Fish Creek Canyon

Last Saturday, Nicholas and I headed out with some of his friends from school to the Superstition Mountains. It was a beautiful drive to get where we were going. Actually, it was the same scenic drive I went on with my family many weeks back, which you can check out here. Anyway, we arrived at Fish Creek Canyon and the first thing we had to do was rock climb down to the bottom. It freaked me out. Honestly, it wasn't even that far down at all, but I hadn't realized I was going to be doing rock climbing like that. Next thing I know, we're climbing back up the other side of the canyon to a cave where we could hang out and hide from the heat for a little bit. Again, it freaked me a bit. I just wasn't expecting it, so I got pretty anxious and upset. Though, once I was in the cave and looking out, it wasn't so bad, and from there on out I was a trooper.

We spent the day hiking through the canyon, climbing over giant boulders, and making our way through the hot desert heat. It was only supposed to be about 104 that day but we found out later it got up to 113, so it was pretty damn hot to be hiking in. Nevertheless, it was great. Until the branch... that almost took out Nicholas' eye. You heard me right. And if it hadn't been for his poor eyesight and glasses, he probably would be blind in one eye. As we were hiking, Nicholas slipped on a smooth rock and launched forward, his eye heading straight for a small but fairly thick tree branch that was jutting out into his path. I was ahead of him and all I heard was his shout/swearing. I turned around and he was on the ground, covering his eye, terrified to take his hand away to find that he couldn't see. Luckily, when he did take his hand away, he could see perfectly fine, though he had a pretty big cut on his eyelid. He hurt, and for a few days after too, but we are both so happy he is okay and that it wasn't worse. Thank goodness for imperfect vision and glasses, am I right?

We hiked a little ways more, rested for a bit, then decided to turn around. We had to rock climb back up to the road from the canyon which was much easier than going down. We got some nice cold water from the car, then headed out. We were all going to go swimming at a nearby lake, but the 4 of us in our car decided we were just going to head back home because we were pretty tired, so the others went on without us. It was a long day of hiking in the heat, but it was a very new experience for me that I surprisingly enjoyed a lot. I didn't get many pictures while we were hiking since I was a little preoccupied, but here are some from the cave and the last place we stopped before turning around.

Below the bridge is where we first had to climb down, and behind the bridge is the cave where we climbed back up into and hung out for a bit.

The Narrows: Part 2

Here I am with part 2 of my hiking trip in The Narrows, as promised. As I said before, it was probably the coolest thing I've done thus far in my life, and I would do it again in a heartbeat. If you ever find yourself out there, it is a must-see and a must-experience. It's seriously incredible.

That night after hiking, we drove the long 5ish hours back to Flagstaff to pass out from exhaustion before our trip back to Mesa on Saturday. It almost got up to 120 degrees here, so we spent our day indoors. We got some delicious deep dish pizza at Oregano's then headed to the movie theatre to see This Is The End. Oh my goodness, that movie was hilarious! It actually made me jump in a few parts but was soo funny. You should definitely see it if you love ridiculous, over-the-top humor. That night Laurie and Nate headed back home. It's crazy to think they've already been gone for a week and a half! That is good news though, because it means we are that much closer to finally going home! And my goodness, we cannot wait. Enjoy the rest of the photos and have a good Wednesday!

The Narrows: Part 1

Sorry it's taken me so long to post about my hiking trip with Laurie and Nate in Zion National Park. On the Friday they were here, we headed up to Zion from Flagstaff. On the way there, we saw really beautiful views of the desert. We also stopped at the Glen Canyon Dam which you can see in the pictures below, which was really awesome. When we finally got up to Zion, we got on the shuttle bus to our trailhead and were on our way. First you just hike along a paved path that is about a mile long until it ends at the start of The Narrows. Here a lot of people were hanging out on the little beach and swimming in the pools of water, which looked really fun and refreshing. The Narrows is a really awesome place where you get to hike right in the canyon, sometimes actually in the river at it's bottom. We all had such a great time, enjoying the views and the escape from the heat. It was nice and cool down in the canyon, especially when walking through the river, which was such an experience. It definitely tops the list as the coolest thing I've ever done. I would looove to go back one day, next time with Nicholas, so he could enjoy all of the natural wonder with me. If you ever find your way out there, I cannot recommend this hike enough.

