tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78799637750271469522024-03-15T07:51:25.281-07:00The Blackham BunchJenBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16376616104651932239noreply@blogger.comBlogger959125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879963775027146952.post-77423036501197085212024-03-11T15:02:00.000-07:002024-03-15T07:50:38.891-07:00Half Marathon in Moab<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKEwLKw7jm89Fb0xmRPO2zHs4CwR2xNGYfHgRzLC5ddz0giFpwaC_3sSTrh5K797LUuchOstskHDzBIr3jH7d45EuXabhPzQKAvfgjQZSDxkCHNHuj2X8y4L3C3k6QkcHSeJEb22b5iVAg3qFH4T0PcHgyCTftFc7hnHUN6BlpFqMONdyCwD7mr-D2YT6A/s1200/FotoJet%20-%202024-03-11T134706.220.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKEwLKw7jm89Fb0xmRPO2zHs4CwR2xNGYfHgRzLC5ddz0giFpwaC_3sSTrh5K797LUuchOstskHDzBIr3jH7d45EuXabhPzQKAvfgjQZSDxkCHNHuj2X8y4L3C3k6QkcHSeJEb22b5iVAg3qFH4T0PcHgyCTftFc7hnHUN6BlpFqMONdyCwD7mr-D2YT6A/w640-h640/FotoJet%20-%202024-03-11T134706.220.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It's great that the blog can be backdated ... this post, written in March 2024 will be backdated to March 2009 (I didn't officially start blogging until 2010). In the present day (2024) Grayson is preparing again for the Canyonlands Half-Marathon. So after 15 years, I figured I'd see what pictures and memories were available from the first race in 2009.</div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">According to my journal, Grayson was set to head down on Friday, March 20. Uncle Clay was going, and Maga must have gone too, as Grayson took a few of the boys. Landon, Keaton and Colton went with Daddy (even though Landon was in a cast, having broken his wrist just a few days before). Callahan had too many activities (basketball games, plans with friends) and Coop (a bit of a homebody like Mom) stayed back.</div><br /><blockquote style="text-align: justify;"><i>Gray had checked in a few times. Said Colton seemed sick, had the sick eyes, had coughed so badly once he threw up. Landon seemed to be fine. He did good on his time in the race, 1:35, which was 10 minutes faster than he had anticipated. They went to the park, saw Grandma Henry and stopped at the rock shop.</i></blockquote><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Here's a fun "review" of the race by another blogger ... <a href="https://www.everymantri.com/everyman_triathlon/2009/02/reviewed-canyonlands-half-marathon-by-roman-mica.html">Reviewed: Canyonlands Half Marathon</a> which describes this as a "a spectacular well-run race, in a beautiful location, with perfect weather, and a gently rolling downhill course." Another article in the <a href="https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/new-5-mile-course-record-set-at-34th-annual-moab-race/">Moab Times</a> gives some additional details. From <a href="https://www.madmooseevents.com/canyonlands-half-marathon">MadMooseEvents</a>, it's said ...</div><br /><p></p><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>The first Canyonlands Half Marathon was run on May 1, 1976 had just 22 finishers, including a dog. Today, thousands of runners come together in March to enjoy the scenic red rock formations and winding Colorado River that Moab has come to be known for! Running parallel to Arches National Park and the mighty river, runners are in for a real treat. Long considered a "Bucket List" race, in the July 18 issue of Runners World UK, Canyonlands Half Marathon was mentioned in their article "The Worlds Greatest Races." It's easy to see why runners return year after year to experience spring in Moab on this famous road race!