southern utah.

We are headed down to southern Utah this weekend! We sort of feel that summer doesn't really begin until you have spent your first warm and wonderful weekend in southern Utah. We will be backpacking Coyote Gulch with some friends of ours, and we are so excited to get going!

For those of you who are not familiar with southern Utah, I posted a few pictures from our last trip when we spent a few days in Zion National Park area for President's Day weekend. Southern Utah is most famous for the beautiful red rocks that make you feel like you have suddenly wondered onto Mars. Although these pictures look like Christmastime on Mars, southern Utah is usually deliciously warm. You will find the most amazing geological formations, colors, and views. You will also run into more Europeans than if you were backpacking across Europe--they love the "Wild West." It is just a great place to celebrate summer.

I am really excited about this weekend, because it will be my first real multi-night backpacking trip. Also, we will be trying out some new equipment, like our camp stove and Sam's Osprey backpack. Sam will definitely be carrying more, but I am proud to say I will packing in some weight, too. Wish me luck! This will be the first of many weekend trips this summer. Sam and I have decided that this may be our last summer in Utah for awhile, and we are going to take advantage of it.

I proclaim this, the summer of ROXSAM!

(Any Seinfeld fans out there?)

Ps. I was hoping to have our northern California posts complete before we left for the weekend. Sorry, that didn't happen. I promise to finish those up sometime when we get back.