The Adventures of Rakotomirandava

Rappelling in Moab

rakotomirandava — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 20:33:21 +0000

I have lived in Utah for 3 years now (as of today) and I finally made it to the famous Moab. It has taken me a long time to finally getting around to posting about it, but here we go. I went down with a couple friends. Since we were leaving after work one night and we only spent one day, we got some ideas about what we should try to accomplish. We were told about a little slot canyon that was pretty cool. We got there after midnight and made a wrong turn, so we decided that we would be better off just waiting until the sun came up so we could see where we were going. In the end, we ended up sleeping on the side of the road. But the next morning, we found the canyon and had a blast.

A view from the top

My friend Jared - he doesn't like heights...

This was just the beginning of the day’s adventures. My personal favorite of the day was the arch that we rappelled off. In Arches National Park you can’t climb the arches. But outside of the park there are some pretty cool arches and there was one we were told was a must see. So, we climbed up the back side and rappelled down. At the center the arch is 105 feet high. It was such a neat experience!

Corona Arch

My friend Lacey ready to go

We even got Jared up there!

My turn

To get up to the top of the arch, we had to climb in Moki steps (little dug-out pockets for your fingers and toes) that were only a few feet away from the edge of the canyon. Halfway up, the steps end and you are on slick rock. Luckily it’s a little wider there though. Once you get up there you realize that rappelling is definitely the easier and safer way down. Lacey and I loved it enough to go up a second time. Jared figured once was enough though. When we first got to the arch there weren’t many people there, but by the time we had come down from the first rappel we had drawn a bit of a crowd. They all had their cameras and video cameras out watching the crazy people.

Finally, we were off to Arches National Park for a few quick hikes. We did one hike that took us to Delicate Arch, the most famous arch in the area. It’s the one you’ll see on some of the Utah license plates. All in all, it was a beautiful, fun-filled day of adventure. I love experiencing all of the great things that nature has to offer!

Picturesque Ascents

rakotomirandava — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 00:33:50 +0000

This summer I have had a ton of fun and opportunity to go climbing with some great friends. Of course, I haven’t been so good at taking pictures. But I do have a few here and there. There are essentially two forms of climbing (safely) that I know of.

The first way is called top rope climbing. I’ve been doing this for about 4 years now. This is the perfect way to get into the sport. The basics are this: attach a rope to the top of the climb, tie onto the rope, have someone belay you (take up slack in the rope and secure you to the mountain so you don’t plummet to your death) and go for it. This is fun, but it’s just a beginning.

This summer I went climbing quite a bit with a new friend of mine. She had all the necessary equipment and experience needed for lead climbing. I’ve been wanting to get into this for quite some time, so this was my chance. In lead climbing, you start the ascent without being secured to anything on the mountain. You are on your own until you reach the first anchor that has been placed. At that point, you clip onto the anchor and you’re finally safe. This process continues until you reach the top. One of the big differences between top rope and lead climbing is the falling. If you fall while top roping you only fall a few inches (provided you have a good belayer) or about the equivalent of the stretch in the rope. Lead climbing, on the other hand, requires that there is slack in the rope between anchors so that you can keep going up without being weighed down. In this scenario, you fall the distance from you to the anchor below you plus that distance again because the rope doubles over. That being said, I discovered a whole different dynamic to rock climbing. I was able to lead a 70ft climb without falling, tried another climb and fell about 6-8 feet, and lived to tell the tale. So fun! It’s amazing the difference in adrenaline that rushes through you when you’re not secured from the get-go. It’s been so fun to challenge myself and improve my skills.

I’m so lucky to live where climbing is so popular and to have friends who love to go as well. It’s been a great year for the sport.

One of the climbs I learned to lead

Leading a route

Belaying

A baby rattler at the base of one of the climbs

A view of the Draper temple from the top of one of the climbs

Canada/Montana 2011

rakotomirandava — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 22:01:32 +0000

After more than a year, I finally made it home to the motherland for a visit. As always these days it was a fast and furious trip with barely enough time to see everyone. But I’d rather make it fast and furious than not make it back at all. This time my buddy Jared came with me and that made the drive much more enjoyable. It’s a beautiful drive, but company always makes it better. We drove through the night after working a 12 hour shift at the hospital so that we could spend as much time as possible with family.

This year’s trip included:

A session at the Cardston Temple
Shooting at the Dugout
A tour of a Hutterite colony
Hiking in Waterton Lakes National Park
Lots of family in Canada
Brett’s Burgers
Granny Fried Chicken
“Real” slurpies
Awesome Canadian chocolate bars and other sugary delights
Going-to-the-Sun road in Glacier National Park
Skiing and wakeboarding at Swan Lake, MT (since Echo was out of commission)
Lots of family, friends, and beautiful weather at the cabin
Montana grown cherries
Tons of driving
Tons of junk food

I was so glad I got to go back, even for just a few days. I love that part of the world. It is so beautiful and there are so many great people to see. When I got back one of the counselors in my bishopric asked me where exactly I was from. When I told him Cardston, he said “isn’t that close to Glacier?” When I told him it was, he immediately asked “And why are you here?!?” He and his wife had just gone up there a couple weeks before and loved it so much they’re already planning another trip back.