</i></div></blockquote><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Good luck to Gray as he hits the half again - 15 year later! </p>JenBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16376616104651932239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879963775027146952.post-59657485171605195242024-02-14T13:12:00.000-08:002024-02-14T16:25:41.701-08:00JenBsBooks in 2023<p style="text-align: justify;">If you know me, you know I love books. While I've gotten behind on the blogging, I have kept up on my books, making my monthly collages, rating and reviewing everything on GoodReads and Storygraph. I did a<a href="https://jenbsjourney.blogspot.com/2024/02/2023-jenbsbooks.html" target="_blank"> 2023~JenBsBooks on my JenBsJourney Blog</a>, with a look at the year. On this blog post, I'll keep the collages created each month, all in a single spot...</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I love looking back and seeing which books stick out in my memory, and which I can't even remember reading!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUlxFkQeDP4r8SxjsoYHNMUscEsAr25lgnHhIY_LAcnrHGudGAA7L6GafZoGKDm8xYaewvGOh8efuPpsHsgwYasrgFiNkK1KztOeitN1TbVCcO6fnSy0qRpBKThPzW4A31r7PJ2K0mb7jLQWf7IpGxU_sEi64oHwq1OQffj4VpWeZaphpX-IBf0Aec-fwD/s1200/2023.01.books.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUlxFkQeDP4r8SxjsoYHNMUscEsAr25lgnHhIY_LAcnrHGudGAA7L6GafZoGKDm8xYaewvGOh8efuPpsHsgwYasrgFiNkK1KztOeitN1TbVCcO6fnSy0qRpBKThPzW4A31r7PJ2K0mb7jLQWf7IpGxU_sEi64oHwq1OQffj4VpWeZaphpX-IBf0Aec-fwD/w640-h640/2023.01.books.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLR1m-LAA9HLSTRBquH5gVZufaGjeZJ4VUMfsXvnI74yxTpEDJAriizfcO5SAkZIFvo3IdJoFlinCcUKD8Wjqeqx_TOmXtSWjk9dTLgzhey_6CJjmL1UCr0813vIZxQjONVkaVRqF5boGgJZmorsK7gvZkI-_fvakx-SNkZJ5UwOqVHFEKWCD2qzQyA_uX/w640-h640/2023.09.books.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5tNufWicMqyKueMl-tdIOhe0vqnHap_3fCLhLKpT7RTm8XlvaI2y-MJL0P8m8yIVMTwd37Zy9mzXYdQZG3gmPOSQiOHyd-2q42hvbVWRGWSWmmVbMjmcyC_0I5oHj6qwpZPVYlXuzWBLfzwY9QhC0qT1QrQXhOnm6GAm994jjvQ9MsyuJos0J9iuePuN1/s926/2023.10%20Books.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="926" height="634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5tNufWicMqyKueMl-tdIOhe0vqnHap_3fCLhLKpT7RTm8XlvaI2y-MJL0P8m8yIVMTwd37Zy9mzXYdQZG3gmPOSQiOHyd-2q42hvbVWRGWSWmmVbMjmcyC_0I5oHj6qwpZPVYlXuzWBLfzwY9QhC0qT1QrQXhOnm6GAm994jjvQ9MsyuJos0J9iuePuN1/w640-h634/2023.10%20Books.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="907" data-original-width="910" height="638" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9wwtHssMLG4KaSB0z6hNqyMb1fdk-0kpdIbe7xcSCbkBW1fWLAQoek42pTtWLaTWdlk-L0e_kZ8IHQ4TRkXjlusaCiCsoal60rHezpJG8lmJomvkO7FWJwyuLFeSOLsu2IAK3xFwk-ztHYdmq7pQMAE_hG7ptsLs5Kz9NgslAvhstJLzYVl3xx-gOFaiC/w640-h638/2023.12.Books.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I joined Storygraph in January of 2023,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and love all the graphs and data it provides ...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNxbD6QHUq2ikN4tJ6re5HKQZ9LKqJmAJcKXajBH5i7QGV92Shvaw48RS9zRTNajTJuPxMRGBCRIBHUMmLCAJScyty_kEjgSEQjhI-ooL2-KPpz0fnTlRMsJNa9TRGia8OoezluBSvo08Odl0x1-DJxlL2ugJuUa9XYth99gn1Is2BdkQN8VwjN5P5sCAd/s920/2023.01.bookgraph.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="919" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNxbD6QHUq2ikN4tJ6re5HKQZ9LKqJmAJcKXajBH5i7QGV92Shvaw48RS9zRTNajTJuPxMRGBCRIBHUMmLCAJScyty_kEjgSEQjhI-ooL2-KPpz0fnTlRMsJNa9TRGia8OoezluBSvo08Odl0x1-DJxlL2ugJuUa9XYth99gn1Is2BdkQN8VwjN5P5sCAd/w640-h640/2023.01.bookgraph.