I don't have much to say in regards to this trip other than it was a beautiful place to be. The trees are so large, it is simply incredible. I found the campsites and trails to be mostly abandoned seeing as it was during the winter season, so it was just me, my thoughts, and the trees. Oh, and these elk
I made fire, stayed dry and warm, and ate a nice dinner despite being terribly unprepared. No tarp, no matches, no wood, no problem
Where'd I get the wood here? I was in a national forest after all.
How'd I start the fire? I didn't become a life scout for nothing.
They say that in order to get a genuine smile you should think about something funny
I was thinking about sharts
After a good nights sleep, I awoke at the crack of dawn in order to begin a 9 mile jaunt through the forest. Here are some of the shots I got from the hike.
On a much more serious note, as I was walking through these giant trees all alone, I got to feeling quite small, both literally and figuratively. As I continued, I had a thought come to mind that sadly, I know, wasn't one that I put there myself. It was that I was the most valuable thing in that forest. It might not seem like much to you or me now, but at the time it sure took me by surprise. It made a big impact on me and encouraged me to rethink the way I generally feel about myself. I think we all feel small and insignificant at times and it would do us all well to remember who we really are and where we come from. With God we are never alone or unimportant.
An ewok I passed on the trail was kind enough to snap this shot of me (for more information on ewoks click here)
It's HUGE
The wood is red
The following shots were taken from Fern Canyon. I was hoping to avoid getting wet but ended up doing a pretty good reenactment of this unforgettable scene from the less then great sequal of Jurassic Park: The Lost World
I'm not sure what this is all about, but be sure to watch your head if you decide to walk under the ox's hind legs
My brother Jeff and I decided to make the two hour drive from Hiko and spend a day in Las Vegas.
We started the day off on the right foot by eating lunch at Outback Steakhouse and putting a dent in the worlds shrimp population. After that, we made a stop at the world famous Gold and Silver Pawn Shop, better known as the home of the hit tv show Pawn Stars, now in it's 13th season (watch it on the History channel with new episodes Mondays at 10/9c). Unfortunately we arrived just before a segment shoot so we weren't able to make it onto the TV
I quickly learned that there isn't much to do in Vegas if you don't want to spend a lot of money, you aren't a rotten scumbag, and if you haven't planned much ahead of time, but we eventually found ourselves being drawn back onto the streets of competitive go-cart racing. By spending a few bucks we payed for an opportunity to race in at least 3 heats and if we did well enough against our competition, we had a chance to win our money back with a little extra.
Preparing for the races
Jeff was serious about winning and he had plenty of time to scope the field and get a feel for what we were up against, as well as devise a strategy for victory. After a practice run, I found myself in the hot seat as our hope for a chance at eternal glory. Jeff made sure that I could handle the pressure of the moment by putting extra amounts of pressure on me before the races had even begun (I'm not sure I convinced him I could pull through for the team but we stuck to the plan anyway)
Can't touch team Rowley
After a random drawing for carts and lane positions, the competitors made their way to the track for the first of three heats. I was in the middle of the pack while Jeff was put dead last (not what we had hoped for). As the flag was raised, then lowered, then waved, the engines sputted and the tires skidded and we were off. There were spin outs, there were crashes, there was whiplash, there was blood, there were tears. After the first heat, I finished in 4th, Jeff was... somewhere behind me.
I drew the same cart for the second and third heats and as fate would have it, she was an old clunker that needed some serious time to warm up and get going. The tires were in poor shape too and making left hand turns got me feeling a bit like Derek Zoolander. Jeff got a beauty for the second heat and ended up starting near the front. I had to do everything I could to stay on top of the racers behind me, cutting them off at each turn. He and the other leaders were way ahead of me and the rest of the pack but I maintained my 4th place position. As Jeff rounded the last corner of the final lap, he saw that I was in the lead of the stragglers and so he pulled to the side in an act of selfless sportsmanship, allowing me to pass him and thus securing me the 3rd spot finish in the second heat.
The final heat saw me once again starting near the rear of the pack with my crap-cart, but with a bit of luck and some help from Jeff, there was a major crash at the start of the race, allowing me and him to pull ahead of the rest of the pack. Sadly, Jeff took a nasty hit later on in the race, spinning him out and getting him hit again and again by other racers, thus taking him out of play for the rest of that race. I knew I had to continue onward without looking back or worrying if he was still alive. It's what he would have wanted me to do. I ended up finishing the heat in 4th place.
Our scores throughout the heats qualified us for the final race. This one was for all the marbles. We had another draw for carts and starting positions and I pulled the best cart by far, the one Jeff had used in the second heat. We were both put in the front of the pack, and at the starting line, we took a look at each other that said we've got this and we both knew what to do. I zoomed ahead in my little cart and Jeff stayed behind to take care of the rest of them, creating a nice comfortable cushion for me to cruise to the win. I didn't get any video of the races, but I'm assuming it must have looked and sounded something like this
#1
Mission accomplished
Victory is mine! ...thanks for your help Jeff :)
After that experience, I've begun to seriously consider a career in profession cart racing. This is the most money I've made in a month! I believe I've found my calling.
