TAKING ON THE WILD WEST

Hello All,

After dropping into southern Arizona last week, I began to make my way north from Tucson up through Arizona and into Utah.  This part of the country is one of the very few spots I had yet to see.  I rented a Vespa and hit the road.  OK no Vespa...

Highlights down here were thus far have been getting to catch up with the newlyweds Patrick and Yvette to watch our Clemson Tigers beat USC!  About time!  Also, crazy how the world works, but I was truly fortunate to catch up with a young lady who is on the short list for nicest people in all the world, Ms. Katie Mearn.  Katie sent me off for my journey with a care package that made me think she robbed the local Whole Foods.  This anti-scurvy kit was filled with more fresh produce than I had seen in months.  Thanks so much Katie! 

After getting stabbed by a few too many cacti needles in southern Arizona and quickly losing all my golf balls while attempting to play desert golf, I continued on north.  

I'm 1,000 miles in at this point and the sites have been incredible.  I have knocked out Sedona, where the colors of the landscape just blew my mind.  From there, I continued on to the Grand Canyon where I spent a few days as the guest of Mr. Brian Welsh.  Brian is a friend of mine from the disaster response world and he is currently running the show for the Grand Canyon Fire Department.  Thanks for your hospitality man.  It was great to see you!

While resting a few thousand feet below the rim at the Grand Canyon, I could have thought I was the last person standing on planet earth.  (off season in the national parks out here are leaving me with the place to myself!)   

It was a few hours into my trek the other day when I came across an overlook that blew my mind.  As I sat there to take it all in, all of a sudden memories of my pal Patrick who passed away this past summer, began to hit me.  Gosh, he would love this place I thought.  I could just picture him running up and down the Grand Canyon without breaking a sweat.  Meanwhile, I was sweating trying to unscrew my water bottle.  Additionally, I had to stop to catch my breathe about 400 times while climbing out of this spectacular hole in the earth.  Anyways, I had a good cry and had a few good smiles remembering the old days with the Clemson Crew gang.  Gone but not forgotten Patrick Anderson.  Thanks for keeping an eye on me brother.

The journey continues north...

Mark/Chops

The Future Is No Place To Place Your Better Days

CRUNCHING THE NUMBERS TO SEE IF I CAN HANG GLIDE TO THE OTHER SIDE... NOT THE SPOT FOR YOU IF YOU DON'T LIKE HEIGHTS!  NO RAILINGS!

RAN INTO DR. PATRICK RYAN IN PHOENIX. 

HIKING THE SANTA CATALINA MOUNTAINS IN TUCSON, AZ. LOOK, THE MOON IS OUT!

DODGING CACTI LIKE IT'S MY JOB

DISCOVERED A NEW SPECIES OF CACTI

PLAYED A LITTLE DESERT GOLF

THIS GUY ISN'T AFRAID OF HEIGHTS

SUMMIT OF MOUNT LEMMON HIGH ABOVE TUCSON

JUST UNDER 10,000 FEET ON TOP OF MOUNT LEMMON

WHO KNEW I OWNED A COLLARED SHIRT!?

SEDONA, AZ

CLIFFS OF SEDONA, ARIZONA

THE BEST SITE I SAW IN ALL OF ARIZONA! MS. KATIE MEARN!

SO I AM BEING DRIVEN OUT TO THE DESERT IN THE BACK OF A TRUCK (DON'T ASK...) AND THIS IS WHAT I SAW... THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE THE END FOR ME.

ANTELOPE CANYON - PAGE, ARIZONA

SOME LADY ASKED ME IF I THOUGHT THIS LOOKED LIKE GEORGE WASHINGTON.   THE ONLY THING I THOUGHT WAS THAT SHE WAS ON DRUGS

A FEW RAYS DROPPING IN FROM THE SKY INTO THE CANYON

AFTER ATTENDING BILL LARZELERE'S SCHOOL OF FINDING ANIMALS IN THE WILD (COLORADO CAMPUS), I SEEM TO HAVE NO PROBLEM FINDING THEM.  ELK IN GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK

SEE LAST CAPTION - DEER

PATRICK ANDERSON, I WILL NEVER FORGET YOU.  STAYED HERE FOR A FEW HOURS AND WORKED MY MIND THROUGH MANY GOOD MEMORIES.

TRAIL MARKERS BELOW THE SOUTH RIM OF THE GRAND CANYON

THIS GUY'S PICTURES ARE BETTER THAN MINE

GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK AT ITS BEST

GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK

ONE OF THE FEW RAILINGS IN THE PARK.