I don't care who you are, where you're from, what you did...

If the above title is what you're thinking to yourself right now, then please.  Don't feel obligated to continue.

It does seem like a lot of pictures, and no one knows that better than me because I took all the time uploading them to Blogger, but, you know... compared to how many pictures we actually took on this trip, this is just a few M & M's out of the bag. 

Anyway, this was my 2nd trip to Arches, but 1st official time to hike around and actually acquaint myself with the red stone formations. 

First stop upon arrival in Moab on Friday the 12th:

Delicate Arch

This about sums up how I felt after a long week...

And Saturday's adventures....

including:

Pine Tree Arch

(we're actually standing under it - sorry you can't see the whole 'arch' thing going on.)

Landscape Arch

Double 'O' Arch

The remains of Wall Arch

and Clint pretending to be the Vitruvian Man (okay, so I told him to pose like this)

A mid-day picnic in a heated car.  (In case you didn't pick out the

white stuff

in any of the above pictures - yeah, it was cold).

Sand Dune Arch

At the Windows.  North or South, can't remember.

I think these are cool pics because they capture the drama of the sky against

the red rock as the predicted storm rolled in.

We were privy to witnessing Arches in all the conditions of:

Sunshine, Snow, and Rain.

Go figure.

Turret Arch

Double Arch

Guess whoooo???

Balanced Rock.

Park Avenue.

...and the obligatory visit to the Arches Souvenir Collectors' shop

specializing in Indecision.

We ended up with a few goodies.

This about sums up how Clint felt after 2 days

of traveling a total of at least 18 miles on foot:

While somebody else who felt the same way

found an alternate way to occupy the time...

...with the help of a little BSB. 

(If you were a teenager in the 90s,

you can probably figure out who fits this acronym.  But...

since you've made it this far

in the recounting of the Vacay,

then you deserve a hint at this point by

going back to the title of this post.)

Yeah. 

Anyway, the point is, I stayed awake.

blood, sweat, and tears

now quite literally characterizes my Half Marathon training.

Seriously.

Yes, that is my bloody right ankle with blood smeared over my left shoe. (It looks more dramatic in person.)  I kept nicking my right ankle with my left foot.  According to Runnerworld.com, my pronation appears to be normal, judging by the signs of wear on my old pair of runners, and yet... I think my foot-turnover technique may need some tweaking to avoid the spillage of blood. 

The sweat part is granted, of course.

And yes, I unabashedly admit to having cried over my anxieties about running a half marathon at a goal pace that is, for me... challenging.  And with most of Clint's side watching or running the same race, my ego most definitely is being trained for this race as well. :)

a new way to shave

Methinks Clinty likes his new winter gloves.