JTNP

I squinted as I looked up at the height. I look back at eye level and got myself ready. I put my foot on a part of the rock that could keep me stable. My heart beats quickly from the adrenaline pumping through my veins. My foot aims for the next rock to hold me up. I grab on and pull myself forward. Higher and higher. As I climbed a few more big rocks, I became quick with my feet and hopped from rock to rock. I finally reached the top, about 10 or 11 or even 12 feet above the ground. I look around the vast land. I hear fellow students talking at their normal voice but they're miles away. I scream out. I hear my echo. Echo. Echo. I smile. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity accomplished. It may not be the extreme bouldering that others do, but hey. The first time is just a baby step.

Today was a trip for AP Environmental Science to Joshua Tree National Park in Twentythreepalms. 2 hour car ride there starting at 5:30am and came back at 5:45pm. Dead. Tired. But it was awesome. Sitting in the 15-passenger van, laughing and enjoying the car ride there. A feeling of relaxation. Sleep, of course, came and went during the whole day but when we were out of the van when we got to the park, I was bolting around, keeping up with the group and learning a vast amount of information about deserts. The views from up above Keys View was extraordinary. The partially snow-capped mountains. The sight of the San Andres Fault. The view of the irrigation in the town of Indio. The view of the Salton Sea.

Climbing rocks was at the end of the trip around 2:00pm. This was the highlight of my day. First I was a bit iffy when the teacher said we can go climb rocks now because I'm afraid of heights. I was thinking to myself that I'm not going to dare myself to go high. But then I thought to myself, "Who am I kidding? I might not even be able to do this ever again." So I began to climb (I made sure I can somehow get down though haha). Then soon, I was quick on my feet, popping off rocks and climbing all over. It was just purely FUN. I was following Huy where he could climb. I was surprisingly able to climb where he climbed too. Then when we climbed our last rock and Nicole quickly following behind, we were talking to each other in our normal voices even though we were about 6 feet apart. The land was extremely quiet. Even a slight close-by whisper could be heard. It was amazing.

This is all I can describe right now. The experience has 10x more detail. I'm just. . .astounded by what I've seen and climbed today. Completely in awe.

Then after the trip, Nicole, Huy, Nicole's little brother, and I went to go watch Avatar at 7pm. It was an alright movie but not something I would watch a second time, personally. Haha.

Today has been a tiring but extraordinary day.

"There are no failures - just experiences and your reactions to them."
-- Tom Krause