I'll have part 2 of this hiking trip's pictures up either tonight or tomorrow morning for you to see the rest of the beauty that is The Narrows and Zion National Park. Enjoy!

Hiking in the Grand Canyon

One week ago, Laurie, Nate, and I got up early and made our way to the Grand Canyon. For me, it was the third time traveling up to the wonderful place, but for them, it was their first time which was really exciting! When we got there, we boarded a shuttle bus to take us to the trail we'd be hiking on, called the South Kaibab trail. We started hiking down, and it wasn't that bad, except for making sure you didn't lose your footing on the somewhat slick and sandy trail. It was a little steep at times going downhill, but we carefully made our way. It was really beautiful. It was such a different point of view from what I had experienced before. It was awesome being right next to the walls of the canyon, looking up and seeing its towering height above us.

It's important when you're hiking a trail like this, and really any trail, that you stay really hydrated and full of energy. On the way down we stopped for a quick snack to refuel, then we were on our way. Our first actual stop was at Ooh Aah Point. There we got to see a really grand view of the canyon. Also while we were standing there, a pack of mules were headed up the canyon, which was a sight to see. I cannot imagine riding one of those things up/down the canyon--sounds scary! We kept going down into the canyon a little ways and ended up stopping off at another point to sit down and eat some lunch. There we met a few really nice people who were on their way up, and they seemed tired. They also said that it was a lot harder going up than coming down...

We then decided to turn around and head back up the canyon, and boy were those people right. On the way down, the hike wasn't too bad as I mentioned previously, but the way up was an entirely different story. I'll be the first to say that I'm not in the best of shape, so it was definitely tough for me. We stopped off plenty of times to catch our breath and drink water, though I was drinking water probably every 5 feet, haha. Better safe than sorry! It was a tough climb, but once we got to the top, it felt really good knowing I had completed the hike. We had a great time that day, and I would love to hike the canyon again... hopefully when I'm in better shape. That night we headed to another brewery back in Flagstaff for some pizza, and basically passed out once we got back to our house/hotel. It was a long but very gratifying day. If you ever find yourself in the Grand Canyon area, I totally recommend you hike some of it, but be sure to stay safe and take precaution!

(click through to see pictures!)

Passing Through Sedona

Last Wednesday, Laurie, Nate, and I headed up to the house/hotel we stayed at in Flagstaff. On our way there, we travelled through Sedona, stopping off in a couple spots to marvel at the red rock that surrounded us. It was a really pretty place. I'm sure they are amazing views to wake up to in the morning. Other than the heat, I wouldn't mind that morning view. That evening we arrived in Flagstaff and went to a brewery called Lumberyard Brewing Co. for some dinner and drinks. I got their macaroni and cheese, which was seriously delicious. I still wish I could have some more! I also got a sour apple martini and a buttery nip shot... yum! Being 21 is definitely fun sometimes. :)

The next day we headed up to the Grand Canyon. I'll have more on that and some pictures later this week. I hope you enjoy the sights of Sedona as much as we did. Have a great Tuesday!

Phoenix Zoo

This past week, my sister Laurie and brother-in-law Nate came to visit us in Arizona! It was so great being able to see them and hang out. They came in on Monday, we got some lunch before Nicholas went to school, then the rest of us headed to where they were staying for the next couple of nights and just hung out until we got dinner later. On Tuesday, all of us went to the Phoenix Zoo for a day of fun with some animals! It was super hot out, which was kind of gross to walk around in, but it was still a really good day! We saw a lot of different animals, enjoyed the petting zoo, and tried keeping cool in the AZ summer. After the zoo, Nicholas had to go to school, so the rest of us got lunch at a brewery and some ice cream sandwiches in downtown Tempe. Then we came back to my apartment and went swimming, which was really refreshing after a hot day. That night all four of us went and saw Monsters University. It was such a good and funny movie! Definitely recommended.

