RT #9: Zion and Mesquite

The year that boys became men, RT #9.  Can't put my finger on why exactly, but this year it felt like we made that jump, officially.  It felt good.  The smallest crew to date yet probably the most RT passionate, I needed the trip this year more than in past years.  The mix of adventure and party was welcomed, with a Zion National Park trek down through canyons of The Narrows on Friday and up into the mountains along Angel's Landing on Saturday.

High school classmate porn stars, room keys taped to the hotel lobby door (which pretty much saved the trip - things just always work out on RTs!), jailbait 16 year old flirty Mormons, Sam's apple, wobbly knees on Angel's Landing, and Envy (arguably the world's worst nightclub in Mesquite, NV) were all in tow, but you could replace all those things with something else, or maybe even nothing, and good times would still ensue.  We're lucky - the ability for a crew to have fun anywhere is unique.

I couldn't remember a time recently when I've laughed harder than watching Bart bellyflop into the Jenga blocks, but then I remembered it was ~1 year ago on RT #8 watching Parker sing "Get Chucked Up" Trent Reznor style, while Grayson pounded the drums.  You can't write that stuff, and you also can't put a price tag on that level of laughter & happiness.  It's a gift not to be questioned or taken for granted.  So many things need to go right for that moment to happen, and then it just happens!  There are two goddamn camera angles for chrissake!

Can't believe we've almost achieved a decade of these adventures.  See you in Iowa City!