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGkXRqRNqnV1X1PMmlQKVYOOdZ5q4mP3GFFbc0-GlbFP3MtQbccK7nWPhiObzGFY6GGzYrLKTgEGWtXwYQyj-dQW0EVIOvZ3QHCkEu8U5g9EsOU_coDPvPUAMZPExPmozns0r1ghZRSi91JkGVrQ2j1NGrENzjuJSRldvLU1fSCx9IV-audhnYNuqMJtcw/s1200/2023.02%20graphs.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="935" data-original-width="1200" height="498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGkXRqRNqnV1X1PMmlQKVYOOdZ5q4mP3GFFbc0-GlbFP3MtQbccK7nWPhiObzGFY6GGzYrLKTgEGWtXwYQyj-dQW0EVIOvZ3QHCkEu8U5g9EsOU_coDPvPUAMZPExPmozns0r1ghZRSi91JkGVrQ2j1NGrENzjuJSRldvLU1fSCx9IV-audhnYNuqMJtcw/w640-h498/2023.02%20graphs.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="918" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6pUdos8GbRBDo79-oxuZ-rytOgr9Xd8WajHbrdQtgWvEsXFfkNDf7qKB6KN9isI0sCV9keSfDi3YQVBdfr_rizIKvzlDMkbrzub7Yho46eK97yHyAoFFrpBGhmYH8ZAWIH0cNh4jPIxQhBrw3pEioSBn7SpD2J6aA7gYHSKO-4wYvJJbgfJA9k5Kd70sn/w638-h640/2023.04.%20graphbooks.jpg" width="638" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitYv7qboJL3HL3NiPOr2eSiqrscZ8xIDhIU6XxkrBnWWaUjRur2wk1M5JP7eZOto2JMJaKlEK_9NXqoI3C4HNPQ5L31GSoLseJb1Qz4ojLlpfAbnCbzjQBFXogdjXKnQg0szRH2_hmxcgAj6sROdJ5z7XvU2XEysKK3FZGARHbwOdzHF5ADyCx00FDq1Fp/s924/2023.05%20Storygraph%20Data.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="917" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitYv7qboJL3HL3NiPOr2eSiqrscZ8xIDhIU6XxkrBnWWaUjRur2wk1M5JP7eZOto2JMJaKlEK_9NXqoI3C4HNPQ5L31GSoLseJb1Qz4ojLlpfAbnCbzjQBFXogdjXKnQg0szRH2_hmxcgAj6sROdJ5z7XvU2XEysKK3FZGARHbwOdzHF5ADyCx00FDq1Fp/w636-h640/2023.05%20Storygraph%20Data.jpg" width="636" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="915" data-original-width="913" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoF_ic4UV9esxa_ytRx9st25z89Bk58i7q3af_5gEzuVNi9SiPtu8_CWi-LG6ycD2_5EWT35kchazWFFHGKaQG3ogr4sC_LPEcp720WJPWJ1wYybAZ6dSR0Brxxz_Nvz4h2JIDLoMjkvAryqYZkNQd-3G8dsnruoXiMVTfV0pcGDISHlsQSV0QMVAoK8Qu/w638-h640/2023.07%20graphs.png" width="638" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ll2M6GXHumDqBoPbnt8VUl1UPOIUak8RsGTugqQHp7XTH9by5P-crdCAweS21W1X1dOgsFQ9_VlGq9O51ZzfwDpbk08_hOGT6rPmN4ksJaF4IIQsydHoCwEetg1GykR1d5RvW0ImKt9zqcsYh-S4RJh-nfeOvEVEdu2POAes8H5CJnFu7HEwOWB1SAZH/s916/2023.08.Graphs.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="914" data-original-width="916" height="638" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ll2M6GXHumDqBoPbnt8VUl1UPOIUak8RsGTugqQHp7XTH9by5P-crdCAweS21W1X1dOgsFQ9_VlGq9O51ZzfwDpbk08_hOGT6rPmN4ksJaF4IIQsydHoCwEetg1GykR1d5RvW0ImKt9zqcsYh-S4RJh-nfeOvEVEdu2POAes8H5CJnFu7HEwOWB1SAZH/w640-h638/2023.08.Graphs.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="915" data-original-width="914" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl9DgqYsZpxVftn0t4CoJtcPXH7VvLEY7QxnHZstWp2cwvDR0EhfnRVr59_SPWbmzhEqapvSogDrTjRegWcnpbjcoEquxL26SZnUtD-XrwagiBZ7D_s0_u0krZCwydxMNDwDrZUMT7mD8HGFlkXEsX_-0QVTnqmpN5BiDjpcT54vX6jftsp9M7kJMSvvrJ/w640-h640/2023.10%20Storygraph.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxnuCP0ufyCg-6zSiOfUtT7r10EQoDSeJE1sG9nymrIh5em2vt34G5R7CzN1ddhP7-PAW1v9w_d0teGRZ9k1ZDkRAeUQv6yOJol_gm_rzcuoSJXwvmpx8ySFZYB0yN2G9ECNx-tREkzTbaK3yVU-fva4AY7rRh0N6e5JsvoCYlrXVfttuSPp31t0YaqQNn/s921/2023.11.Storygraph.