Not quite 127 hours

I headed west recently to visit some family in Colorado and from there, we headed into Utah’s Arches and Canyonlands National Parks.

In Arches we did some of our favorite hikes including Delicate Arch.

In Canyonlands we did a number of hikes including an 11-mile hike that takes you to the confluence of the Colorado and Green rivers. It’s quite the experience and I say that for reasons beyond the impressive scenery. The hike takes six hours to do, including some scrambling of small boulders. We started at 8 a.m. when it was a reasonable 78 degrees out and finished at 2 p.m. when it was a less-than-comfortable 102 degrees. I drank four liters of water and one of Gatorade along the way. It actually was my second time down the trail. I first hiked it about 10 years ago. Let’s just say it was much easier the first time.

The Canyonlands hiking was a great reminder about an idea we emphasize as a college: pushing yourself to achieve new and greater things. It may not always be easy, but it’s very much worth it in the end.

It was a great opportunity to get a few more photos of me in my favorite T-shirt. It also made me wonder where others took their college T-shirt this summer. Let us know. Upload a photo to Twitter using the hashtag #shirtspotting, or share it with us on Facebook.