too much cheese, a creepy crush on young Malcolm, instant bonding, and an introduction to the southwest in one of the most instagrammed spots  

the day began with a mix of uncertainty and excitement as the group assembled. one by one, the girls arrived to las vegas each with a mix of emotions as they joined a group of strangers. despite some initial chaos with the rental car (aka the spaceship) and indulgent mozzarella sticks that left our stomachs less than well, the girls quickly bonded over their shared love for adventure

I didn’t properly prepare the girls that we were jumping right into hiking, so the girls got a taste of nomad life pulling out their suitcases next to beehive rocks and changing in the car. after a few minutes, they were ready to go and we took our first group shot in the beehives of everyone looking like best friends even though they knew each other for 53 minutes. that instant friendship carried through the entire trip - day 1 was just about learning the basics, and getting comfortable around each other. we learned that Amelia can catch a goose like no one else, and I am waiting for the day to watch that happen

we hit the trails where conversation really started to happen, and laughter was so loud and abundant that we quite literally cleared out the Fire Wave. the only person who remained was our little friend who we named Malcolm, fully acting as the superstar of his own life and putting on a show for the girls. Little Malcolm had main character energy that couldn't be denied, but truly is who brought these lovely ladies into instant giggles and a character who will forever be a part of our story in VoF. the laughs only got louder as we hit the second trail, causing absolute chaos and singing the theme song of the trip (Brick House) while a couple of people were panicking about lost car keys and trying to enjoy nature

we were a FORCE of energy in that canyon... a force so strong that Nina (our girl afraid of heights) ran right up to the edge of a cliff and proving to herself on day 1 that she could do all the cliffs and edges that lied ahead. Chelsie then dominated me at pull-ups... she's a beast... and we continued on to embrace our inner child and run around the first slot canyon of the trip

on the third trail we set out on, the lack of sleep from a group of jetlagged girls had us recreating petroglyphs in real life before we watched a cloudy non-eventful sunset from the "spot". I didn't notice at the moment, but the place was empty. a park normally filled with thousands of Vegas tourists... gone. we had the place to ourselves as we enjoyed the view of Mouse's Tank Road before heading up north

Aurora queued up her Oldies mix, and we set off for our first stay in the St. George area. Valley of Fire State Park served as the perfect backdrop for our first day, with its stunning landscapes, laughter and camaraderie in the air, and tourists who left us laughing all trip

a day of quite literally going wrong, causing us to trek through the hot sand only to get poured on in a drunken concert. we know for sure that Lee Brice loves Jesus

“I did (insert expletive) yoga” - Aurora... the statement of the trip that captures Aurora’s low of the trip yet makes us all crack up. she was pushed into her uncomfortable zone in yoga and did something she truly hated and never wants to do again… BUT SHE DID IT! the wind wanted to blow us away and remind us that we were cold, tired, and in need of coffee... but Chelise (from Sun Rock Yoga in St. George) reminded us that we were exactly where we needed to be... that mantra is one that carried with us throughout the day as all plans I had were tossed aside

our morning in Snow Canyon State Park was everything we dreamed it to be, scaling rocks up to the pioneer names, sauntering across the petrified dunes, and crawling deep into the lava tubes. but when weather canceled the afternoon waterfall hike, we had to quickly pivot. my gut was telling me to take them to my favorite cave, but I instead asked the group what they wanted to do and we decided to trust the park ranger’s suggestion of her ‘favorite hike’. NEVER AGAIN 

we trekked through difficult soft sand to reach the most disappointing “end of trail” sign we had ever seen. from injuries flaring to not feeling well in the hike, we suffered. morale was low, and the anticipation of what lied at the end was high - which was a glorified puddle 

I asked the girls why they kept going, and they said the energy of the group (and a little curiosity) kept them pushing. the shared struggle deepened our bond, fostering open conversations and vulnerability. a conversation started in the sand about our love languages, and that conversation ended up setting the tone for the rest of our nightly conversations as we explored what love meant to each of us (and how to show it to ourselves). while conversation in the sand was powerful, I think we can all agree that we were also miserable and have zero desire to ever wander out that way in Snow Canyon way ever again. the soft giggles at the glorified puddle was mostly “wtf”… but we will certainly never forget it! 

