Goodbye 2006

With only one more day left this year, I’ve been looking back at all the adventure, fun, and places I explored during this twelve month span. The year of 2006 has been awesome! I feel very fortunate to have experienced as much as I have in this one year alone.

All the states I visited this year: Tennessee, Arkansas, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Kentucky, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Washington, Nevada, California, Montana, Arizona, and Alberta, Canada.

My biggest feats for 2006: Hiked first slot canyon, Visited a new province in Canada, Visited and hiked in 7 National Parks, Hiked in 4 different mountain ranges (Appalachians, Rockies, Sierra Nevada, and Olympic), Nearly made it to the top of Half Dome, Completed a 20 mile hike in Grand Teton in one day, Made a 30 mile backpacking trip on Cumberland Island, Georgia, Confronted and survived an angry mother bear with cubs, Finally caught on my very own camera a bear in the wild, Saw a mountain goat for the first time and photographed it, Walked on my first glacier.

But there is still one day left of 2006 and I dare not waste it! There is still time for one more great adventure. Catch up with you all when I return.

Can't wait to see where 2007 will take me! :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!
In the Frozen Niagara section of Mammoth Cave with my pal Germaphobe.
Mammoth Cave, Kentucky.





Me backpacking on Cumberland Island, Georgia. It is uncertain in the pic. whether the extended thumb at this point during the hike was a thumbs up or an attempt to hitch a ride.





Best friend and me on top of the Space Needle. (This was right after I got off the phone with you, Yratuca. I couldn't hear a word you said with all the noise up there! haha.)
Seattle, Washington.




This is a picture of me taking a picture of my first slot canyon. Awesome!
(And four months later you were in the same canyon, Grunt! Can you recognize it without all the flood water?)
Escalante, Utah.








Couldn't resisit sitting in a field of daisies!
Olympic National Park, Washington.










I don't even remember taking this picture. Both Best Friend and I were still in a daze after talking with the Canadian Customs guy. The HOTTEST man in the world, girls, I kid you not!!!!





And there is the first mountain goat I ever saw! I was so excited!
Glacier, Montana.






Resting on a rock in Glacier National Park, Montana. If you click on the photo to enlarge it, you might can see another mountain goat in the background grazing by the water.





Standing in the freezing waters of the Strait of Juan de Fuca searching for tidepools full of creatures.
Olympic Peninsula, Washington.



There are a few more shots in the post below, so check it out. :)