Gritty Grit Grit

Gritty Grit Grit The goal here is to disseminate the research of my dissertation by teaching people about choice and relating that to passion and perseverance.

That through human connections, getting help when needed, and working through problems is a community endeavor.

08/09/2026

Admitting I desperately needed some real soul care only happened when I was already halfway to Moab.

The La Sal Mountains sat steady in my rearview mirror, the red rock glowed ahead, and for the first time in months, it was just me, the road, and a canyon-sized ache I’d been trying to shake.

You know the kind of tired I’m talking about. The kind you can’t fix with a new planner, a different podcast, or a long weekend of Netflix.

I booked a few nights at Deer Creek Retreat in Old La Sal almost as an experiment on myself: What happens if I treat a Moab trip not as an adrenaline buffet, but as a deliberate interruption in the noise? In our newest post, I share the simple, daily rhythm that helped me find my breath again:

☕️ Morning: Porch and page (watching the sun clear the ridge)
🏜 Midday: One honest adventure (letting the canyon push back, gently)
🌌 Evening: Porch and reflection (asking three simple questions under dark skies)

Read the full blog post, linked in the comments section below

Trailbound? Grab our downloadable Moab & La Sal High-Desert Survival Field Guide ($2.99)—featuring our 1-gallon hydration formula, 12:00 PM alpine lightning rules, slot canyon flood protocols, and 10-essential trailhead checklist:

08/09/2026

The first time I took my kids on a "reflective family hike" near Moab, we lasted about eleven minutes.

One child tripped on nothing, another announced they were "dying of thirst" holding a full water bottle, and the third decided the only volume for speech was a shout.

Sound familiar? If you’ve ever tried to plan a peaceful outdoor trip with kids, you know the gap between Instagram expectations and reality.

In our latest post, I share what years of trial, error, and hosting families at Deer Creek Retreat in Old La Sal have taught us about helping kids (and parents!) actually thrive between the cabin and the canyon:

🌲 Setting expectations that lower stress before you hit the trail
🎒 Building a "Kid Adventure Kit" (and a Parent Sanity Kit)
🔄 The art of the pivot: Main plans, soft plans, and backup plans
✨ How grit and quiet gratitude sneak up on kids when we stop rushing

Read the full post, the link is in the comment section below.

Trailbound with the family? Grab our downloadable Moab & La Sal High-Desert Survival Field Guide ($2.99)—featuring our 1-gallon hydration formula, 12:00 PM alpine lightning rules, slot canyon flood protocols, and 10-essential trailhead checklist: See less

08/09/2026

Ever stood in the checkout line at City Market in July and seen a family with two gallons of water, three bags of chips, and five days of desert hikes planned?

We’ve all seen it—or been it! Moab is incredible, but first-time visitors often fall into the same traps: treating the desert like a checklist, underestimating midday canyon heat, and staying right on Main Street where semi-trucks rumble past all night.

Growing up in Moab and hosting guests at Deer Creek Retreat in Old La Sal, I’ve watched this pattern play out for years.

In our latest post, I break down the 4 classic mistakes first-time Moab visitors make—and how structuring your trip around a mountain basecamp changes everything:

🛑 Treating Moab like a to-do list instead of a place
🛑 Forgetting that heat thinks faster than you
🛑 Measuring distance only in miles
🛑 Staying only in town (and missing real mountain quiet) 📖

See the article in the comments below.

Heading out on the trail? Grab our downloadable Moab & La Sal High-Desert Survival Field Guide ($2.99)—featuring our 1-gallon hydration formula, 12:00 PM alpine lightning rules, slot canyon flood protocols, and 10-essential trailhead audit checklist:

08/08/2026

Old La Sal is a world of two climates in a single day—quiet, 50°F mountain mornings on the porch, and 90°F+ sun-baked desert canyon hikes down in Moab.

If you’re planning a trip to Southeast Utah, packing smart isn’t about bringing your whole house—it’s about having the right layers, hydration, and small essentials so you can step out of the noise and focus on rest. I just published Part 5 of our Airbnb Retreat Prep Series, breaking down exact packing strategies for two distinct climates, daypack setups, and how to prepare for the high desert.

🎒 Plus: We’ve officially released our downloadable Moab & La Sal High-Desert Survival Field Guide ($2.99)—featuring our 1-gallon hydration formula, 12:00 PM alpine lightning rules, slot canyon flood protocols, and 10-essential trailhead audit checklist.

