Hiking the Narrows

Hiking the Narrows in Zion National Park through the Virgin River has been on my bucketlist. for as long as I can remember. I have always been drawn to this hike but it's not hard to see why.

This is one of the best hikes in the world complete with fighting your way upstream, hiking through the canyon walls, and being westbound.

I have been putting off this post for months because I have been trying to find a way to describe the Narrows that does it a ounce of justice but it seems impossible to do.


So instead I am here to suggest how to complete this hike because I have already spent enough hours online searching for both of us to make sure we took the right bus and stayed at the best location.

The Narrows are located in Springdale, Utah. A one street town built along side breathtaking views. If you have the time, we met many families completing the "Grand Circle Road Trip"  that will allow you to hit each National Park in the Arizona and Utah area. This includes Zion, Bryce Canyon, The Arches, Canyonlands, and the Grand Canyon - and it sounds INCREDIBLE. But, I'm not here to add anything to my #bucketlist, because it is time for ZNP to be OFF!

For a quick trip to the Narrows, fly into Las Vegas and rent a car to drive the 3 hours to Zion National Park. Once to Springdale, there is no traffic allowed in the park so drop your car at the hotel and grab the free shuttle bus that runs through town. If you keep straight through Springdale (remember it's a one street town) you will dead end into the Visitor's Center where you can pick up the shuttle and continue stopping at each of the trail heads. If you want to take a break and grab some views from the road, the round-trip shuttle trip takes about 1 hour.

P.S. - The visitor center does fill up quickly but do check for a spot before waiting for a bus in town. They don't come as often in Springdale and you want to spend as much time on the trails as possible!

Ride the shuttle until the last stop called "Temple of Sinawava" and walk a mile on the paved pathway until you reach the river's edge. We hike the BOTTOM-UP Day hike and fought the river the whole way up. Everyone congregates at the bank to play in the sand and to work up their courage but it starts off rather shallow depending on the time of year, rain, and run-off.

There is a possibility of flash flooding that can occur on this hike. Updated information can be found throughout town and I was so worried about the need to judge water speed before we arrived - insert your laughing here - but the trail will close if the threat is too great and the shuttle will not let you off. So, off you go!

But just in case, look for big boulders to save you!

Since we hiked in late October, I recommend waders or dri-fit pants to keep out the cold on the length of the hike. It will be at least 3 hours before you reach "The End of Wall Street" - a section of the hike that day trippers will turn back, which means you will have 3 hours hiking back with a strong possibility of the sun going down and intimidating canyon walls that cover must of the river with shadows anyways.

Other helpful items were protein bars, walking sticks, and canyon boots. None are necessary for the day but were helpful when you are forging the river up to your waist and higher. So be careful with little ones -  and your cell phone.

This is an incredible hike and I have now added the THRU- HIKE to my #bucketlist - seriously there is no hope of getting it off. When you arrive in Springdale, there are several outfitters that are friendly and more than willing to help to answer any (and ALL) questions you have. 

Getting an early morning start isn't necessary but it allows for a nice opportunity to experience the river to yourself and a lack of eyes for those initial slippery falls! 

Thank God for walking sticks.

And, remember that West bound trips are a necessity if you are not blessed with living here. Growing up in Montana is not something that leaves you easily and my heart aches until that moment I fly West. It is my home and my heart swells under the weight of my happiness.

But until then, we hike.

Frolicking with manatees

On the trek down to Jacksonville, Florida to cheer on the Georgia Bulldawgs we made a quick stop for a Thursday adventure.

Three Sisters Springs is located in Crystal River, Florida. A lagoon of crystal blue water, clear to the depths and surrounded by low lying trees.

 

We stopped by on a beautiful October week day and had the entire springs to ourselves.

Well, all to ourselves except for these big ol' guys! 

Three Sisters Springs is a sanctuary for a local group of manatees that lazily swim up to you and want a gentle pet. Those ready for a close encounter can enter the water and swim with them.

I stayed firmly on my board but it did not stop them from nudging me as we went along. 

We rented paddleboards (3 hours/$20) from River Ventures and met them at the boat ramp to set off. Paddling through the bay and marina, the trip to Three Sisters Springs takes about 30 minutes, depending on your level/experience in SUP.

