Olympic Gold

For a very long time as a child I really wanted to be an Olympian, mostly all-around champion in gymnastics. I love gymnastics and I love the USA. I really love the USA. I can't tell you how many times God Bless America has been sung in our house in the last 2 weeks of the Olympics. We have also been chanting U S A, we hung up an American flag on our door, and I'm sure neighbors have been woken up multiple times to us cheering with joy for team USA. Later on , and even now, I think my best hope for the Olympics is in skeleton (but that is neither here nor there and I'll tell you about that later).
As I've gotten older though, I realize that there are better things than gold medals. Like gold parties and everything included therein: gold fur, gold broaches, gold spray painted t-shirts, gold fur sashes, gold fanny packs, and most of all...you in gold.

Lone Peak cont.

I got these pictures from the top of Lone Peak that I was talking about in my other post about the hike. I think they are pretty cool. My jumping pose selection was limited due to the small surface area of the peak and the deadly drop off on both sides.

Pops & The Chilkoot Trail

My Pops arrived tuesday night just before midnight. That next day it was take your father to work day so we decided that would be fun. Thursday we left for the Chilkoot early in the morning and walked 12 miles to Sheep Camp. It rained on us that night and all the next morning. It was looking pretty bleak when we summated but then everything opened up. From then on out it was beautiful weather and couldn't have asked for a better time. On Friday we walked 8 miles to Happy Camp and then Saturday we walked another 8.5 miles to Barloon Lake. Then on Sunday we went 4 miles to Bennett and jumped on a train back to Skagtown. It over all is an amazingly beautiful hike with glaciers surrounding you at all times. Then on Monday we took a road trip to the ghost town of Atlin and looked around at a bunch of abandoned buildings and just enjoyed the scenery. It is an amazing place and would be a blast if you stayed over night and had a boat or at-least some sea kayaks.  Well can't wait until you come and pray for sun!

Club Foster 2008

Club Foster '08 was everything I ever hoped for. There was plenty of fun, food, and my niece to keep me entertained for a couple days. There was a lot of wind in the mornings so we spent a lot of time on the catamaran. They bought that catamaran for 600 dollars, which is well within my budget. Now I just need a place to put one. We also did a lot of surfing. I've decided it is better than wakeboarding and skiing because crashing at 10.3 mph hurts a lot less than 20-30 mph. I had some better videos, but I couldn't rotate them. Also, you aren't the only one that kayaks. We spent some quality time in the kayaks as you can see. We also did some geo cashing. Nothing like having to snorkel for a geo cash. Anyway, we had a spectacular time. I wish you could've been there but I'm sure you've been having a great time with your dad.

Lone Peak

We hiked Lone Peak a little over a week ago. It was awesome and very different from a lot of other hikes I've done in Utah. The hike was long and steep and the last half of it was just making your own path or following cairns (that is the name of the rock markers we couldn't think of in Moab), climbing over huge granite boulders and very sketchy exposed ledges at the very end. The very top was just big enough for the five of us to stand on together. I have a great picture of me jumping on the very top (which probably wasn't very smart but I'm still alive), but it is on someone else's camera that I haven't got yet. We were supposed to hike Nebo that day but Payson Canyon was closed due to fire. Nebo is the only peak I have left this summer.

I found this at Smith's last night. It was delicious and it reminded me of our outing to Los Hermanos. Now all I need is some delicious horchata and chicken fajitas to go with it.

West Creek Glacier

I have been trying to make it to this glacier about nine miles down a valley but so far it has defeated me but it is always a fun hike and a little crazy. The first part of the hike is somewhat marked but the trail only goes a mile or so and then one must bushwack to make it any were. I have not reached the glacier yet but I can see it and it will be in reach sooner or later. My biggest problem is I always forget bug spray and the mosquitos are in swarms on the part of the hike were I need to bushwack. If you look close at the picture that I am meditating in you will see the mosquitos swarming all around me. Not fun! Ohh and yes I have not cut my hair yet and it is getting really shaggy. Also I can also do jumping pictures even timed ones. I know amazing. 

38 Miles in 14 Hours & 1 Bear

My friend Bill and I left at 5 o'clock at night and crossed the famous Chilkoot trail in 14 hours ending our trip at 7 o'clock in the morning. It was a fun trip full of surprises like a man hunting black bear, hitch hiking and a slightly mad ranger, but it ended with success and a much needed nap and an amazing hamburger.