You’ve heard the words: “Do what you love”, “Do something that scares you every day”, “Life is short, enjoy the moment”. I embrace these sayings as more than just sayings and try to embody what they truly mean. For me, I love to travel and do photography, which is not a surprise as my husband and I are about to become world nomads. We have released most of what we own and are heading off into a world that holds many challenges, the most obvious being a global pandemic. As we puzzle together what that looks like, we are reminded to stay fluid and flexible in the process.
Needless to say, it’s been an epic year with the pandemic, moving onto Zoom to teach yoga, then eventually closing my business, my Mom dying in January, and undergoing a massive downsizing of our lives. It’s been several months of intentionally creating a life transition, so when the opportunity arose for me to undertake a backpacking and photography trip, it felt like the getaway could act as a balm for my soul. Four nights camping in Southern Utah in one of the most spectacular slot canyons in the world and learning from a National Geographic award-winning photographer sounded enticing!
I knew I would have my own set of challenges going on such a trip. I’ve been working on managing chronic back pain and have undertaken a year-long practice of stability exercises, so the physical exertion was something I knew I would encounter. Not to mention carrying a 35-40lb backpack, sleeping on a small pad on the earth, and hiking 6-10+ miles per day. I put my knowledge to work in training for the trip, progressively adding load to my body and wisely giving myself easy days to recover. Another challenge was traveling by myself and joining a group of women whom I had never met…we were called “Chicks Who Click”. Chances were they would be like-minded with nature and photography in common.
I updated my photography gear, borrowed a backpack, loaded the car, and drove 8-hours to Kanab, Utah. Lack of sleep was the first challenge…we got up at o-dark thirty for sunrise shoots and got to sleep late following sunset shoots. I completely felt like the neophyte of photography in the group and had to drop the ego and enter “beginners mind”. The first morning, David Swindler our instructor said, as I was setting up for the shot, “You’ll have to bracket that…” to which I replied, “I have no idea what you’re saying”. My first lesson. I had to be okay with not knowing or not being good at something and open to receive from an experienced and amazing teacher. Having been in the expert teaching role for years, this was a challenge.
One of the arduous challenges was hiking into and out of the canyon. We camped at the trailhead to Paria Canyon-Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness area, arising early the next morning to a setting full moon. Our packs were full, including carrying four liters of water, and off we went, hiking along a river bed which was mainly sand or river-rock. Fortunately, we stopped for photo ops giving a reprieve from the rhythm of finding the easiest path over challenging terrain. We spent the next two nights camping at the confluence of Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch looking for perfect lighting conditions, hiking, and hearing the echoes rebounding off the canyon walls from ravens and other hikers. We camped on high ground as any potential thunderstorm or rain showers can equal treacherous conditions. We ate rehydrated meal packs for breakfast and dinner and carried snacks to munch on throughout the day. “Showers” consisted of wilderness wipes and you had to carry everything out…included our “wag” bags for pooping. Water is present in the canyon with natural springs and had to be filtered.
The final day, we arose at 4 am and wearing headlamps, hiked our way out of the canyon in order to avoid the heat. No stopping for photo ops on the exit, only brief breaks to snack, rest, and hydrate. It was a slog over the sand and river rocks particularly after many miles on the previous days, blisters, and fatigue, getting to the trucks was an effort in persistence and belief. I’m grateful to my new mate, Darla, for the many laughs as we grunted and swore our way out of the canyon, daydreaming of a couple of horses to show up and give us a lift.
I have always loved getting fully off-grid…getting gritty and a bit smelly. Some primal memory is triggered when I spend time out in the wild without the comforts we get so very accustomed to. It’s as though I’m reminded of our ancestors and those who had this experience as their way of being in the world. It’s also about stepping into discomfort and watching how I react. It’s about letting go of creature comforts and confronting the unknown, and so as I reflect, it was the perfect preparation for the next chapter in my life…letting go, uncertainty, moments of physical and emotional challenges, times of discomfort, and the revelation of unexpected and deep moments of joy and connection.
Needless to say, the shower upon return was nothing short of glorious and included a long soak in a bath with Epsom salts!
This Chicks Who Click trip was just the beginning of a new learning curve. I’m in the process of learning post-production with Lightroom and Photoshop as well as continuing my study of French and moving the last of our possessions into storage. I’m shifting into living life out of a suitcase and day backpack as we enjoy our final few days in what’s been our home for 22 years. In this new chapter, I have an opportunity to stay in beginner’s mind and give energy to learning and exploring. It’s not a new experience but one I haven’t had for quite some time…I’m ready and look forward to sharing what’s next!