September 2017

September was a busy month.  I always love getting back into a routine after summer.  The produce is coming on fast.  Lots of bottling to do.  Lots of good things to eat.  So here are some highlights.  

Hiked up Bell Canyon with the Young Women.  Perfect weather.  

Lots of shades of green in our cucumbers.  

Darren bought furniture for our basement.  It is starting to look like a little more finished.  My friend Ang had a picture painted of her flaking a climbing rope.  MUSCLES!!  just a little envious.  

We did some door to door knocking for donations for Pennies by the inch.  I have quite the phobia of door to door knocking but I got over and this was a good cause.  

Ella loves achievement days.  We are slowly making more and more good friends in this neighborhood.  My kids like to play with friends around here better then school friends finally.  

Asher and I hung out one day while Jenny went on a field trip.  

Darren and friends hiked a few good trails.  

We took the Rivers and Ang and Ben up Bell Canyon.  Its just so beautiful... except the Tarantula we found on the trail.  

I cut my hair off.  Its been 6 years since I did that.  Seems a bit crazy.  I have always had long hair... but it needs to be healthy long hair.

Ang and I went for an amazing hike up Ferguson Canyon.  Pretty steep but beautiful.

Tyler and Darren got a few downhill trails in.  Tyler doesn't love it, but it was great to try out.  

St George- Black Rocks, Yankee Doodle

Really Fun weekend with the Rees and Larkin family.  The goal was to find a camp spot before midnight but after driving an extra 3.5 hours all over the St. George area we were about to give up.  No camping spots!  Anywhere and we tried 6 places.  But if you drive far enough away from human life you can camp on some random bluff.  It was a lovely spot... when we pulled in at 11:59 PM!  in the rain!

We were happy to do some climbing at Black Rocks in St. George.  It was warm but not too hot.  We got in some great practice rappeling to see who wanted to try Yankee Doodle Canyon the next day.  

Climbing- Black Rocks- Sunny side, lots of top rope and easy climbs

https://www.mountainproject.com/v/sunny-side/106360588

The weather wasn't looking amazing.  As we drove from our campsite towards Yankee Doodle the weather wasn't sunny... it was overcast and cloudy.  But we decided to go for it.  Dropping in to our first rappel was no problem.  Beautiful.  We stayed dry the first few drops but then there was no choice.  Time to get wet.  I didn't those little kids to be freezing but at some point they just had to jump into freezing cold water and swim.  We had layers to change into and even stripped down at one point to on dry clothes.  There were about 8 wet spots ... which is way more than usual.  But a storm a few weekends before had filled up the canyon.  We made it out... longer then we had planned.  Brit had stayed with my two little girls and 3 other kiddos.  They were happy and dry.  We were cold and needed food.  We made it to Cedar city with a snow blizzard around us.  Happy to eat and head home.  The high of the day was 68.  overcast. Cold day to be in a slot canyon.  But an amazing adventure.  We didnt' get to most of the fun adventures on our list but theres always next time.  

Yankee Doodle Canyon- 

http://www.zionnational-park.com/zion-yankee-doodle.htm

http://www.bluugnome.com/cyn_route/dixie-nat-frst-pine-vly_yankeedoodle/dixie-nat-frst-pine-vly_yankeedoodle.aspx

Thursday - camp at Red Cliffs

Friday- AM- Climb in Black rocks, practice repelling

PM- Some go do Yankee Doodle, some go play in Red Cliffs area

PM- if time or desire drive to Toquerville Falls to play in water

Saturday- AM- Climbing Green Valley Gap

PM- Yankee Doodle if anyone wants to…

PM- Drive to Kannarville Falls on the way home

PM - Stop in Meadow at hot springs

Point to Point 2017- Labor Day weekend - Cabin

Darren has a couple races he really enjoys... if that is the word you can use to describe sitting on a bike for a long time - suffering!  But he likes them.  He has the yellow mustard colored helmet on.  Point to Point is a big race that is in Park City/Deer Valley area.  Unfortunately this year he got stung by a few wasps and crashed.  But good thing we were staying at the cabin so he could take an ice bath in the river.  Chocolate milk always is the recovery drink of choice.  

It was nice to be up there.  Such beautiful scenery and peaceful.  We were there alone the first night so the kids all slept on the fold out couches together.  We tried out the swing.  Played games and enjoyed good food.  

On our way home from the cabin we stopped in Park City at Trailside park for some mnt biking.