Getting there is a fun experience, you will travel through the wetlands, paddling in front of waterfront homes, and with wild life grazing by with you. If SUP isn't your thing, sightseeing boats will take you close and kayaks can also be rented but only swimmers, SUPs, and kayaks can enter the spring.

It is a wobbly start so wear a bathing suit or fast drying clothes if this is your first go - but you'll get the hang of it fast and reflection resting breaks are encouraged.

If you head to Florida, try to make a stop by Crystal River, located about an hour west of Gainesville. It is a cheap and fun activity  - and an even better workout!

It's Britney B*tch

We missed our flight to Park City, Utah because we meandered too long in the Narrows. But really, it is a place to spend every last moment. Instead we drove back to Vegas - and only could find a hotel room at Circus Circus. Yes, really.

We have both been to Vegas multiple times and have our favorite spots.

1. Drais - always Drai's. This place is my heartbeat.

If you ever ask me where you should go in Vegas, know that this is my answer. When I first started coming to Vegas, this place was in a dark, old basement - oh, how things have changed. But even then you should still always end every evening (and begin every morning) dancing at Drais... and with any handsome young men you bring along.

2. The Chandelier bar at the Cosmopolitan.

The Cosmopolitan is quickly becoming my new favorite hotel in Vegas. Marquee is the in house club and there is nothing that makes more sense in life than champagne inside a chandelier.

Chandelier beads cascade to the floor from three stories up and once inside plush couches beckon you for cocktails before the night's adventures.

 Which are perfect when the adventure of the evening is Britney. 

Three words will sum up this experience - Britney is awesome. And Britney with your best friend is even better.

Do not skip this show at the Hard Rock even though she will barely dance and lip-sync the entire night because you will not sit down even when she is pouring her heart out during "Lucky".

This show is jam-packed with incredible dancers, lighting displays, set designs, and I would tell you to go for the theatrics alone. 

But the girl slays and when you leave, no one will question that Britney is back and better than ever.

How to spend a night on the Rockaways

You have reached your destination just before the end of the line when the train pulls into Playland. This should be your first sign you are about to begin a magical journey.

Rockaway does not disappoint in its ability to play. You can find it all here. Perfect small town love, amazing beach vibes, sand, surf, and great night life. When you are living out on the Rockaways, the days easily blend into nights and as much as I love the beach and surfing, the night life almost has it beat. 

There are a few great bars within walking distance from the beach and each night is a bar hop, meeting up with friends or making new ones as you go. Start your evening at  Rockaway Beach Surf Club, an outside space under the tracks of the A train that will serve as the meeting place after the beach. 

Go in your bathing suit and store your board in their lockers in the back. When the train passes above, it is the perfect juxtaposition of surf and city that perfect describes life in the Rockaways and it is easy to see how my best friend got stuck here. 

If you are needing a dinner break, their food truck, "The Cookout" is new this season and parked in the surf shack's backyard. They serve incredible seafood - try the Shrimp Po' Boy and thank me later.  

In the backyard you can sip cocktails on the family style benches with friends and watch old surf movies playing on the screen outside. I want this place to be my home bar - I wish I could start every night here under the A train with tan skin and surf scars. I even saw Nolan Funk here of Awkward. fame. And yes, I am too old to know MTV actors anymore.


The crowds will begin here and dwindle as the sun sets and the nightly bar crawl begins. There are a few stops along the way but the only other you must not miss is the Playland Motel. The only place you can rent a room on the Rockaways, this stop has a full sand, beach backyard and a ground level bar where you go to late night and be seen.

The vibe here is perfection, dancing is non-stop, and this is the happy smile you will leave with.

Andrew VanWyngarden, the lead vocalist of MGMT is known to frequent the bar when local. He currently purchased a home in the area, packed it with his friends, and heads to Playland in the evenings to DJ - for fun. 

It is incredible but that is how night's happen in Playland.

P.S. Andrew, you're dreamy.

In a place called "Playland" my dreams of being a wannabe beach bum seem plausible. I want to ride my bike on the sandy streets with no shoes on my feet and a deep crisp tan on my Native American skin. I want to surf all day and play all night. I want out of the grind, and it probably wasn't the best idea for my current mindset to visit my best friend in a place called Playland. It is perfection and exactly what your soul needs.

