As summer begins to reach its end, I vacationed with my family to visit the beautiful Zion National Park (and, obviously, to compete in a cubing competition). We hiked for three hours up the Narrows, and it was astonishing to see how nature has shaped itself over millions (and even billions) of years. Being from the Midwest, I knew absolutely nobody here, but that didn’t stop me from making new friends! I do have to say, however, that the Midwest is a lot more competitive in terms of cubing than the Mountain West. After, we took a trip to Las Vegas where we saw a plethora of different shows (Shin Lim, Cirque Du Soleil, and many more). I also ate twelve chicken tenders, three pieces of Texas toast, and two orders of fries at Raising Canes while there (best fast food on the planet). I had a lot of fun being out West, but I’m also ready to head back home. I’ll be back and competing soon though—I’ve got my calendar set for Milwaukee in just two weeks’ time!