Facebook and blogs increase narcissism

Case in point: another post that makes it look like we only do cool stuff.

We went backpacking over Labor Day weekend with Greg and Mallary to Island Lake in the Wind Rivers . It has to be one of the best views I have ever had while going to the bathroom. See lovely pictures below (of the scenery)

This is at a photographers point. The total hike was 12 miles. We went to just below those peaks you can see in the background.

See don’t we look awesome so far?

Corianne thought it would be funny to take a picture of that which everyone does.

The Snowy Mtns

We have some pretty sweet mountains here. These are the Snowies (part of the Medicine Bow) and they are just 30 miles away from us.

Mt Rainier 2

I don't know why the pictures were underlined in the previous post so I am starting a new one for the pictures of our ascent.

The pictures make it look less steep than we

remember except for this picture of Corianne

laying down/standing up at the same time.

For some sense of scale, underneath the

mountain in the middle of the frame is where

our camp was.

Unfortunately I felt like barfing on the top so I

didn't take very many pictures. St. Helens is looking

pretty sweet. Luckily Mallory took a bunch of picture

so we should have some good ones on top as soon as

we get them from her.

That huddled ball of puff coat is Corianne.

Our last view of Rainier as we flew home...

Mt Tahoma (just trying to be cool - it's Rainier)

We have been working sort of hard trying to get in shape for climbing Mt. Rainier. And last weekend we did it with Greg, Malory, Scotty, and Dan. We started our climb from our camp (9500 ft) for the summit at 1am and we got to the top (14,411 ft) at about 10:15am. It took a bit longer because we had to break trail. Well, Dan and Scotty had to break trail because they were leading on the rope teams.

We got some pretty sweet pictures but none of them really capture how steep it is except for the one with Corianne lying down but looking like she is almost standing up. Now it is time for pictures galore.

Hiking up to our camp on the first day

This was about 1,000 vertical ft before we got to our camp

Corianne up at camp

Scotty just loves John soooo much

Dan said "take one of me looking awesome"

Trying to bike

I was going to go enter in a bike race. We took a wrong turn and that added some time to our travels. We thought we could take this other road that cut across to where we wanted to go. It was listed as an grated dirt road and we were cruising along it just fine until... (see picture above)

That's right, we ran into a beaver dam that had washed out the road. If anything was going to turn us back I'm glad it was a beaver. Eventually we got where we were trying to go.

Gowdy State Park is a pretty sweet place

And just so you don't think I'm a wuss when

there is a little water

Coming to Town

Corianne and I moved up to Laramie a week ago and now we are living in the famed Motel 8. It ain't so bad. We have two beds where one is used to hold books, clothes and a paper cutter for Corianne's mass scrap booking efforts.

We all miss everyone down in Utahland. We hope you are all doing well.