Stats for the day:
· 15741 steps (on pedometer)
· 85°F at 8am at Squaw Flat Campground
· Sleepless/restless nights due to heat and no breeze: 2
· Campers who were ready to get away from the incessantly present bugs: 2
· Number of arches on which Matt climbed on top: 1
· Number of hikes to complete today to finish the top 5 premier Colorado Plateau hikes:1
· Hikers led astray by Matt: 1
· Number of proposals: 1
Matt and I enjoyed Canyonlands, but couldn’t pack up quickly enough on Monday morning to move on to the next park. It was probably mostly due to not getting much sleep the last few nights because it was hot. And there was no breeze. You could hear the breeze a hundred feet above (and we felt it when we were up on the rocks), but somehow it eluded ground level. Plus, there were a few ravens whose nest was close and who liked to start talking early in the morning (once we’d finally fallen asleep). And then there were the bugs! Bugs don’t bother me as far as making me freak out, but these flies did nothing but stay right on you, buzzing and buzzing and buzzing. There were also little gnat-like bugs that bite. And insect repellant doesn’t work. The park literature tells you this and confirms the annoying nature of the bugs. So, we were ready to go.
We drove to the Island in the Sky section of Canyonlands, the northern section. I wanted to see Mesa Arch, which rather than looking up at as you do with most arches, you look at from eye level and look down through the arch. It sits on the edge of an 800 foot drop off. Matt decided to saunter across the bridge (rule-follower me saw no signs saying this wasn’t allowed). After coming down from the bridge, he said not ever again. I think between how easily it seemed like it could break away from the wall and the drop, it didn’t seem worth it. This section of Canyonlands is much more prairie-like than the southern part. Again, the diversity of landscapes within the area is amazing. (And the video we watched later at Arches talked about how water is responsible for all of it.)
After Island in the Sky, it was on to the grocery store. It is a holiday after all (Happy 4th of July), and it’s also the anniversary of the day I met Matt 3 years ago. So, we splurged and got some good grilling food. We also splurged when we got to the KOA campground and upgraded to a “KOA Kabin,” complete with cool air. We spent our afternoon prepping for our dinner, showering (it’s been a few days and it’s been hot), and then heading to Arches.
We hiked to Delicate Arch for sunset. Delicate Arch completes our 5 premier hikes on the Colorado Plateau, and it’s the famous arch that you see everywhere (Utah license plates, calendars you get from the pharmacy or grocery store with images from the US, etc). It’s a little bit of a hike, but not bad, and one that is again marked by cairns (those small piles of stones). I apologize on behalf of Matt to the hiker who took the turn we started to but then was gone from sight before we realized there were no cairns in the area. His hike to the Delicate Arch was much more difficult than it should have been.
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| Balanced Rock in Arches National Park. If you look to the lower left of the Balanced Rock, there is a smaller rock that looks similar (in math terms -- a dilation). |
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| Delicate Arch, Arches National Park; Moab, UT |
Delicate Arch sits in a natural amphitheatre. Most people sit across from it (it’s “onstage”), with the occasional quick hike to go under the arch. Matt asked the gentleman next to us to watch our bags and to take a picture of us under the arch. Once we got under the arch, I asked, “Shouldn’t we turn to look at the camera?” Matt said, “No,” and turned me to face him, to which I responded with the not-so-classiest of phrases. I was putting together what was happening. It wasn’t a strange request of a stranger to take our picture all the way across the basin of the theatre; it was a request to take a picture of our proposal. Once I was facing him, Matt got on one knee, and said, “Kristi Hoffman, will you marry me?” I was already bawling and simply put my hand out once I was able to move it away from covering my face. I don’t think I said, “yes,” until we were hiking back to the car. The sunset didn’t happen as famously as it typically does at Delicate Arch, but needless to say it was an unforgettable night there. There were a few gasps when he got down on bended knee, a chorus of congratulations when we reached our seats again, and a number of unbelievable pictures thanks to the gentleman next to us. I wish I had your name; thank you!
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| The Proposal |
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| When I'd finally stopped sobbing enough (keyword, enough -- I hadn't stopped crying) that he could put the ring on and hug me. |
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| Back at the cabin. |
We headed back to camp watching fireworks all around us, making phone calls to family, and smiling nonstop.
We’re getting married!
Math thoughts for today:
· I added a few arches to the archive for comparisons.
· Let’s be honest; I was proposed to tonight. My mind wasn’t thinking math.
Shout-outs:
· Lauren Gebhardt and Ross Short – Congratulations on your first anniversary!
· To all those couples I know – I can’t wait to join the ranks of marriage with you!
· To James Matthew Pessarra, Jr. – I love you, and I can’t wait to be your wife. I promise when the time comes, I’ll say, “I do,” and not the same phrase I said at our proposal.
