The next challenge of the hike was our fear of heights. Delicate Arch is perched on a bowl-shaped smooth rock face and with every step, I feared I was going to slip & fall to the bottom. But dang it, I hiked all the way up here, I am going to get all the way to the arch! Normally, I'd just sit on the side, maybe take a picture from afar and not try anything scary. Challenging this fear was a big deal for me.

Zach & I were both so invigorated after Delicate Arch - not only was it gorgeous and awe-inspiring, but we both felt a renewed sense of mental & emotional clarity. There is a great power that comes from accomplishing a goal you didn't think you were capable of, and even more power if you have to stare down a fear to get there. We loved the Delicate Arch hike more for what we learned about ourselves than for the actual sight.

The weather didn't look like it was improving much after our hike, so we finished the meander via car, stopping briefly at Double Arch, and then drove back into Moab for the evening.

Keeping with our "no plan" strategy, we parked along Main Street to find some souvenirs - we've decided to start collecting magnets and/or Christmas ornaments as a token from our travels (luckily we found both!). As we were walking through shops, we stumbled on this incredible-smelling Mexican restaurant. Honestly, the smell is what convinced us to walk in! Our noses did NOT steer us wrong. The food was phenomenal and we ate far too much (but we hiked like 5 miles, so it made up for it, right?)

Eventually, the dessert pangs hit and we drove to a little diner in the residential section of Moab for milkshakes (and french fries for Zach). This was another fun spontaneous find! We felt like we'd found a hidden gem in Moab - the place had been around for 50+ years, was a tiny tiny little place, and was full of local residents. Our favorite way to travel is with an element of spontaneity, so stumbling across two restaurants with incredible food was the perfect ending to such a great day.

The weather was less than ideal that day and we could've tried to see more in Arches, but I don't regret a single minute of that day. Challenging my fear of heights was fantastic, but the biggest lesson I learned was about challenging my self-perception. I've let these stupid self-imposed limits keep me from great experiences. I started breaking this bad habit during my first skiing experience and this hike to Delicate Arch was another significant experience in breaking the cycle of negative self-talk. 

Lesson learned: don't put limits on yourself and don't let fear take over. You can do hard things!

Up next, day 2 in Canyonlands...