Motivate Me to Be Successful

"To think about your life is to create it. You have to take ownership of where you are right now and know where you want to go before you can get there. Keep collecting evidence for your success. You can believe it, and you can be it."
~ Ali Vincent

Entries in Bryce Canyon (1)

Monday
Mar272017

I nearly died of fright - or what doesn't kill you makes you stronger

There are a few things that terrify me but there comes a time when you have to trust that everything will turn out for the best - as long as you take the right kind of precautions, and if necessary hang on for grim death especially if you want to experience the best things in life. 

My partner Mike and I are currently on a 3 week road trip in the USA.  We’ve done road trips through parts of the States before, but this year, there was a lot of initial stress involved. While we had the route worked out, the transportation and accommodation booked, we weren’t sure the ever changing travel ban would stop us from entering the country. Great - a long awaited and much needed vacation and we weren’t even sure we would get through customs. 

Of course if you’ve been following me on social media you will know that we did indeed make it through customs - evenually. Now 2 weeks into the journey, we’ve travelled through 4 states and as I write this I am sitting in a saloon in Kanab, Utah. I love strange places and the people who gather there, and if my bluetooth keyboard, tablet and internet hotspot through my telephone was anything to go by - I was definitely the strange one :-) 

Our route this year is an eclectic mix of city and wild open country. We acclimatised in LA, then headed towards the beach before meandering through farm country littered with Oil Derricks towards Vegas. But after 4 nights in Vegas, 3 in San Francisco and 2 flights (albeit short), we needed wide open skies and long open roads. 

Our second and last night in Kanab, we made the decision to spend time in Zion National Park - we had raced through on a previous trip and knew there was more to offer. As we waited at the tunnel entrance that would take us deep into the mountain and the Canyon beyond, we sat and watched people of all ages and abilities go up and down a set of sandstone steps cut into the mountainside - and knew that was it. We’ll go up there on the way back! If tight winding roads and a beast of a car wasn’t enough to make the heart race, this was going to be it for me. 

One of our party made it up a single flight of steps and decided not to go any further. I decided to go on… 

I suffer from vertigo. 

I thought I was doing OK - as long as I take it slowly and be mindful of where I put my feet - and eyes. As we paused to take some phtotographs I said I knew what this edition of the Daily Dose was going to be - to which Mike replied as he rounded the next bend - is that the bit where you die of fright going over a rickety bridge over the canyon… 

The air was blue as I cussed him a streak - but sure enough there was a rickety bridge over the canyon. Do I trust that everything would be OK - or do I go back and regret it. 

I crossed the rickety bridge and into a cave. I didn't regret it.

bryce zion

It hasn't been the only time I've suffered from vertigo this trip and you can see some of the amazing images in the gallery.  

If you are unsure of whether to sit back and let someone else take the pictures, remember that sometimes you have to push through your problems to see the wonders that lie beyond your fear. 

While in this instance you can experience this through Mike’s camera lens, I hope you get to see this amazing place for yourself.