Here are some highlights of the trip:

I just realized I don’t have any lake pictures… I’ll have to get some from Mom and post later.

“Now Why Don’t He Write?”

rakotomirandava — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 02:15:35 +0000

In the movie “Dances With Wolves” there is a scene where John Dunbar, a US soldier, is being accused by the US Army of treason because of his contact with the Sioux tribe near his post. One of the men assigned to take him back to be sentenced tells a story of a man who is killed in battle. He jokes that his family probably wonders, “Now why don’t he write?” Some of you may have been wondering where I’ve been for the past year. Obviously, I’m not dead. The past year has been full of fun, adventure, plenty of work, and school – don’t get to excited about that just yet. So there’s been plenty to write about. Finding the time and energy to write has been an entirely different story.

I was able to get a little more fun in at the end of the summer last year. Near the end of July I went to Jackson Hole with some friends and went whitewater rafting down the Snake River. It was excellent. At one point our guide (a friend’s neighbor) asked if anyone wanted to try steering. No one said anything so I volunteered. I got us through a few rapids, but then I misjudged one… He told me to just let it go, we’d hit the rock bank and we would be on our way. I guess I should have braced myself a little better for the impact. I got launched into the river. When I tried to surface, I found myself underneath the raft. I’d been in similar situations before, so I knew the best thing to do was wait for the river to flush me out, which it did. When I surfaced, oar in hand, all I could see were the butts of everyone in the raft. They were all frantically looking off the back waiting for me to come up. I chuckled and called out a cutsie little “yoo-hoo!” After that everyone started breathing again.

The Gang

Heading Out

Labor Day weekend was spent in Zion National Park in Southern Utah. It is beautiful! I went with some friends of mine and we hiked through a river that runs along the bottom of a narrow canyon, hence called “The Narrows”. We had a great time enjoying the nice weather, the company, and the beautiful scenery. I’ve been blessed to have moved from one beautiful place to another.

Last fall I started school again. Some of my pre-reqs are old and I needed to improve my grade in a couple others. So, I opted to go to Salt Lake Community College where I had flexibility and cheap tuition. I went last spring as well and will be there again this fall. In the meantime I’ve been working full-time. One of my buddies recommended me for a volunteer position at the hospital which I need for school applications anyways. Ultimately that helped me land a job as an orderly in the OR where I have been able to meet some excellent people that are helping me make my application much more competitive. A big shout out to all of them! I owe them all big time!

This summer I was able to hop on board with the Liahona Children’s Foundation for a humanitarian project in Guatemala. I went down for a week and helped screen kids for malnutrition. It’s a beautiful country with beautiful people and it felt great to be able to do another project. I wish I could do them more often! We collected height and weight data for a lot of kids. The World Health Organization (WHO) has a calculator that we put each kid’s info into. The resulting calculation was then compared to the WHO’s international data. Any child that fell 2 standard deviations or lower than the international average score for kids their age were deemed malnourished. The next step is getting supplements distributed to each of the malnourished kids. Thankfully, I’m not involved in that portion. It’s a lot of communication with a ton of people between here and Guatemala. Although it would be great to help out, there’s the little issue of language that renders me essentially useless.

What's South America without a little corn on a stick, complete with mayo, ketchup, chili, and parmesan cheese?

A pyramid at the Tikal ruins

Along one of the main ancient highways in Tikal

A Temple in Tikal

A living area in Tikal

A view of Tikal from the top of one of the Temples

The Pacaya Volcano

The Adventurers

Roasting marshmallows in a heat vent

A volcanic cave. This made the burning sun feel like A/C.

Since then, I have done a lot if work both at the hospital and for my PA school applications. With any luck the third time is a charm and by this time next year I’ll be on my way towards a career. In the meantime, I’ve been making my career as an orderly working anywhere from 40 to 50 hours a week. Thank goodness for family and friends that help me keep my sanity!

I could make promises to try to be better at posting, but who knows what’s going to happen. With any luck I’ll be so busy with work, school, and traveling to interviews for PA schools that I won’t even have a chance to think about a blog. Otherwise, you may hear from me…

Biscuits On The Barbie

rakotomirandava — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 18:30:25 +0000

So I had a craving for some biscuits. The only problem was, I don’t have an oven. I thought about doing them in my electric frying pan, but that would just heat up the room. Then it came to me. The barbeque! Last night, after a full day, I mixed up some biscuit dough, threw some tinfoil on the warming rack in the barbie, and went for it. They looked good, and they tasted good too. For those of you that may be thinking: “Yeah. But you also lived in Madagascar for two years and ate all kinds of things”, I submit the following. A friend of mine happened to stop by just as they were coming off the grill. I convinced her to give one a try, and she ended up eating about three. If you’re ever up for something new, give it a try!

