around pour-offs, but after a 4 hour investment we ended up right back at camp Goldie. Just a lovely, lovely hike, full of dazzling color and formations. 
As they say, No risk, no reward. No guts, no glory. No investment, no return :)).