A few years ago, I was here: In the middle of Siberia...hahaha not really, just southwest Utah, working with a bunch of hippies and living out of a backpack. It was a wilderness rehabilitation center for 'at risk' youth.
It's funny how I grew up planning the life I thought I would lead, only to discover my greatest adventures were the ones I didn't plan for. I made some wonderful friends during my time at Redcliff. My time there could be described as puppy love and granola.
This is how I would look going INTO a shift, that's not a smile, that's premature frostbite that's frozen my facial muscles as a result of the ZERO degree weather I was about to live in for approximately eight days, six hours, fifteen minutes, and three point five nanoseconds.
See exhibit A: Oh why, yes, in fact I am homeless! This is what 18 days in the wilderness wearing the same clothes (no sicko, not underclothes) looks like. If your wondering what I'm doing, I'm supervising.
After hiking miles at a time in extreme weather conditions the most peaceful time of day is sleeping beneath a blanket of stars on a therma-rest I could have worshiped as my god I loved it so much.
This is a prime example of who I worked with, times eight. Just for good measure make sure to throw in a good dose of obnoxious behavior, adolescent hormones, and eight different ideas for how life that week should go. Most ideas not including living in a desert out of a backpack. Although you have to give the little sucker credit, he did smile for the photo.
This is my partner in crime, the one who taught me to love....well, the wilderness for one. LOL. 
Now let me bring you back even further to my first ever experience backpacking. I.was.so.naive. and had absolutely no clue what I was in for. P.S. is Mike hot or what?!
What's funny about this picture is that I really thought that this was going to be the hard part. I had no clue.
This is me turning back to Michael saying: 'are you sure this is the right way??'
Kim: MIKE we made it!!! We need to commemorate this moment with a picture.
Michael: It's really not a big deal, it wasn't that big of a mountain.
Ummm, may I ask a question? Why did we just climb a mountain in the snow with no snowshoes and I'M THE ONLY ONE SWEATING!
Hahaha-karma's a bitch.
The 2,364th time we lost the trail. It was at this point, while clinging to dirt with a backpack that weighed more than I did-I really began to question Mike's directional skills.
This is the 493,670th time we lost the trail. Mike decided it would be a great idea to make our own.
This looks like a beautiful spot to sit.and rest.and work out the kinks and misplaced vertebrae. Like many times to come I had to hand it to the guy, he knows how to show a girl a good time, by the time we finally found the real trail I was hooked.
So, with Christmas around the corner, I'd like to make one last request to Santa. I don't want diamonds, cars, or fancy clothes. What I'd really like is some mountains. But I'll settle for anywhere I can run, walk, and hike with a fifty pound pack attached at the hips. If your really going for broke, you could also throw in a killer dutch oven dinner. 
4 comments:
Maine has mountains. Come up!
Ah Heaven! I miss backpacking and the mountains so much! Thanks for cheering me up!
For the record, I think you're crazy! The craziest part is that you signed up for that job!!! That would be some sort of torture for me. I mean, I'm all for camping myself. But that is camping hell!
Wow, way cool to read about that job. Sad that I've never heard or seen pics about that job... what an awesome beast of a job!
Thanks so much for the congrats. We're due July 5th so we'll see if it decides to come a day early so we can name him Uncle Sam or her Liberty! Just jokin. :)
Did you get your sofa yet? Hope so! We don't have one and sometimes I go and sit on other peoples and think about how great they are!!
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