Break continues- Star Trek Convention/Utah

I’m still enjoying the summer months before I start training for next year.  I’m in the middle of doing my yearly health maintenance, which includes detoxing of the digestive system and metal detoxing (as back in 2007 I had elevated levels of mercury and other metals). So far everything is going well.  I also just purchased a BioMat (which uses infrared heat) as a way to keep my muscles relaxed and recovered quicker for the coming year).  I’m excited to play around with it and see how well it works.

A few weeks ago I went to the annual Star Trek convention in Lawless Vegas.  It was a lot of geeky fun.  Besides Shatner and Nimoy, I also got to see Jaws from James Bond and the guy with the leather ass chaps from Mad Max.

I grew up watching Star Trek when I was little and have always been a SciFi fan ( I guess that’s the geek in me).  The funniest part is when members of the crowd would ask the actors questions, referring to “episode 10, season 1, scene 2″ and of course, the actors had no idea what they were talking about…because they could barely remember.  The fans apparently remember everything!  Of course, Klingons  in motorized wheelchairs is pretty funny too.

with Klingon and Jet Pack Bubble Girl...err, Boy

phasering a tribble

I also went to Utah and visited Zion Park, my favorite national park that I’ve visited thus far. I think it should be on everyone’s “to visit” list.

Zion Park

camping in Zion

Zion Park, going up Angel's Landing

Angel's Landing Zion Park

view below in Zion

view from Angel's Landing

hiking through the slot canyons

the ridge is the climb up to Angle's Landing

Goblin Valley Utah

near the Grand Staircase!

cool storm coming over the Grand Staircase

part of the Grand Staircase (the area above the Grand Canyon)

Hoover Dam- still can't believe it was made so long ago...

Vermillion Cliffs

We also visited the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, which is far less crowded than the South Rim….

North Rim Grand Canyon

Strangely enough, right next door to Zion park (about 25 miles) is the largest polygamy colony, Colorado City.  I just had to go look, my curiosity made me do it.  What I found was something completely cult-like and just plain strange (not to mention wrong on so many levels).   The kids are all blonde  (kind of like Children of the Corn) and nobody over the age of 13 smiles….rightfully so I guess (probably the age when you realized how screwed up your parents are).   I have no idea what they do for work out there, but from what I heard the kids are all on welfare and live off the government.  I just can’t believe that it’s legal what they do out there.  Once we drove in, it took us about 15 minutes to figure out how to get out of the town.  No marked buildings,  strange looks from everyone, no trespassing signs on each house (houses that clearly are all work in progress- types, just particle board and no siding), men in suits gathering and just hanging around.  Ben said he wanted to hurry and leave as he thought a gang of blonde men were going to lock him in a basement and torture him….and I’d be married off by sundown.  

polygamist house

Since I’ve been back, I’ve started to think about what I have to do for next year. It’s a big year in track and field.  It’s the 2011 World Championships.  I’m pushing hard to get the book out and to finish up my health maintenance. I’ll probably get some blood work done this week to check my levels.

I’ll be working harder to build from what I’ve done since last year, which means I’ll be putting in more distance and building a stronger base.  Last year, since it was my first year back I really didn’t have much of a base to keep me going throughout the season, but this year will be very different.   The break was nice, but I’m starting to look forward to next year.