Overall, the first two days of them being here was awesome. I'm really glad we all got to hang out a few times, especially with Nicholas, since his school schedule doesn't really allow that much. On Wednesday, Laurie, Nate, and I headed up to Flagstaff to stay in our house/hotel... but more on that later. For now, you can enjoy a lot pictures from the zoo! I hope you all had a good week and weekend.

Ps. Sorry there was no lettering post yesterday. Since I was traveling/adventuring for a majority of the week, I didn't have time to ink anything, but I promise I'll be back with something great next weekend! Thanks for understanding. :)

(click through to see pictures!)

Grand Canyon: Part 3, Family

Today I'm bringing you the last few photos of my trip to the Grand Canyon with my family! Our second day, we drove up along the canyon a little ways to take a look at another section of it, near Bright Angel Lodge. It was interesting to see a different point on the canyon. We left there and drove in the opposite direction, past where we had been the day before, and headed to the Desert View Watchtower. From that viewpoint we got to see the Colorado River winding through the canyon far down below us. We also got to climb up into the watchtower which was full of murals and petroglyph-style decorations which are copies of now-destroyed petroglyphs at Abo, New Mexico. It was really neat! After this, we headed back to Mesa so they could drop me off at our apartment. On our way we stopped off at a little market with Native American pottery and jewelry. Everything was so beautiful, I wish I'd had money to buy something, but my mom did end up buying some really neat pottery (which she likes to collect). It was such a great trip with my family.

On a similar note, my sister Laurie and brother-in-law Nate are coming in one week to Arizona to visit! We are so excited to see them and hang out with them! I'm also looking forward to heading back up to the Grand Canyon with them later next week and also to Zion National Park in Utah! It's going to be beautiful. I can't wait to take pictures and share them all with you again! Have a wonderful Monday!

(click through to see pictures!)

New Look + Grand Canyon: Part 2, Family

As you can see, whimsy + wild has an exciting new look! I'm so happy with how this turned out, I can't stop looking at it! My previous design was good and I'm very grateful to the creator of it, but it was something that I chose quickly because I wanted to start my blog as soon as possible. I had plans to change my design much sooner than this, but I got lazy and it seemed like a really daunting task. In fact, it turned out to be a lot easier than I thought. Sure, I ran into a couple snags, but overall the changes were smoothly made. I really wanted something that reflected myself and what I want this blog/brand to represent: living simply and beautifully. The color palette is a result of my being inspired by nature. I love the soft colors and neutrals that are beautiful but subtle enough to not take away from the content of the blog. I'm really excited for this new design, and I hope you are too!

Today's very long post is the next installment of my trips to the Grand Canyon! These photos are from my first day there with my mom, Aunt Patty, sister Marie, and brother-in-law Mark. We headed up there on a Thursday morning, spent all afternoon there, then headed to our hotel which was right inside the national park! It was so great to be able to go a second time. The weather was very different from the first time around resulting in an entirely new experience. I'm really glad we got to stay until sunset too so I could snap a couple pictures! Such a great sight to behold. I'll be back soon with the rest of my photos from day two of our Grand Canyon trip. Take care. :)

(click through to see pictures!)

Grand Canyon: Part 1, Nicholas and Penny

So, as I was resizing some pictures from my trip to the Grand Canyon with my family to post tonight, I realized that I never posted any photos of my trip to the Grand Canyon with Nicholas and Penny! I'm not sure why I never did, but since we went before me and my family did, I figured it was only right to post those photos first!

A couple weeks before my family got here (which was like, 5 weeks ago now) Nicholas, Penny, and I headed up to the Grand Canyon to check it out! I'm really glad we got to go together because Nicholas couldn't go with my family and me because of school. Unfortunately, Penny was being a little bit annoying/bratty, so we only ended up staying for a couple hours, but it was still a wonderful trip. It was a rainy day, though the sun did come out a couple times, and it was freezing cold! Despite all that, it was beautiful.