Tuesdays with Muerte

Thursday night, I slept up on the very tippy-top of Y mountain with my roommate, Dan, and another outdoorsie friend from the ward named Joseph. We started hiking with an additional group of friends from the ward at 8pm. Feeling rather responsible, I decided to hike in the back of the group with Becca an RN who talked with me about the Alchemist and Life of Pi and there was also Heidi, who suffered from a fear of heights. Once we reached the Y, we snapped some pictures parted paths and the three of us ventured to the top. We made it by 12am. We made a fire and threw down a tarp on a 8 degree decline. From 2am-6am, when we agreed to get up, I played a game called "Don't fall off the mountain by inch-worming myself back onto the tarp every 5 minutes". It was pretty fun, but I don't think I'd like to play again. The next day, we ran down the mountain. We made the last 1/2 of the descent in 30 minutes. Now my hips are sore.

Bryson and I caught up after about 4 months of not having seen or heard from eachother. We bonded by hottubing at 24 Hour Fitness when it opened at midnight, Monday morning. (It was really cool by the way because the New Guy didn't know how to turn the lights on so it was like disco bowling at the pool. A little "dangerous", but a very unique and relaxing experience.) Afterwards, we did this. Ahhhh, to be single and irresponsible. Noelle asked the question I'm sure all of you will in a moment: "WHY? Why Octopus, Black Cats and Salsa?" The answer is frieghteningly simple, I had purchased octopus for a special dinner last week that never happened. It had been sitting in the fridge and had begun to stink. The firecracker was leftover from the 4th and I didn't use the extra salsa packets when I went out to eat the other day. So I was about to throw them all away when my masculine brain popped on and the following idea came to mind.

After talking with Heather on the phone about LETTERBOXES, I went on my first expedition tonight on Y Mountain. By myself. (Wierd thing; I knocked on this one girl's apt. door to invite her to go on the adventure with me, but her roommate told me she was already out on a date. Later, I SAW HER ON THE MOUNTAIN! Wierd.) Here is a photo of journal that goes along with the description below. This is glam shot I took in the bathroom before going over to the girl's apartment. This is me driving to the Y with chocolate cupcake on my face. (A boy's got to keep his energy up for the big hike.) At the trailhead I marked the time: 22:22. It only took me 20 minutes to make it all the way up (subtract the time it took to take a few quick pics.) According to the instructions, I needed to count the number of posts on the 3rd, Left Fence. There were 14! (I did a little extra credit and added a paragraph below that I will submit to The Blue Julius.) This is the 14th retaining wall....