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="914" data-original-width="921" height="636" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxnuCP0ufyCg-6zSiOfUtT7r10EQoDSeJE1sG9nymrIh5em2vt34G5R7CzN1ddhP7-PAW1v9w_d0teGRZ9k1ZDkRAeUQv6yOJol_gm_rzcuoSJXwvmpx8ySFZYB0yN2G9ECNx-tREkzTbaK3yVU-fva4AY7rRh0N6e5JsvoCYlrXVfttuSPp31t0YaqQNn/w640-h636/2023.11.Storygraph.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw8t1agI2_Te62mJmvu_QMJeeuZZBVHJMenWeskRqzU_eZLAxRS25CRiMttX6qbx9ev-ExVc_Q6Xr8eAjw8lXXOgAcGeHK8zUfxem4_NbeHM1i6WWRs6fKgP75PoFm6iNiUsRzMdhuk5aai5pwiaUqV3F5KfsG0jDynZtDLLdTflb5BBCP2_1PCnUXjo4I/s1200/2023.12.Storygraph.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw8t1agI2_Te62mJmvu_QMJeeuZZBVHJMenWeskRqzU_eZLAxRS25CRiMttX6qbx9ev-ExVc_Q6Xr8eAjw8lXXOgAcGeHK8zUfxem4_NbeHM1i6WWRs6fKgP75PoFm6iNiUsRzMdhuk5aai5pwiaUqV3F5KfsG0jDynZtDLLdTflb5BBCP2_1PCnUXjo4I/w640-h640/2023.12.Storygraph.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">The Storygraph pie charts have encouraged me to try harder in some areas ... to make sure I get in some non-fiction, not just fiction. I even did a NonfictionNovember challenge, where my goal was to make sure the non-fiction section was larger than the fiction for that month. In October, I manipulated the "moods" chart in honor of Halloween, seeing if I could shift the dark/tense/mysterious to the top. I've enjoyed adding in a few physical books, and making sure I get some BIG books (500+ pages) in too. Honestly ... the "pace" chart doesn't mean much to me, and I don't think I'll include it in my collages for 2024. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">All books are rated and reviewed on both Goodreads and Storygraph.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm JenBsBooks on both. </div>JenBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16376616104651932239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879963775027146952.post-76224733653657762462023-09-30T22:30:00.000-07:002024-03-04T18:49:25.792-08:00September 2023<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This will be backdated to September 2023</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSwlfpaHZaM6QJHVDXzAMlcO_TADecmNkDpLS1iqt_-w-e_45D8IfafUhGMl7U62oX6PwbK97de_ZWXnbRcvVoH2aiBYyJvZpMXgY3uYC_-LsvnbksYx6NSHyv1p7XUkjJXeAxDkkTro-gyNW0nZ3rBGCf_i0MmLkyDdiUC35fTmC2fweWKDgmGWzuceXV/s921/2023.09%20Family.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="921" data-original-width="921" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSwlfpaHZaM6QJHVDXzAMlcO_TADecmNkDpLS1iqt_-w-e_45D8IfafUhGMl7U62oX6PwbK97de_ZWXnbRcvVoH2aiBYyJvZpMXgY3uYC_-LsvnbksYx6NSHyv1p7XUkjJXeAxDkkTro-gyNW0nZ3rBGCf_i0MmLkyDdiUC35fTmC2fweWKDgmGWzuceXV/w640-h640/2023.09%20Family.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />Behind on blogging ... it's actually March 2024 (shhhh, don't tell, glad I can backdate here). What were the Blackham Happenings in September 2023?<p></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li style="text-align: justify;">San Diego: Gray planned a "birthday" trip (the August boys) to sunny California for a weekend. Unfortunately, there had been some storms that almost made him postpone, but they went, and the weather was fine. For the flight there, Coop and Keaton had first class seats, but Gray didn't (not sure how that happened). They went on a jet boat ride, checked out the <a href="https://www.midway.org/" target="_blank">USS Midway</a> - the aircraft carrier museum, got a caricature done (K&C said they guy sounded so much like <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CuZmS_zNmN8/?igsh=OGU0N3RjZTU0c2xv" target="_blank">THIS