Eagle Canyon...

Ok, I'm officially falling behind on being able to post everything that we're doing and all of the pictures that go along with it...which can only mean one thing.

I'll be posting more about the trip through the next week...and I'll be adding a heck of a lot of photos on Flicker...

Wait.

That's two things.

Plus...It's only noon here, we've already been out to Eagle Canyon to look for wildflowers to photo (which yielded none for us) and we did an incredible hike through a slot canyon...

mostly.

Upon arriving at Eagle Ridge, there was a large group of both Cub Scouts and party people in jeeps with beer that we let go ahead of us, while we went further down the road so we would not be hiking with them...and were able to enjoy both the views from another ridge and see down into the canyon...

"I wanna do that!"

Which gave Rich a giggle...so we drove on back and started down the path. It is very sandy in these canyons and steep going down in the beginning, and I spent a lot of time trying not to slip-slide (cause Rich didn't have the SLR in a protective case...and I didn't want to take either of us out...or more importantly, the Canon/baby/camera...mostly because I don't want to hitchhike home, which may have been the end result of using the canyon wall as a slip and slide)

It was amazing from the beginning down there...although, it makes one think about exactly what it takes to form these canyons. A lot of wind and a lot of rain...which means intense water flows...which is why people can get into serious trouble if they are hiking and there is any hint of water.

Of course, these are probably not the thoughts that you want to hold on to for any length of time while you're in one of these canyons.

That is, unless you like to hike scared and freak yourself out.

Which I don't.



We were absolutely amazed at the canyon walls and the formations of the sand in the beginning, and then it got super better...

more better....

bestest....

because, the canyon started to become very smooth and started to close in on itself...which made for some very close and skinny pathways.

Upon entering the skinnier part, I had a little trepidation...but quickly reminded myself that I am not actually claustrophobic...



that I know of.

We went in a little ways, and then walked out again as it got narrower...caught our breaths, and tried again...

We only made it a little way in this time...Rich was feeling a little closed in, and although I tried to go a little further and see if the thin canyon walls ended soon so that we could press on...I really couldn't tell. I know that Rich was disappointed that he was feeling too closed in, and wants to go back and try again...I would love to do that as well...so, maybe we'll go back this afternoon?

I'd be up to going back any time!!




You may notice as well, over the last couple of days...that there are more pictures with actual people in them (in both of our blogs.) I haven't always felt comfortable posing in front of the camera...and I know that Rich wants to get better at portraits. I also think up until this vacation, I've felt a little shy about taking pictures of Rich...which may seem a little nuts, because I completely adore him and would like more pictures of him...and now, I am finding myself getting more comfortable being in front of the lens too, which is wonderful! (I actually have really liked some of the pictures that Rich has taken of me lately) (oh, and we have no pictures of us together...which is a must at this stage, so we've had to get some)

And yes...yesterday we did happen to look like twins...you see, it is quite sunny out here, and I decided before our afternoon hike that I needed both some sort of hat with a large brim for hiking (because I don't have one, and I wasn't planning on trying to go through this summer hiking season without one again) and a light long sleeved shirt to wear as well. There is a great tiny little outfitters here in town that happened to have both of those things...that utilize SPF 30 material...so I feel more completely protected from the sun. We'll see how well I do when it's 100 in Arizona and I need to hike with either on...They are both Columbia brand, and I am loving the thin fabric. Now, the outfitters here did not happen to have a white shirt in a womans cut, so I had to get a small mans shirt instead. It is the exact shirt that Rich just bough not too long ago (I like the sqare cut better actually) and he happens to own a Columbia hat that looks just like the one I purchased as well...he didn't wear that though yesterday or we would have looked more like twins that we already did!