the day ended with a very interesting Lee Brice concert in the pouring down rain… I envisioned us watching the sunset in the red rock amphitheater singing country songs at the top of our lungs. reality was quite different from that vision, but Aurora stepped up and became one of Lee Brice's backup singers (and dancers) from the crowd and kept us HYPE through his extremely drunken performance. the surprise concert was a bit of a bust, but those are the experiences that give you some of the best laughs! 

finishing the day with a much-needed hot tub session, deep connections continued to form. we melted away in the hot tub and allowed our guards to collapse as well, creating a space for real, genuine, and vulnerable conversation. you can hear what the girls had to say about their experience and read that having hard conversations was a part of the experience. hard conversations only happen when the group collectively is open to it... this group came with an open heart and mind to share, challenge, and celebrate each other to get the most out of the experience

the rain may have derailed plans for the day, but the moments to bond, laugh through the lows, and relax are what can make a trip as memorable as the highs 

the crowds, the weather, and injuries got the best of us. but we all had a moment of "wow" as we spent the day enjoying the views that zion had for us 

the day began with a leisurely Easter breakfast and a strong dose of caffeine to prepare for the challenges of Zion National Park. unexpected snow greeted us, which is always one of the most beautiful things to see. it was a true blessing! 

our determination to conquer Scout’s Lookout was unwavering, so despite the harsh weather conditions, we trekked on and supported each other every step of the way to the top. the girls HAULED it up there acting like the switchbacks were easy peasy. they showed strength in an unbelievable way... trekking on with laughter that propelled the entire group forward. we made it far beyond Scout's Lookout, to take in the view of snowy Zion in front of us. because we made the extra climb, we had snowflakes hitting our faces as we took in the view

everyone had a different experience at the top, full of different emotions. there were so many special moments that I would love to detail, but some memories are best kept to the group :) a dad at the top offered to take our picture, and as we were getting everyone out on the cliff, Nina was telling us what would help her feel supported as she worked through her fear of heights. the dad commented, “great communication,” having no idea that these girls were strangers just learning how to communicate best with each other. it was a powerful moment to see how being strangers can actually enhance communication - amazing things happen when we bring our full selves, together

the descent proved to be more challenging, with changing weather, injuries, and inconsiderate tourists testing our limits. we reached the bottom and carried on towards the Emerald Pools. snow. sun. rain. hail. sun. more hail. repeat... that's what the hike to the pools was, along with a billion people who didn't seem bothered by the weather and kept plowing through (ignoring all kindness) to reach the end. between injuries, getting drenched by the rain/splash of the falls, wet shoes, and annoying tourists, we were TESTED

it was truly a (un)ique day in Zion with the waterfalls flowing, but trekking through the mud and trying to stay positive in such an incredible place was difficult. in fact, the frustration caused by the many tourists and lack of kindness was a low point for a couple out of the entire trip. kindness really does go so far, and watching someone slip around in the mud with the most improper shoes really provides a good bit of laughter and humor (for those not terrified he would fall off the side of the cliff, that is!)

between the changing conditions, strenuous and steep hiking, extreme heights, and rude fellow hikers (and bus driver), this group was tested and pushed to their limit. they somehow found peaceful moments and beauty in the chaos, and created moments we will never forget. we had a fabulous Easter dinner in downtown Springdale, and took the spaceship through the switchbacks to reach Kanab - the next destination

after the long day, we jumped straight into the hot tub where conversations only deepened. the behind the scenes joy, tears, laughter, and (dare I say it) love were the best way to end every single day

the day when the bonds formed took on a whole new level and we just let loose to have the time of our lives touring around utah 

