However, things rarely go according to plan. From the start our plane was severely delayed at Kansas City Airport. I sat in the terminal trying to remain optimistic,  focused on the purpose of the trip,  and unwilling to become too overwhelmed with the various excuses given by the airline. Thirteen hours later than expected and very tired we arrived in Vegas. I was glad to be there but deeply concerned with how this setback would effect my meticulously crafted timeline. After deliberation, soon it was decided between us that we would spend an extra day in Vegas and arrive at Page the day after. However, instead of visiting both Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon we would aim for just the upper canyon and see how much time we had after. This presented a problem for me, you see wanting the proposal to be something of a private affair I had intended on proposing at the lower canyon, which was rumored to be less congested. However, now it remained uncertain whether we would even visit the lower portion due to time constraints (we had reservations at the upper canyon) and I will admit I was a tad flustered. Again, the entire purpose of this trip was to propose at this canyon and to do so in private. But being prepared I had a back up plan, if the canyon proved to be too crowded I would head south of Page a few miles to Horseshoe Bend in Glen Canyon, where I knew, or rather hoped, I would be able to find a private spot with a breathtaking vista. 

Stuck at the airport but still happy. 

Though I had the ring with me through our hike of Upper Antelope Canyon I did not propose. As I recalled in my previous post, while awe-inspiring, the canyon was as I feared too crowded to provide the privacy I wanted for my proposal. As we left the canyon, I hoped Horseshoe Bend would prove equal in grandeur. Once we arrived and took the short hike from the parking lot, there was little doubt. This was a place of beauty and solace. This would be a place we would remember for the rest of our lives, and this is where I would propose. 

After, we had walked around a bit and had taken some pictures of the canyon I began to look around for a spot that I could propose. It had to be close and it had to be private. Two large boulders to our right seemed to provide the answer. It would provide just the cover I needed to propose. However, once I walked over there Jane was reluctant to join me. Who can blame her, why leave the awesome view of the canyon to come see some random boulder… 

There is only one word to describe Antelope Canyon, captivating. Located south of Page Arizona, Upper Antelope Canyon is a small slot Canyon operated by the Navajo people. Crafted by nature, the sandstone has slowly been carved away by flash floods in the area over the millennia. Only a few feet wide in places, as the light enters it illuminates the spaces with a spectacle of orange, yellow, and purple shades. To go you must pay a fee and then take a very bumpy jeep ride to the canyon entrance, from there you hike through the canyon. Again the canyon itself is gorgeous, but my only complaint is that it is crowded, let me rephrase that, very crowded and you have a time limit. While I understand they are trying to provide access to the canyon to as many people as possible, the limitations and crowds somewhat take away from the experience and the naturalism of the experience. That being said, Antelope Canyon is beyond words and well worth the visit. I just wish it were less crowded and hurried. However, the slight inconvenience is well overshadowed but the immaculate beauty of Antelope Canyon. Truly a place I will remember for the rest of my life. I hope you enjoy the pictures, I had a hard time narrowing down to just a few. 

This has been on my to do list for years and finally my girlfriend and I made the drive and hiked Konza Prarie. Managed by Kansas State University, the prairie is 3,487 hectares of native prairie in the Flint Hills of Kansas. The primary purpose of the park is to study the ecology of grasslands, the effects of burn management, and also the relationship of grazers (Bison) on the landscape. While we went with the hope of seeing Bison on our hike, the area open to the public is limited and there were no Bison in our vicinity that day. 

The trail itself is very well maintained, easily traversable but does have a few notable moderately inclined areas, but otherwise is easy to navigate. You can choose three different loops once there: the nature trail which is  2.5 miles long, the Kings Creek loop at 4.4 miles, and the Godwin Hill Loop at 6 miles total distance. We had intended to hike the entire trail system but the Godwin Hill Loop was closed at the time for renovation so we ended up hiking the Kings Creek Loop. In total it took us a little less than 2 1/2 hours to complete. The landscape is beautiful and easily transports your imagination back to how Kanas looked prior to man. Well worth the hike if you are in the area or live nearby.