My Week Off! and much hiking...

So we didn't have a group during "week 6" and I had a lot of time to read, catch up on some zzz's... and GO HIKING!!





I went once on my own behind the compound in Arroyo. It was beautiful and desert-y. The second time everyone went to a park called El Salto. It was tropical and beautiful. Chely and I got ourselves LOST (not really... you'll see the play on words as you follow along with our adventure...)


First I passed by some beautiful, green farmland. Then things got dryer. This was the only little house along the way.



I had to make a decision.



I left Arroyo behind me... And looked ahead...


Before I knew it, I had made it to the top of the first steep ascent and could look back on the spotted Joshua trees below.



When I returned, Danny was hard at work cleaning up in front of the compound. I arrived in time to beat the afternoon showers that visited us every day that week.

The church sits quietly waiting on us to come inside.

Every evening when the sun falls behind the mountains, it lights up the farthest clouds with what look like flames that spark up and then die away in glowing embers.

EL SALTO

The next week I climbed these with some group members, Jenna, Corey, Nate, and Nate's dad and nephew.

So Chely and I took off for a nice stroll.... when we reached the top of the first hill, I realized what an adventure it was about to be. The view -utterly breathtaking... the setting- like something from LOST!! You know how pumped I must've been, right? So I took off running in search of Jack... hahaha ok no, but I was definitely in awe of The Island-like qualities of this beautiful forest. So Chely and I decided to journey on...

Spanish moss is taking over!! And I'd like to see Dad grow some Elephant Ears like these!

The giant black tubing is NOT for water irrigation... it is an experiment set up who-knows-how-long ago by the DHARMA Initiative!

Chely bravely ventures through the cave that used to hold experimental BEARS... or killer SALMON!!!

We trek on... Chely in the lead... wearing Converse... hahaha Her hiking shoes put her at a slight disadvantage. That's why she picked up the walking stick. I'm not ashamed to say I had to help her over several slippery rocks (she's shorter than I am :) ). Let me also note that she started out in a denim skirt (so hardcore, I know) but fell maybe 5 mins into the journey and had to change it for some shorts that weren't covered in mud!

Two hours later we reached the Promised Land. At least we couldn't go any further without swimming. And that murky brown water was not beckoning, no matter how much I was sweating. So we turned around and tried to beat the rolling thunder back to the campsite... but it didn't happen....

Steven and Corey had already come looking for us since the clouds had begun to rumble, so we met them and shortly after we met the icy rain. Then the rain turned into hail and the four of us had to slide, stumble, and half-run back to the vans while getting pelted (and while the smoke monster chased us). We were soaked, frozen, tired, hungry (Chely and I hadn't had lunch yet) and in the best spirits!! I survived an episode of LOST. I felt like Kate. :-D