2009
You are browsing the archive for 2009.
Santa Barbara Personal Training
Melanie Webb and Sol Fitness Adventures Melanie Webb is a Santa Barbara California personal trainer who believes fitness is more than a gym work out; it’s a way of life. I invite Santa Barbara California personal training to experience my world – one of stimulating physical activity, enthusiastic support, and unparalleled professionalism. From studio weight ...read more
Surf Santa Barbara California
Time to switch gears from canyoneering to ocean sports, and that means surfing. I think it’s one of the last board sports on my list: snowboarding, done; wakeboarding, done; skateboarding – junior high attempts were enough to convince me that I sucked; longboarding – college wipe-outs and separated shoulders were enough to convince me that, ...read more
Fat Man’s Misery
“Why do they call it Fat Man’s?” you ask. This shot of Frank and Carolyn downclimbing their way through one of the many slots in Fat Man’s repertoire should clue you in. Visitors to Zion National Park ready to venture off the beaten path and explore the backcountry have world-class canyoneering options to choose from. ...read more
The National Parks: America’s Best Idea
I hope all of you outdoor lovers have been watching The National Parks: America’s Best Idea on PBS this week. I know, I know, it’s the second week of Dancing with the Stars (I’m a closet fan), but come on now, where are your priorities? Ken Burns has created a beautiful film documenting the development ...read more
Zion Canyoneering
Summer’s over, and went out in such EPIC style that I can honestly say with the enthusiasm of a school girl “it was the best summer I ever had!” I spent my last month of summer in Zion National Park, having so many adventures that I utterly refused to blog. Who wants to sit at ...read more
Bottled Water
Cheers to Zion National Park calling attention to the wasteful American habit of purchasing bottled water by the boatloads. The park has installed several bottle refilling stations, where park visitors can fill reusable bottles with fresh spring water. Americans use about 50 billion plastic bottles of water yearly, 167 for each person. About 38 billion ...read more
Zion Canyoneering
Desert Nutrition for Zion canyoneering CLICK HERE to receive 15% off Hammer Product. I was extremely physically active during my 3-week Zion canyoneering trip. If I wasn’t doing two-a-day workouts, road biking and taking short, steep hikes, I was busy hiking anywhere from eight to 13 miles, sometimes in a slot canyon with water but ...read more
Zion Canyoneering Guides
Slot Canyon Stupidity “That thing which makes you great also makes you an asshole,” Greg, one of my favorite Zion canyoneering guides told me, “and all of us guides fall into that category.” He was 100% accurate in his assessment of me. I had nothing to blame but my own arrogance for getting caught in ...read more
Zion Canyoneering Guides
I’m settling into my groove. I am a Zion canyoneering guide seeking a Mojave meditation on my own time. Fighting the wind on early morning bike rides up the canyon, afternoon siestas out of the blistering heat, and evening hikes under freezing rain drops call attention to the daily extremes and fluctuations of the Mojave ...read more
Zion National Park Backpacking Trip
I’m sure you’ve told yourself to “go to your happy place” before. It’s a mental exercise, a visualization intended to lessen the pain or fear of the current situation. I have routinely done this every time I’ve visited the dentist since I was 10 years old. I have literally “gone to my happy place,” on ...read more