I feel like I can't pick a favorite day because each day was special in its own way, but when I think back to the trip, this day stands out. SO MUCH HAPPENED. when I originally came up with the itinerary, this was the "chill" day of just relaxing and hanging out. that is NOT at all what happened and just shows that feeding off of the energy of the group and trusting my intuition to lead us wherever, really can work

the day began with a visit to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, where the group spent time with a rescue dog named Amelia… she set the energy for the day! we learned about the sanctuary’s mission to end the killing of animals in shelters and experienced firsthand the joy of interacting with a rescued pet. back in 1984, a scrappy group of friends from far corners of the globe settled in a remote area of Utah’s high desert... and took the first steps to forever changing the future for pets in shelters. this group of ordinary but passionate people believed that every pet has a story, each one worth saving, each life individual and important

the energy of the day continued when we hopped in the beat up Chevy with John, our Coral Cliffs tour guide ready to take us around to a couple of super dope spots. John spent most of his life in a small town right in the middle of the state of Utah, and moved to Kanab because his wife wanted warmer weather. John LOVES history, and started the tour sharing all that he could about the old western movies filmed in town and random facts about the area

the tour stopped at some of my favorite places in UT - a sandstone cave as well as a narrow slot canyon. the energy was (un)matched and the group continued to the raise the bar as the day went on. Amelia let so much energy out that she went FLYING into the rock and did a complete belly flop. my heart dropped until she sat up with the biggest smile and then it became one of the greatest moments of the trip... to assign characters to each person, Amelia was the one who went ALL IN into the rocks (literally)

the high-energy carried into the canyon, where we played peek-a-boo with John and became his favorite tour group (by FAR). we got to the start of the slot canyon, and I am not sure what was exactly said, but John grabbed Aurora and whisked her away into the canyon. we all literally stood there in a “what just happened” way and I couldn’t help but think if I should be worried that our guide just ran away with one of our group members haha. John came back out with the BIGGEST smile on his face, and that was the start of our antics. we ran through the canyon, cracking jokes and playing Peek-a-Boo. John (the Mayor) seemed to know EVERYONE in the canyon, and was filling us in on who everyone was and the town drama of Kanab. when he didn't know someone, he named them and their look of confusion just made the antics that much better. from movie characters in the shadows to cool looking stars in rocks, John showed us the ins and outs of the canyon before we started our journey back to town

AND BOY, was it a journey!! Amelia and I were in the back on a full-on rollercoaster when John shifted into fun mode, and we look like synchronized swimmers in the video of us bobbing back and forth. the off-roading was a TIME with lots of singing of Brick House and Aurora's favorite oldies... she sang, John "played the guitar" for us. the two of them were having the time of their lives

we asked John what his favorite season of life has been.... we never got an answer (I don't think?) but he really opened up about his jump from the stable job, to leaning into art, to fatherhood, to retiring, to offering tours, to being an active community member. everyone has a story worth telling, and getting to know John more was a highlight of the trip. we talk about him regularly, and decided that our tour was a top 5 moment in his life (HAHA we hope at least). he could tell us all the history and geology, but forming that human connection is what goes the furthest and is the most long-lasting

because we hadn't done enough already, I decided that it was the best night for a (not so quick) trip up to Bryce for sunset. looking at the forecast, this was really the best night to see snow over the canyon and the gorgeous colors that come with a Bryce sunset

this was another place of mixed emotions... some not feeling so great/tired from the day, others completely overwhelmed by the beauty and moved to tears. as we stood watching the sunset, Amelia shared how you can look at the different colors in the rock as if they are the different seasons you go through in life. some are quick, some show longer. some are filled with bright memories, others are darker times... but they all come together to form what you see when you stare out at the beauty of Bryce - all different shapes and sizes of hoodoos, filled with different colors and layers that shape their “story." some may think it’s a stretch applying rocks to life, but go stand at sunset point and try telling these types of thoughts don’t enter your mind!! the hoodoos show a story, beautiful exactly as they are. there’s no reason to hide any piece of what makes each structure unique, and we are the same. we show a story, full of layers that we oftentimes try to hide. imagine if we stood up each day, embracing each layer that makes up our story? growth is a wild thing… sometimes it requires just being who you are and surrendering the shame you carry or healing you are still working through. I will repeat it again, everyone has a story worth telling - we need to live every chapter of it and let each season layer on top of the next to make up who we are. don’t try to erase anything… let it all show. it makes you who you are and adds to the beautiful story you’re living. anyway, we took in the sunset and stomped the mud off of our shoes before hopping in the car to head back to hot tub time. oh, and let's not forget being insulted for "not being able to find boyfriends" by a friendly hiker LOL 