Pungent Memories

rakotomirandava — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 20:21:37 +0000

We recently had a great donation here at the barn – 2 Norwegian Fjord horses. They are going to be a great asset to the program. However, we quickly found out that one was sick. The vet told us that his kidneys were on the verge of failure. We were able to remedy that situation, but the dehydration that the horse experienced resulted in him developing laminitis. This disease causes the hoof to separate from the sole of the foot. Think of it as your fingernail separating from your nail bed. Ouch! So when he came back to us, the vet had wrapped his feet and packed them with a medication known as DMSO. The stuff wreaks. It took me a while, but I finally figured out what the smell reminds me of. The calving barn. Afterbirth. The stench was so strong that it permeated the barn and at one point even started creeping into my apartment. Luckily, the worst is now over. The stench is gone, and the memories are no longer aromatic realities. Now we can all breathe easy.

Manti’s Mormon Miracle Pageant

rakotomirandava — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 02:52:26 +0000

Every year the Church puts on several pageants around the country. I was lucky enough to attend on in Manti, UT last weekend. It is held right on the lawn of the Manti Temple. I went down with a couple friends of mine, and ended up running into a couple more. Eric, one of my Malagasy friends was actually in the pageant playing King Lamoni. Honivah, another Malagasy friend happened to be there the same night. It was good to see both of them again.

The pageant itself focuses on the restoration of the gospel through Joseph Smith, excerpts from the Book of Mormon highlighting the pride cycle that existed among the Nephites and Lamanites, and the pioneers who trekked across the plains. It was a very well done, very well attended event on a beautiful night.

Graduation In Canada

rakotomirandava — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 02:33:59 +0000

My second to youngest brother, Karson, just graduated High School. I can’t believe how quick time has seemed to fly by. I’m so proud of him! He went back to Cardston for his senior year and I was lucky enough to be able to go up for his graduation ceremonies and to spend some time with family. It was the first time in a couple years that we have had the whole family together at once, so we took some new family pictures and had some good times. I still haven’t seen the family pictures, but I can’t wait!

Granny & Grandpa Paul even took me up to Waterton for dinner one night while my parents were at the graduation banquet with Karson. It was a quick trip up, but I was thrilled! A quick stop at Cameron Falls was a must, and boy were they flowing good! Notice all the snow in the mountains. A week or two after I made it back to Utah, they had a lot of rain which translated into snow in the mountains making them even whiter than in the picture! Keep in mind that this was the beginning of June. Welcome to Canada.

It was such a good visit and it was great to see everyone! Thanks to all for their hospitality and a good time!

Winter Fun

rakotomirandava — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 02:03:20 +0000

What a winter! I figured since I’m in Utah, I should probably take advantage of the greatest snow on earth. I ended up doing more skiing in one season that I usually do in about 4! I went with friends of mine a few times, and Mom and Dad even flew Kayden up for my birthday so we could spend some time together and enjoy the slopes. We had a great time enjoying the snow without the gale force winds we’re used to at the ski hill back home. Thanks Mom and Dad for sending Kayden up, and thanks Kayden for spending some time with your oldest brother! It was great!

Living in a Barn

rakotomirandava — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 21:07:49 +0000

I’ve been trying for a while to figure out how to upload videos to my blog. After a lot of searching and experimenting, I am giving in to the fact that the only way to do it would be to pay $60 a year for a “video upgrade” on my blog. Boo. I was going to upload some videos to give you all a tour of Courage Reins – the barn I call home. So, I’ve decided that I’m going to try to upload those to my facebook page and add pictures of the barn/apartment to the blog later.

I should take this chance to tell everyone just a little about life at the barn. A lot of people have asked me what it’s like, or they look at me funny and decide it’s better they just not ask. Let me just say, I’m loving it. It has been really great. In fact, when Kayden came to visit a few weeks ago, he confessed that he was skeptical at first, but was “kinda jealous” with my new living arrangement. My first night here (back in November), I became acutely aware of how quiet it was. My first thought was “I haven’t heard silence like this since the ranch!” Even though I can get to restaurants, grocery stores, and other shopping places in 5 minutes or less, it’s quiet, and I love it.

A couple of weeks ago, I woke up on Sunday morning to feed the horses before Church. I got dressed and stepped outside to a scene that reminded me just how beautiful this world is. The mountains in the West were covered in snow and bathed in sunlight. The doves were cooing and the birds were chirping. When I got to the other side of the barn, I saw that there was a storm in the mountains to my East, but the sun was working hard to get through the clouds. There wasn’t a car or person to be heard. Just the birds and a rooster crowing in the distance. The contrast of the two mountain ranges combined with the peace and serenity of it all was just what I needed. It reminded me once again that life is too short to rush by and not notice the simple things like the scene that that morning had to offer.

The barn has been another reminder to me to “find joy in the journey.” That has been the motto from Pres. Monson that my family and I have adopted. I recently found a similar quote on a wall hanging at the grocery store. It is from Louis L’Amour and it says “The trail is the thing, not the end of the trail. Travel too fast and you miss all you are traveling for.”

Here’s hoping we all travel slow enough to enjoy the beauty and learn the lessons we should along our trails.