Why did 11 years pass before I hiked The Narrows myself? Dressed in the lime green and gray water proof suit and hiking boots I had rented from the Zion outfitters shop, I looked more like I was going to outer space than hiking. The shuttle bus on the way to the trail head was crowded. It was Spring Break after all. I stood in the center aisle clinging to overhead hand grip with one hand and my walking stick with the other. Gazing out the window I pondered my question. The answer came quickly…
When the birthday girl read about Angel’s Landing- a 5790 ft peak that can only be reached by hiking a narrow ridge with 1000 feet drop offs on either side, she was committed to doing it, with or with out the rest of us. When I’d heard about this hike in travelers’ tales, it sounded cool. But on the verge of actually hiking it, I was a little nervous.
At this point in my travels, and life, I am slowing down, shutting up, and LISTENING to others as I grapple with privilege, white supremacy, racism, sexism, xenophobia, colonialism, and capitalism.