though an incredibly long day, each person embraced their inner child, shed their reservations, and showed up fully and authentically for a day of fun + depth. the energy around the laughter and tears made it a day we will all remember (and probably every person in peek-a-boo will remember our chaos too)

our adventure day led by Sherwin in the spaceship, launching us from mars to the moon and back to mars before our favorite dinner out at the center of small town drama

ROCKS! SO MANY OF THEM!! Because we didn’t see enough, we need an entire day dedicated to every type of rock formation to exist in the desert

the day began with an energetic start, including a challenging hike for some who were ready to quickly trail run on a stomach full of breakfast burritos. the group then embarked on a day-long adventure with Sherwin, boarding the spaceship filled with cat EDM playlists, fun facts, photography skills, and dating advice

we went from mars to the moon, ventured through all the formations, surfed the wave, soaked in the views, stretched a bit, and explored more rocks. as much as we love rocks, it’s really the people who you are with that make the rocks that much more memorable… sharing laughter, music, and conversations

Sherwin’s music of choice was cat EDM, and while jamming to Big Billy while cruising back to civilization was quite the experience, he also shared some great life advice with us after our day together. Sherwin shared the many different chapters in his life... a stuntman, traveler, when he met his now wife, long-distance dating, photography in NYC, tour guiding (only stuck once!), and now fatherhood. when asked what his favorite season of life has been, he said it may sound corny, but it's this one. him and his wife moved out to Utah during the pandemic and now have 2 beautiful twin girls they are figuring out how to raise together. Utah may not be home for forever, but for now, they are loving having the desert and beauty in their backyard. Sherwin takes a selfie every day at 12:34 (we got one with him, don't worry) and is trying to find the true stats of the Wave permit by applying to the daily lottery every day for 100 days. it was a long and adventurous day that needed to end with delicious food 

back in town, we headed to Wild Thyme to enjoy some small town drama (and AMAZING food). supposedly, a couple in town owned a restaurant together, and after the divorce, she took all the recipes and chef and opened her own restaurant that now has the best pistachio chicken on the planet. there are so many different stories about what really happened... he cheated on her with a waitress, she had to wait 7 years to open the restaurant... we don't really know what happened but we can confidently say that our final big dinner together was the best one. such incredible food before our final evening activity together

this is where the info stops :) you just need to a join a trip to learn about the magic of the last night! 

our final day together, filled not with goodbyes but rather final memories and "see you laters" as this group of lifelong friends departed back home 

sad :( we were all VERY tired, but not at all ready to leave each other! after such an amazing week and lasting memories, it was hard to motivate everyone to be out the door bright and early for sunrise at Coral Pink Sand Dunes. the spaceship almost took the lives of some local deer, but I somehow saved the deer and woke everyone up in the car to make it there. it is its own type of beauty, but after many days through the finest spots in southern utah, it was hard to pull together any sort of reaction. the group just wanted coffee... which was many miles away but we made it!

one by one, I dropped the girls off at the airport. we needed one last rock stop (this time colorful) before balling out on a pancake breakfast and taking an afternoon nap at the hotel. Nina got a little "bonus time" as we met up with Home on the Highway after he was stuck on the side of the highway in his (super epic) bus. we had great conversation around our learnings from the week... such opposite experiences, but lots to share and discuss. I dropped Nina off and said the final goodbye, only to realize the mess that was my car and I had a shoe fall on my head every 5 minutes while trying to drive back to the hotel

(un)explore was over, I was exhausted, but I also knew it was just the beginning. the magic of the experience was far more than anything I ever could have imagined... it wasn't me creating it, but giving the space for strangers to bring their full selves and tap into their potential in new ways. I cannot wait to see where (un)explore goes... both to the places, and to how it guides people to launch into their "egg phase" (ask Nina LOL)