WanderWest with the Puryears

  WanderWest Day 16: The Fiery Furnace Today was hands down the best day of the trip—the mic drop day. The “this is why we’re doing this” day. One of those rare, soul-filling experiences you know will stick with you forever. We had a self-guided permit to hike the legendary Fiery Furnace in Arches National Park, and holy wow… it did not disappoint. It was everything we hoped for and more. No marked trails, no crowds—just us, the rocks, and the thrill of the unknown. We scrambled up sandstone walls, wedged our way through narrow slot canyons, and dropped into bowls of smooth red rock that looked like they belonged on another planet. We felt like Mother Nature built a playground for adventure junkies and forgot to leave a map. Trail finding was half the fun. One minute we were confidently navigating, the next we were spinning in circles like, “Wait... where was that white arrow?” But every misstep led to more awe—secret corners, epic views, and silence so deep it echoed. The be...

  WanderWest Day 15 – Arches Preview + Permit Pickup!   After nearly two full weeks of constant go-go-go, today was a real pause … and we soaked it up! Everyone slept in, but Maddie took the crown — we had to wake her up at 10:15, and honestly, none of us were in a rush. Our cozy Airbnb, just 9 miles outside of Arches National Park in Moab, UT, made for the perfect desert home base. Today was all about getting our bearings and scoping out the magic of Arches before our big hike tomorrow. We kicked things off at Park Avenue Viewpoint and Trail , where we hiked about a mile into the canyon to get up close to the stunning rock formations. It did not disappoint!  Next stop: Balanced Rock . We were absolutely awestruck—and maybe a little anxious. It looked like one good gust of wind could send that thing tumbling!  Don’t miss the pics.     Can you find us in the arch!?  Extreme Close up! Then we made our way to the Windows Section , hiking through...

WanderWest Day 14: Smoke, Sweat, and Cliff Dwellings Reality check: road fatigue has officially settled in. After 14 days, 4,800 miles, and 14 states, we’re all feeling it — shorter fuses, wearier mornings, and the constant grind of packing and unpacking the car. Living out of a duffel bag has lost its charm. BUT… we’re not done yet! 7 days of excitement left to go!  This morning we left the Grand Canyon just in time — the North Rim was filling with smoke from the White Sage fire as we drove out. Eerie, but kind of stunning (check out our photo — the haze drifting into the canyon looked surreal). Today we headed into Colorado for a reservation at Mesa Verde's Balcony House tour , with a quick detour to the famous Four Corners Monument . Olivia took one look around and said, “This is such a tourist trap.” Honestly? She's not wrong. $8 a person to stand in a line and awkwardly pose on a plaque while strangers stare? Definitely a “been there, done that” kinda stop. ...

  WanderWest – Day 13: The Grand Canyon Marathon Today, July11th, was not for the faint of heart—or the weak of knee. This was The Day of the Grand Canyon . Two trails, 6 miles, 3 wipeouts, several goat sightings, sibling squabbles, heat-induced delirium, and one epic sunset to remind us it was all worth it. 🍳 Breakfast of Champions We kicked off the morning with our now-signature camp breakfast: eggs in a bag and fluffy pancakes. Honestly, we’ve mastered the art of trailhead cuisine. Fueled up and sun-screened, we rolled out of camp a little later than planned (classic Puryear move), starting our descent into the Grand Canyon via the Bright Angel Trail around 8:45 AM.  🥾 Down, Down, Down We Go The hike started strong—beautiful morning light, a cool breeze, and nothing but downhill trail. At about 0.7 miles in, we were greeted by a whole herd of mountain goats just chilling on the rocks like canyon royalty. Cameras out. Spirits high. We made it down to the Mil...

  WanderWest – Day 12: From Panguitch to the Grand Canyon Today, July 10th, we packed up and said farewell to Panguitch, UT and Bryce Canyon—and honestly, we left with a little heartache. We didn’t quite get the time we wanted there, and it felt like we were just getting started. No one’s fault, just one of those travel hiccups. But Bryce has now officially landed on our “must-come-back-and-stay-longer” list. Next time, Bryce, we’re doing it right. We hit the road south toward the Grand Canyon, rolling through the wide-open beauty of Arizona. And then the time warp began. Our phones couldn’t decide if we were in Mountain Time or Pacific Time—jumping around like they were on a caffeine buzz. After way too much googling and debating, we discovered that Arizona doesn’t do daylight saving time (bold move), which means they stick to Mountain Standard Time all year round. Except for the parts that don’t. So, yeah… time is fake here. 😂 We made a stop at the Desert View Wa...

WanderWest Day 11 – Bryce Canyon: Altitude, Attitude & A Whole Lotta Love I’m not one to sugarcoat things—today was not an easy day. The morning started off rough. Maddie wasn’t feeling like herself—pale, lightheaded, and nauseous before we even left the Airbnb. She's not one to hydrate well or eat enough protein, so when she perked up after a snack, we figured she was okay and pressed on with our plan. We arrived at Bryce Canyon excited to rent bikes and hike into the canyon. After about a mile, we made it to Inspiration Point , perched at 8,100 feet. The views were breathtaking… and apparently, so was the altitude. Maddie’s nausea and fatigue hit hard again at the top. We sat for a bit, soaking in the scenery while she tried to regroup. She managed to walk back down to the bikes, but there was no way she could ride back to the rental place. So Liv and I pedaled ahead to grab the car while Dan and Maddie rested. Once we returned, Dan and Liv took over and rode the remaining...