And Jeff found his! We spent a good amount of time at the Bass Pro Shop and after picking up some equipment, Jeff was selected to be an on-the-spot model. He's still waiting for the right time to debut his perfect model hands though. Someday...
I was able to join my sister Erin and her family on their vacation to Anaheim, California, which included a lovely airbnb with pool and game room, the beach, as well as Disneyland and California Adventure theme parks.
We met in Las Vegas, as I was coming from Hiko, Nevada and they from Utah. Jake and Ellie we eager to join me in my car for the remainder of the drive to California. We had a great time arguing, fighting, and eating junk food in the car (only joking, we got along quiet well for the most part). I was also able to teach the kids an important life lesson: kids ruin everything. They tried to disagree with me but after looking in the back seat once we got out and finding spilled drinks and crumbs everywhere, they didn't have much more to say.
We stopped at Lola's Kitchen in Barstow, CA for a quick bite of authentic Californian-Mexican food (my burrito had fries inside!)
Once we arrived at the home in Anaheim, the pool was quickly discovered and there was no stopping the kids from jumping in asap. While the water was a bit chilly, we still had fun
One of my favorite parts of my time in California was spent at Seal Beach. The waves were so fun to play in and I loved every bit of it. I even played a hero and rescued our pretzels by chasing after the seagull who snatched them right out of our bag.
Headed for the beach
Rockin' my Morpheus sun glasses
The beach was everything I hoped it would be, warm and sunny
Here's another important life lesson I've learned and would like to share with you. Never use snapchat to save pictures and videos
Use the Gash Durn Camera!
But hopefully you were able to work out some of those kinks in your neck.
Sunday was spent with my aunt and uncle, Brent and Melody Bandley, who live nearby. We attended church with them and then they had us over for a delicious meal with them afterwards. They were wonderful and gracious hosts. We should have taken a picture together! Oh well... this'll have to do
Shout out to McKenzie and my mom's legs
We went back to the beach to enjoy the beautiful sunset over the ocean later that day
Ooooooo
Ahhhhhhh
WHAT?!?!
that's better
And the next day we were off to....
DISNEYLAND!
the most happiest place on earth.
But not only that....
CHRISTMAS TIME AT DISNEYLAND!!!
the most wonderfulest time of the year at the most happiest place on earth.
And it showed
I took this picture
Erin took this one
....needless to say we had a great time....
And just in case you are still thinking about saving stories from snapchat
I've found that it isn't so much the place as it is the people in the place that make somewhere special. Hiko may be a small town in the middle of nowhere Nevada with a population of just over 100 but it is where my brother Jeff lives and works. I came here and found myself involved in bunnies, hunting, and horseback riding (as well as a lot of tv). Hiko may not sound like much but I've seen everything from life and death, including blood, sweat, and tears.
Jeff has decided to raise rabbits (yes, they are for eating) and I have had the chance to help out with some of the chores associated with rabbit keeping. I helped him construct their cages and help feed and water them. They are all pretty cute
I named her fluffy butt
The free range rabbit
And while they are a joy to see hop around, we also have seen tragedy strike. Unfortunately there have been three untimely rabbit deaths that have left us a bit shaken
The first death, the baby: fluffy butt
It hasn't been all bad news with rabbits though. We had a successful mating attempt with two of the adult rabbits that I had the privilege to witness. Baby bunnies should be coming soon (tomorrow).
We also took the life of our free range rabbit in order to provide dinner. It wasn't hard for me to shoot the rabbit because I have no soul. Actually, I am grateful for the sacrifice of the rabbit for us. It was sad to no longer see him jumping about. Skinning and gutting the rabbit was not my favorite either, but he made a wonderful ingredient in the soup for us that I appreciated very much.
One of the few attractions of Hiko happens to be Area 51. While visitors are not permitted on the premises, and even the entrance to it is hidden from all except the locals, there are plenty of surrounding attractions to satisfy the cravings of those seeking extraterrestrial experiences. I had the chance to visit a few myself
The Extraterrestrial Highway leading to Area 51
The Alien at an Area 51 gift shop
I also sighted this strange creature at the local market. Even
though camouflaged, with a keen eye for detail, one truth prevails
I'm sure there are plenty of skeptics out there so let me provide further evidence of extraterrestrial life. These images were taken by yours truly in the desert wasteland just outside of Area 51. Warning: what you are about to see may be disturbing to some viewers
Yes, we've managed to have some good times here in Hiko, and as my
time here comes to an end, it will be hard to say goodbye to the freedoms of
isolation and the overall good lifestyle found there
