Keep close to Nature’s heart… and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean. ~John Muir
My soul can find no staircase to Heaven unless it be through Earth’s loveliness. ~Michelangelo
There are two kinds of climbers, those who climb because their heart sings when they’re in the mountains, and all the rest. ~Alex Lowe
The desert is a place without expectation. ~Nadine Gordimer
This is the sense of the desert hills, that there is room enough and time enough. ~Mary Austin
Keep moving,
xoxo nancy
my year of sweat 
you look very serene and yoga-y 🙂
I am assuming you didn’t fall over the moment after the picture was taken like I would have done!
Bahahaha! Nope, I stayed upright! But it was extra challenging to try to strike that pose in hiking boots, I have to say. 🙂
In that case I am doubly impressed 😀
Also, climbing up was fairly easy; getting down, not so much. I basically had to slide down on my butt for fear of breaking my neck.
Down rocks is far more difficult!!
I was just commenting to Ed during last week’s new found steep hike at Lone Mountain that I *should* be much faster descending than ascending – but I actually take nearly as much time to hike down from a mountain as I do climbing up. Because I’m basically paralyzed with fear for 80% of the descent…
There is the fear, and the fact that down hill is as hard on your legs as uphill, just in different places! Gravity only helps on shallow hills!
True – I do go pretty quick when it’s not so steep and/or when the ground is solid/dry. It’s those damned loose-gravel covered parts of the path that cause my feet to slide up from under me, and my ass to smack down on rock. Not fun.
no not fun at all! When we did Ben Nevis, which is the biggest mountain I have climbed, down hill was easier up to the point where they made the path into giant steps which were rocky and higher than my knees to climb on! this was not fun!
See, I don’t mind the giant steps – as long as the boulders are dry and sturdy. I don’t mind getting all bendy, and using arms, legs, butt, etc. to traverse those. For me the fear is when the ground beneath my feet is unstable.
they weren’t that stable…
the problem is, I have fallen over and damaged my ankles a couple of times (before I broke it) and it made me really unsure on my feet on rocks and things so I am rubbish at down!
I was just getting my confidence back and relearning where my feet were when I fell down and broke my ankle…I haven’t been to a mountain since so I have no idea how I would do now!
I should go to a mountain and find out!
Well, if you ever make it to this side of the Atlantic, I’d be happy to have you test out your mountain legs in my desert playground.
I would love that…
Although I have it on good authority that my mountain legs are rubbish!
Nothing a few days in a row of climbing won’t fix. Trust me, day one is always rubbish for me.
😀 I will take you up on the offer one day!!
Can’t wait!
😀
The scenery is amazing, Nancy. The deep blue skies in contrast with the earth tones of the landscape. Well done!
It’s my happy place, Rob.
So beautiful! I feel at peace just looking at your pictures! And you picked great quotes!!
That one week in the mountains reset my mind and body. I’m so grateful to have that escape, even though it’s nowhere near as often or as long as it used to be. Pure, unadulterated, joy when I’m climbing.
There is nothing quite like being out in nature to remind us how glorious life is 🙂
Beautiful photos!
Joanne, those 8 short days served to hit the reset button for me. I was a giant stress ball when I arrived there. I left feeling much more centered and happy. It’s like magic.
Looks gloriously refreshing. Nothing like climbing all day with a little ashtanga on the rocks. Never know where I’m going to see you next – are you back home now?
Striking a yoga pose in hiking boots was interesting, Kelly. 🙂
I left my Vegas home Sunday night, arrived at my Toronto home early Monday morning, where I stayed for exactly 12 hours before flying out to Atlanta Monday night. Here in the ATL until Friday morning.
I’m putting a moratorium on travel until after our big house move on the 30th. 🙂
You look fabulous as well as balanced in that pose! Glad to hear you’ll get a breather before your move – moving is so stressful
So stressful! Not to mention the massive demolition and renovation that will kick off immediately after we take possession. I may need to leave hubby behind and head back to the Vegas condo for another ‘reset’. 🙂
Posing in mountain pose on the mountain => connection x grounded x 2!!
Tree pose too!
I tried to get my leg up higher, but the thick tread on those hiking boots made it a challenge. 🙂
I wish I hadn’t resisted the urge to kick my hiking boots and socks off and really get into it. It was such a beautiful spot.
Great quotes to go with the images Nancy!!! John Muir’s is my favorite but they all describe my love of the outdoors. I really enjoy your posts about the hiking trails around Las Vegas. Hopefully one of these days I will be able to take a trip I have been wanting to do to Death Valley to enjoy the night sky and then hike some of the trails you have shared around Las Vegas.
Well, I certainly hope you give me a bit of lead time on your trip so that I can try to get there too. Would love to share a hike or two with you!
I will definitely give you a heads-up! I would very much enjoy having a guide for the trails around Las Vegas.
And I can buy you a cup of tea since you’ve already bought me coffee! 🙂
Makes me want to hike in the worst way. Lovely, lovely pictures. Your tree post is perfect, because it’s what you could do in that moment. 🙂
Should have taken my boots and socks off! 🙂
That’s a lot of words for wordless, but nice words. Like the quotes. They put the pictures in context.
I got some criticism in the past for posting truly WORDLESS wednesdays, so I decided to add some words/context. Glad to hear they resonated with you!
Que? Criticised for words on wordless posts? You can’t win can you?
Seriously!!!
ohmyGOSH gorgeous photos, Nancy!!
This place makes me so happy, Beth.
Gorgeous mountain pictures, Nancy! My soul rests just looking at them! But I’m wondering what kind of selfie stick you had for the “Namaste Nancy” shot?
Bahahaha! I swore I would NEVER get a selfie stick. And I meant it!
Hubby stayed down below to take the pic! 🙂
Oh, a different kind of stick 😀
Hiker’s little helper. 😉
Beautiful there isn’t it? I’ve fallen in love with the desert over the past few years. I go at least once every 2 years for business and always take a few personal days while I’m there to go exploring.
Great photos 🙂
We bought the place a little over 5 years ago and I’m still not tired of these views.
Hi Nancy! Beautiful photos AND great quotes. Thanks for sharing….
My pleasure, Kathy. So much beauty – had to share!
Wonderful views, Nancy! And I’m so happy to hear you left in a better place than when you arrived. 🙂
Like night and day, Lisa.
Lovely shots, Nancy. Hope all is well with you.
Things were pretty idyllic week before last. The mountains make everything better for me
I feel a sense of calm having just read those quotes and having viewed the photos. You tree pose makes me knees wobble thinking about the need for such precise balance where you were, but boy, is it beautiful!
Getting up there was relatively easy. Getting down, not so much. I wasn’t the picture of grace, let’s just put it that way. 🙂