The Grand Canyon State

Being a Harker student, I traveled to Arizona with my class for the 7th grade trip, where we rode a bus for hours through desolate stretches of desert, hiked for miles between columns of red rock, and endured blazing sun and swirling dust. This arid state also happens to be the home of my birthplace. Yes, I lived the first year of my life in a place where 100 degree weather was considered moderate, where javelinas and jackrabbits ran freely around the neighborhood, and where cacti lined the walkway to every door on the street.

Sure, the climate is harsh, but I still love this place. In fact, I associate countless fond memories with the school trip. We told scary stories as we rattled along an incredibly bumpy dirt road on a Jeep tour. We saw the one and only McDonald's with turquoise arches, designed to complement the landscape of Sedona. We made brief pit stops at western-style diners where we wore feather headdresses and reenacted historic battles. All this and several guided tours through breathtakingly magnificent national parks. I remember this experience as one of the highlights of middle school-- as educational as it was exciting, it was truly a memorable one.

The hike through Bryce Canyon left me speechless with wonder (and exhaustion)

Students inch down a hill of red rock on all fours in Monument Valley

Horseshoe Bend, Colorado River via James Neeley's flickr photostream

The view of Horseshoe Bend from our raft