Returning to Utah is a treat for me. Returning to Cache Valley and my old stomping grounds is like heaven. I talked my friend Spring into going skiing with me during my visit to Utah. I pushed my dear friend out of her comfort zone. Having never really been taught to ski, she was nervous to ski. We left her home in Layton early in the morning to make the trek up to Cache Valley. It was so wonderful to be riding through Sardine Canyon again and coming into the valley. So much growth has happened in the 12 years I've been gone. I still love it. Seeing Logan temple mid-winter, adorned in snow was beautiful. Driving past my old rental house brought back memories. The beautiful drive up Logan Canyon on the way to Beaver Mountain Ski Area was such a trip down memory lane.
Logan Cave: Though it's now closed, gated to the public, back in the day it was open to go through for cavers. I know now that it's a dangerous adventure, but I didn't know it at the time and went through it many times with old wards and friends and family. The thrill of wading through the water, climbing through "the birth canal" and signing the book at the end was fun. The bat population that inhabited the cave has now been protected by officials and the cave is closed forever for thrill seekers. (which is probably a good thing, it's pretty dangerous and I can't tell you how the folks who carried beer into that cave got out without killing themselves.)
Rick Springs: I remember visiting this beautiful roadside natural springs as a little kid and then through the years until I moved away at 26.
Tony Grove: This is where the groves of quaky aspens grow. I love to see the colors in the fall and love to hear the leaves flutter in the summer. This area is a trail head for a hike my family took when we were kids. Mom and dad didn't have backpacks, we walked with sleeping bags tucked under our arms and we brought our poor little pet dog who just had surgery along for the adventure! I'd often visit this lake in the summer to just enjoy the outdoors and enjoy the solitude. It is here that I discovered several caves with my oldest brother, though I wouldn't want many to know about where they are, as they are dangerous as well. Beautiful lake, so peaceful, makes me feel so close to my Heavenly Father. Love it.
The Beaver Mountain Ski Area was a part of my childhood as I took part in night skiing on a ski night with the hospital staff. My mom worked in the hospital cafeteria and we got to ski for free or for reduced price. I learned on this mountain and love it. Upon learning the prices for lessons, Spring exercised enough faith in me to teach her the very basics. She worked very hard on her snow plow on the small hill by the lodge. It was hard work as she'd ski down the few yards of hill, then side step back up to practice again. It wasn't until I discovered the Magic Carpet, a type of moving sidewalk type of lift on the learners hill. I took her down there and she was relieved of the tedious work out and was able to concentrate on her skiing enough to try a ski lift for her first time. I taught her how to get on the lift, and coached her as best I could on how to get off, but she took a fall straight off the lift. She was able to recover and I took her down the mountain, letting her go at her pace, falling if she felt she was going too fast, resting when her muscles were burning. Then I took her up a lift I remember going up and skiing down a run called Gentle Ben. This is supposed to be a green run, so good for beginners. I remember skiing it when I was learning and felt it would be a good run for her to practice on. Boy, was I wrong! Once at the top of this lift (which she got off like a pro) I knew we were in trouble. The run was more blue than green and far too steep for my poor friend. By 1/3 of the way down, side stepping, she finally popped off her skis and was ready to walk down no matter how uncomfortable her ski boots were. I could tell she was frustrated and I was getting worried about how to get her off the mountain, not wanting to leave her I tried to encourage her to go down the fastest we could. Fortunately this sort of thing happens more often that known and ski patrol saved us! Once they called for a snow mobile to retrieve her, I left her with the nice ski patrolman and skied the rest of the not so "gentle" run. My own muscles fatigued and burning from the days workout, I was having to stop and rest. I had ski patrol watching me and that made me nervous until I found out Spring and I were the last ones on the mountain and they were doing their "sweep" to get all daytime lift passes off the mountain to begin the night time skiing. I felt a bit like when I was in elementary school and the last one eating lunch in the cafeteria. I was so relieved to be down at the bottom as my muscles had been over extended! Spring was not far behind me on a snowmobile and looking much more relieved than I to be at the bottom, alive! She was so good to be patient with my misjudgment of the mountain and her skills! She says she's not deterred from going again and really working on skiing so she too can enjoy the sport! We'll see if this experience has scarred her for life! It was good times. Thanks so much Spring.
No comments:
Post a Comment