Saturday, June 21, 2008

Blasting Off



We've got tons to write about, but we've been out in the wilderness far from the interweb and have packed our adventures too close together to allow us ample time to elaborate. In short, we had an absolutely fabulous time during the remainder of our stay in Utah, remaining based in Zion long enough to really explore the area and do some amazing canyoneering around the park. We knew we had most of the technical rope skills and navigational experience to jump into the water-filled slot canyons of the West, and while this was mostly true, we still encountered a steep learning curve. The skillset from climbing crossed over very well in most regards, as canyoneering involves lots of repelling and rope work, however we did encounter some novel predicaments that made us think twice.

The simple act of rappelling becomes more complicated when performing what canyoneers call a "floating disconnect" - that is, rapping into an icy (45 degree F) pool of water, floating to keep your head above, and removing yourself from the rope, all while keeping things untangled and remaining calm. In fact, the swimming was the main thing that surprised us with its difficulty as we had multiple opportunities to jump into the freezing water with full packs and clothes on and dog-paddle/swim across to the (not always evident) other side.

In the end, we enjoyed exploring the canyons more than we could imagine, and our technical skills allowed us to access superbly pristine and geologically astonishing spots in the desert. As the days got hotter and hotter we become more and more comfortable in the coolness of the canyons, and ended our trip with a three day backpacking effort down the Right Fork of the Great West Canyon in Zion, which was quite a test of our hiking, technical, and most of all route finding and map-reading abilities. We didn't see a soul for the duration of the trip and the only evidence of other people where the few footprints of a party that had descended a few days before us. The setting was splendid as the full moon lit up the towering sandstone walls and we were serenaded (loudly!) to sleep by the echoes of the mating frogs.

Our life has been a blur since we got home as we have been preparing to go the other direction with an ascent of El Capitan in Yosemite, one of the largest and most beautiful pieces of granite in the entire world. We will be joining Mo's brother Jean-Paul and one of his coworkers heading up the Captain, on a route that we will hopefully complete in five days (and nights) of climbing and work. We'll be spending the night way up in the air, hoping to get some sleep on our portaledges, and hoping that the sun is somewhat merciful in its heat and a cool breeze is blowing off the deck. It is probably one of the most challenging things we have ever attempted, and we are entering it with a mixture of excitement, nervousness, and anxiety for the unknown, not exactly sure how our bodies and minds will adapt and react to a completely vertical world. We can only hope that we will have strong bodies, even stronger minds, and a whole ton of fun.

Needless to say, in a week's time we will have stories to tell and pictures to share - off we go!

Monday, June 9, 2008

Rainbow Sandstone



Our life is often about contrasts, and on the first full weekend in June we traveled to Springdale, Utah, just outside of Zion National Park, for the wedding of one of Mo's best friends from high school. One of the brides herself was billing the wedding as the last illegal same-sex marriage ceremony for California residents to be performed outside of the state before the June 17th kick-off, and the shabang went down in the heart of Mormon country, with the officiating being taken care of by one of the bride's fathers, a retired Episcopalian priest - only in the good ol' US of A. As most of you know, it doesn't take much to get us motivated for a trip to the desert, and the opportunity to be a part of this joyous celebration was more than enough. We finagled some mountain bikes from our well-equipped friends (thanks Witt and Alyse!!!), filled the Eurovan to the brim with desert toys, and took the scenic route which included parts of the "Extraterrestrial Highway" across Nevada and into Utah while stopping at some killer hot springs along the way.

Being part of the larger circus traveling to Utah for a gay wedding in the midst of the landmark California decision got us thinking along those legal lines that become a bit convoluted when you start rolling across state borders. Some of the most interesting state laws in Utah have to do with their policies toward beer and liquor - the whole state is limited to 4.0% ABV beer, and to drink you must either be also eating food in a restaurant or a member of a "private club" that is licensed to serve the demon rum. We emptied out our car of contraband at the Arizona border after hearing about horror stories of out-of-state visitors being harassed for a few bottles of 6% moonshine that they trafficked across state lines. This got us thinking about Federal law, and we seemed to remember from our high school US Government classes that Federal Law superseded State Law in most cases, especially those involving interstate transport.

Being that we do live in the progressive State of Callie-fornia, we couldn't help but compare this conundrum to a legal battle constantly being waged in the Golden State over medical marijuana. Yes, a majority of the state authorized a proposition legalizing the medical use of marijuana, but of course this is only in effect statewide and not on a federal level. Consequently, in liberal bastions like San Francisco and Berkeley, pot clubs are constantly being raided by the DEA and shut down, denied their state-given rights due to the power of the Feds. If the Feds can raid Oaksterdam on a routine basis, shouldn't they be protecting our right to bring California microbrews into the fine state of Utah? Where's the ATF when you really need them?

When it all came down to it, the legal nuances were just that, and we had a grand time in Springdale. The wedding ceremony was easily the most aesthetically stunning and beautiful ceremony we have been to, with the couple being joined and blessed beneath the towering sacred sandstone peaks of Zion. The party was bumping until well past midnight, accompanied by perhaps the hardest rap music ever played on the main street of Springdale since N.W.A. came through in 1994. And the special Utah liquor laws were actually a blessing in disguise, as the strict adherence to alcohol standards has forced creative Utah microbreweries to specially design some incredibly delicious recipes for their local concoctions while spicing them up with names like Polygamy Porter ("Why have just one?") and Provo Girl Pilsner.

So yep, we survived the wedding, Utah survived a gay marriage, and now we're posted up in campsite #9 of Zion's South Campground trying our best to make use of the toys we brought and be thankful for these looooong days to run around outside. It's getting hotter every day, but nothing a dip in the Virgin river can't take care of, and we're cruising around on bikes and running through canyons each day until we can barely walk.

Wooo-hoooo summer!!!!!!