This is what I have been missing. Can I come back yet?

How to spend a day on Rockaway Beach

When you dream of New York, an urban sprawl of speeding taxicabs and concrete skyscrapers probably floods your mind.But you might not guess that there is a surfing mecca a short train ride from the city.

Rockaway Beach is one of the best surfing spots on the East Coast; a welcoming and ultra hip surf town that is growing in popularity as heat tempts everyone to the beach. Each year my friends take a hiatus from the city and spend the summer working from the shore and surfing between company e-mails or seasonal bartending gigs. I swear I am not jealous... but this sure beats my usual lunch break.

If you can't make the temporary move from the city to your surf pad, head out on weekends when the beaches and boardwalk are packed but the waves never discriminate. To get there, grab your board (or rent one when you arrive from the boardwalk) and take the A train out to Rockaway Beach where you will be blessed with delicious food, an amazing energy and some of the best people of anywhere I have traveled, as well as surfing that will entertain those with advanced skills and build confidence for beginners.

Start your day at with coffee at Surfside Bagels where you pay on the honor system and stop to chat to with your neighbors that congregate for morning coffee and a recap of the previous night's shenanigans. If you are well-rested take a run or attend "Yoga on the Rocks". If you cannot, then you are hungover so grab a beer, tend to your garden, and wake your housemates - and your cute pup.

Collect your board, rash guard, and head to the beach to check out the surf for the day. The beach at Rockaway is a surf beach and you will not be allowed in the water without a board - if you can't surf, grab a boogie so you can play too - or at least to have so you can get in and cool off. You don't want to be the lone guy on the shore. 

Spend the day laying on the beach with a new book, toasting in the sun, and enjoy too many cocktails between surfing sessions (or in my case, falling sessions). 

Stop for eats at Santa Salsa, where you will experience the perfect burger oozing in deliciousness. Located at the boardwalk at 97th, Santa Salsa is a Brooklyn food truck that relocates to the beach on summer weekends. It is served out of a Venezuelan street food cart that serves hot dogs, a grilled asparagus burger, and pepitos or steak sandwich. 

The burger is cooked as ordered and well worth the wait because it comes stuffed with avocados, fried egg, onions, and cheese on a perfectly toasted bun. Plus, these guys are ridiculously cheap, it is $6 for a burger with all of the fix-ins you want. I didn't even take a picture I ruined it so fast - a surfing girl has got to eat! 

To find the cart, head to the cornhole sets facing the beach, directly across from Low-Tide Bar. If you can't get out to the beach (shame on you) or start craving these burgers during the week, their food truck is at 594 Union Avenue in Brooklyn. 

Rockaway was one of the hardest hit areas during Sandy which left the beach destroyed. Currently, there is a project rebuilding the beach. A ship dredges the sand from the ocean floor that was once our shoreline and redeposits it on the beach through pipes. Once the sand is dispersed in the area, the section of pipe is removed and the next section is built up. It isn't the most beautiful project, but worth it to bring back the beach.

Beachcomers and surfers alike have rallied behind the town for its waves and atmosphere. A perfect surf town is is always a place to defend. 

End the day with frozen sangaritas at Caracas - a delicious concoction of sangria and margarita that sounds horrible. Trust me, its not. 

Stroll back to the house to watch the sun dip below the New York skyline from the rooftop.

Rooftop hammocks are now my favorite of things. 

And this skylight that you crawl through has already been added to my list of projects.

In the evenings, grill out with your housemates or walk to the corner for some of the most delicious tacos in all of the world. Rockaway Taco is located on Beach 96th but be warned that the line will start queuing at 2pm and go until close.

Yes, it really is THAT good.

If pizza is more your thing, check out Roberta's. They have a permanent post in Bushwick that draws pizza lovers from miles around. For the summer they are serving personal pies on an empty property on beach 96th out of a cargo container.  It needs a paint job but the food is fresh and inventive with ingredients from sopresa to honey toppings.

After cocktails and dinner, throw on your sundresses and jean shorts and head out for the night. This town is small so you won't have too much trouble finding friends for the evening - and everyone is ready for a good time.

But there's no wrong way to spend in the Rockaways so as my grandmother says, " Give my regards to Rockaway!"