Read the full post and grab the field guide before your next trip:🔗 https://www.deercreeklasal.com/

08/03/2026

Thousands of years ago, long before highways or maps existed, a man stood in a sandstone alcove below the La Sal Mountains at dusk. Mixing crushed iron ore with animal fat, he painted figures that would outlast flesh, bone, and memory.

In a special historical fiction feature wrapping up our Ancient Spirits series, step back in time to experience high-desert survival, ancient pigment chemistry, and the human hearts behind Utah's rock art.

Read the story now: "The Ochre Hands: A Story of Ancient Rock Art History."

I’ve dropped the link to the full 8-minute story in the first comment below!

What do you think drives humans to leave an enduring mark on the landscape?

08/03/2026

What does it mean to live alongside thousands of years of human memory?

In the finale of our Ancient Spirits series, we’re stepping back from the canyon trailheads to explore the deep quiet, dark skies, and healing solitude of the La Sal basin.

From the mental reset of "soft fascination" to sitting under an unbroken canopy of stars at Deer Creek Retreat, discover why stepping away from digital noise and into high desert silence restores the human spirit.

Read the finale now: "Living in Old La Sal Utah: What High Desert Silence Teaches Us."

I've dropped the direct link to the full post in the first comment below!

When was the last time you spent an evening surrounded by complete silence?

08/02/2026

Ready to step off the crowded tourist routes and experience a side of Moab few travelers ever truly see?

In Part 3 of our Ancient Spirits series, we’re sharing a complete, practical travel guide on how to visit Horseshoe Canyon from Moab—from the drive-up petroglyphs and ghost town ruins of Sego Canyon to the monumental Great Gallery in Horseshoe Canyon.

Whether you're hiking into sandy wash corridors, exploring 100-year-old stone ruins, or returning to watch the stars come out over Old La Sal, this guide covers driving routes, trail etiquette, packing essentials, and how to explore these ancient sites safely and respectfully.

Read the full guide now: "Visit Horseshoe Canyon from Moab: Respectful Guide to Ancient Rock Art." I've dropped the direct link to the full post in the first comment below!

What’s your favorite off-the-beaten-path trail or quiet spot to explore when visiting the desert?

08/02/2026

When you stand before the towering, ghostly figures carved into Utah's red rock, one question inevitably forces its way to the surface: What were the artists trying to show us?

In Part 2 of our Ancient Spirits series, we're diving beneath the surface of Moab’s most mysterious rock art. Unlike typical petroglyphs of hunters and bighorn sheep, Barrier Canyon figures are static, limbless, and surrounded by unblinking eyes and hovering spirits.

Did ancient shamans paint these during deep high-desert vision quests? Were they solar calendars tracking equinoxes? Or do they depict unexplainable encounters from the desert’s distant past?

Read the full post now: "Shamanic Trance or Ancient Visitors? The Archaeology and Lore of Barrier Canyon."

I've dropped the direct link in the first comment below!

Which theory makes the most sense to you when you look at these ancient panels?

08/01/2026

There’s something surreal about walking down a quiet desert canyon and coming face-to-face with a 7-foot, ghost-like figure painted on red sandstone thousands of years ago. 🌵✨

The Barrier Canyon style rock art around Moab is unlike almost anything else in the Southwest. With their hollow eyes, intricate patterns, and mysterious, otherworldly presence, these ancient panel galleries leave you with more questions than answers.

My latest blog post, Eyes in the Sandstone: Encountering Barrier Canyon Rock Art in Moab, is live on the site!

We’re diving into:
👁️ What makes Barrier Canyon art so unique and haunting
⛰️ The ancient cultures who left these signatures in stone
📍 Tips for viewing these delicate sites respectfully

Check out the full article and photos here: [Link to Blog Post]

Drop a comment if you’ve ever seen these panels in person!

07/28/2026

Long before trailheads had signposts and smartphones had rating systems, the high desert near Old La Sal held stories that defied easy explanation.

In Part 1 of our Old La Sal Chronicles, "The Light Over Deer Creek," I explore a classic local Moab mystery: a low, steady light on the horizon near the base of the La Sal Mountains that park rangers, ranchers, and travelers have spotted over the decades—a light that doesn't flicker like fire, sweep like headlights, or blink like an aircraft.

Out here, where dark skies settle deep and streetlights don't exist, the night invites you to sit still long enough to realize how much of the world sits outside our control.

📖 Read the story that started the series! I’ve dropped the link to the full post in the first comment below.

Have you ever seen something in the night sky or out in the wilderness that you couldn't quite explain?

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