4 Takeaways from my U.S. National Parks Trip with Voyedge Rx
By VRX National Parks Alumni: Rebecca Kaliff
U.S. National Parks crew 2018
1. Don’t underestimate the beauty of the United States!
When most people think about their next “big trip”, or their “dream destination”, it is likely to be somewhere abroad-probably somewhere like Paris, Rome, Greece, or Cancun. While I’m sure all of these locations are beautiful and worth your visit, don’t forget about the good ole U.S.A. On the U.S. National Parks trip, we trekked through Las Vegas, Lake Mead, the Hoover Dam, the Grand Canyon, Antelope Canyon, Bryce Canyon, and Zion National Park. Watching the sunrise over the Grand Canyon at Yaki Point, kayaking through Lake Powell, sloshing through the Narrows at Zion with water up to my knees, UTV-ing through Zion, and horseback riding through Bryce Canyon (although I almost fell off my crazy horse) were all exhilarating and breathtaking experiences that I will never forget. So, pack your bags for a no-passport needed adventure through the American southwest!
2. The true goals of CrossFit, or fitness/living a healthy lifestyle in general
As someone who has always been an athlete, I have always looked at exercise/training (running, lifting, stretching, swimming etc.) as a means of preparation for competition. Furthermore, as I began transitioning out of my career as a college athlete, I looked at exercise as necessary for maintaining aesthetics. But what about as a means of living a more enjoyable life? Seeing men and women in their 50s and 60s, and all ages in between, crushing 10+ mile hikes , riding horses, kayaking, and UTV-ing has given me a different outlook on fitness, and just staying active and healthy in general. There is power in being a functional human, because not being functional, or physically able, or healthy, exponentially decreases our quality of life and our ability to “adventure.” Seeing other people who have decided to dedicate themselves to living a healthy life helped me realize that you don’t have to be a member of an official sports team to be an athlete/make fitness and nutrition a priority in your life, and, doing so will increase your quality of life.
Antelope Canyon
3. The power of human connection
There’s nothing like a few 10-mile hikes and a handful of long car rides to bring a group of people together, right? At our last dinner together on the trip, we all went around the table and said what our favorite moments were. While we had just had a week of fun activities and seeing amazing sights, everyone’s answer was in regards to the relationships that were built throughout the trip. Although we started the trip as a group of strangers, by the end we had sang a tear-jerking rendition of “Drops of Jupiter” in the car, laid in the grass and star-gazed, laughed until we cried, and made inside jokes that will last a lifetime. Also, your nicknames from Marc are a 10/10.
4. Search for Adventure in Everyday Life
Every time we got in the car, Marc would hop in and say “Next stop…Adventure!” While it sounds cliché, there is something to take away from it. It is so easy to get caught up in your everyday routine, so much so that it feels like when you break that routine it is the end of the world. Instead of getting caught up in the mundane of everyday life, don’t be afraid to skew from your routine, do something different and fun. The world is so big and so beautiful, there are so many people to meet, so many things to experience, and we only live once! Explore! Laugh! Adventure! Have Fun!
recap the u.s. national parks trip with voyedge rX
Want to become a guest blogger? Email us at: staff@voyedgerx.com