Imagine. You’re walking. The mountain is steep, and you’ve found a dried-out flood-bed in a canyon. This is the only path. The winds are light here, but soon you must leave the canyon behind for the gusty ridge tops. You come to an intersection. One way leads down, the other up. Downward- despair and defeat. Upward- unknown dangers, but the promise of something better. You must press onward. Loose red rocks and dirt urge you downward, despising your willpower.

As you come around a ridge, the northern gale greets you with all its might. An ancient bench- weathered by constant encounters with scorchers and ice- offers a seated view of the valley below. There is no time to rest.

Ascending the ridgeline, the slopes on either side steepen. You call, “Lo! The end is in sight! The jagged peak we sought is near!” You clamor your way to the top only to find a higher peak, the true peak, further off. You hunker down with your partner in the molten crags to seek shelter from the battering gusts. “Shall we go onward?” Your partner asks. “We must!” You proclaim. “Oh, let’s be quick! And stay low so we shan’t get swept away!” Your partner worries much, but your confidence fuels the will to continue.

Unfortunately, your acuity for the trail fails you. What you thought would lead you upward has instead made you too well-acquainted with a dramatic cliff-edge. “We must turn back” your partner yells. “There’s another way!” You respond. “No, we must go now,” your partner argues. You return sharply, but tenderly, “Do you trust me?” while staring intently into your partner’s eyes. An orchestra appears sounding a fiery melody over the winds. Clouds block out the sun. Your hand slowly reaches out for your partner’s, and your partner returns the advance symbolizing their deep trust in you.

“I think I saw another way!” You come to a steep, rocky incline. The summit is in sight. You ascend quickly, the rocks now beckoning you downward. One misstep could prove fatal. All your aptitude for the mountain, all your willpower to continue, all your strength to hold steady is put to the test. Two steps, slip. Two steps, slide. “There it is! The jagged peak in all its glory!” You both screech for joy. Taking the final steps up the craggy summit, your stomach turns as you discover… another peak far off on the horizon.

Deception has gotten the best of you now. “We must go on. We can’t turn back. We must continue.” Your voice trails off. Stinging tears set in. You know your partner’s mind is made up. The wind batters your esteem, and the long trail downward wreaks of defeat. You descend with your partner, ever-downward.

In other words, we saw Salt Lake City and went on a hike today. Pleasant temperature; a little windy. More to come!