July activities and pictures

July was a really busy month for me and I was able to go on a lot of cool trips for work. Below are a few of the photo highlights of my trips. Unfortunately, my camera got wet and ruined on a river trip in Moab, but I ordered a new camera and it will hopefully be here soon so I can keep taking pictures of all my fun adventures.


Second trip to Rainbow Bridge with Stephanie, Magnolia, Travis, and Kenny.

We hiked beyond the bridge (which I didn't do with the group I went with in June) about a mile or so and came upon this old camp. Guides in the area say President Theodore Roosevelt once camped here when the Native Americans in the area first guided people into the area. It is a cool camp that looked like it is still used. We had fun exploring the area and climbing around the hillside.


My next trip was to Natural Bridges National Monument. This is a really cool part of Utah, but I've never been there before. Basically there are 3 bridges within the monument and some old Indian ruins and you drive this 9-mile loop where you can park near each bridge and hike in to each one. This first picture is of Sipapu Bridge. The hike in was really cool, kind of steep, but so worth it. Once you get into the canyon bottom, it cools of a lot and it's very green and you can go right under the bridge. The hike out was a little rough, so I was glad it was at the beginning of the day.

Brandt, Jess, James, Me, and Justin. You can't see behind us, but this is at an overlook for Horsecollar Ruins, which is the remains of an ancestral Puebloan cliff dwelling.

This is the second bridge, Kachina Bridge. It was cool to see how different each bridge was, even though they are all so close to one another.

The last bridge we saw (and the shortest hike in) was Owachomo Bridge. We all laid under it in the shade on the cool rocks and enjoyed a rest before making our trip home.

The next week I had a trip to Canyonlands National Park. It was an overcast day, which was really nice because it wasn't very hot. The views there are truly spectacular and I can't wait to go back again soon.

View from the Grand View overlook-you can see forever, just not so much with my camera.

Good view of the White Rim

Mesa Arch

That same week I went on my first river trip in Moab. I had been looking forward to these trips for weeks, since I was able to work out a houseboat trade for 4 trips. I have to give a plug for World Wide River Expeditions because they have been really great to work with! These pictures are from the first trip, and that's where my photos end because it was on the next trip (July 29) that my camera got ruined. Thankfully, my memory card is still good so hopefully when my new camera gets here, I can put up some more pictures that are saved on the card.

On the raft with Lisa, Stephanie, Sam, Bethany, Candice, and Jessie.

With Jessie on the beach during lunch.

Our whole group after lunch, ready for some more rapids! L-R: Sam, Lisa, Curtis, Cameron, James, Candice, Jessie, Me, Anthony, Stephanie, Chris, and Bethany

Me, Candice, and Jess floating in the Colorado River

Stephanie and Me and the raft

Overall I had a great month. I've been such a blogging slacker though because things have been busy and kind of crazy, not to mention lack of internet. :-)