DUDE</a>, who they love to watch, an imitate ... this type of talk happens a lot in the Blackham household) went to Sea World. Lots of eating out, The Fig Tree, Liberty Station, Coop said Del Frisco was yummy, he loved the rolls. Coop and Keaton binged Avatar during the trip, and they had to take time out for the Fantasy Football draft (very important to Cooper!) Coop also pulled out his PokemonGo while he was out and about (he hasn't been playing much, if at all, at home). </li><li style="text-align: justify;">Jen EEG: I'd had an EEG after the first fall (now knowing it was a seizure) with no real feedback. After a second seizure, the Neurologist wanted a "continuous EEG" where I got to be hooked up, electrodes all over, a connected monitor/recorder attached (fanny pack) and constant video recording (a separate camera I'd have to set up and move around as I did). This was to go on for four days, Tuesday - Friday, mid-month. I also had to check in at the hospital (IHC in Murray) daily. While it wasn't painful, it was inconvenient and definitely curtailed what little activity I have daily. I didn't leave the house except for the daily hospital check-in. Still got some walks on the treadmill, but no Zumba or pickleball ... which was probably good, as I was also not allowed to shower. Again, no real info from the test (probably nothing conclusive unless another seizure happened while wearing it). Nothing more in store on the medical front, just "wait and see" what happens ...</li><li style="text-align: justify;">Covid: Our immediate family (the WJ crew) had done a decent job of avoiding Covid in 2020, 2021 and 2022. But it caught me back in February, and Gray tested positive this month (traced the contagion to a guy's night poker game. One fellow tested positive the next morning, let the others know, and several came down with it). Coop ended up getting it too. We are happy that his new job was understanding about it. </li><li style="text-align: justify;">Job Changes: Back in January, Keaton had decided to leave CamsenElectric/Residential and try his hand at more commercial construction (K2). After several months working there, he decided that he preferred the residential, and Camsen (and Cal!) was happy to have him back. It hasn't taken Keaton long to get back up to crew lead, with a van. Cal has moved into more of a supervisory position, and the company traded his work van for a nice truck. </li><li style="text-align: justify;">Birthdays: Landon's birthday was here in September, we had the usual cake w/candles (cheesecake for Landon). We did a birthday dinner at Bucca De Beppo too (to celebrate the three boys, Keaton and Coop who had just had their birthdays the last week in August). Landon got himself some cowboy boots (fairly mainstream at LKL where he works). </li><li style="text-align: justify;">Hiking & Biking: Gray and Landon have stayed uber active! See <a href="https://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2023/09/more-hikes.html" target="_blank">More Hikes: August/September</a> for details ... Flag Rock, Donut Falls, Bountiful Canyon, Lake Mary. Landon hit Olympus on his own. Grayson has added a <a href="http://www.goruck.com" target="_blank">rucksak</a> for weighted hiking. Gray did some biking too (<a href="https://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2023/10/bike-boy.html" target="_blank">Bike Boy</a>)... a lot on Legacy. </li><li style="text-align: justify;">Basketball: Colton stayed busy (as always) with training with Coach Scott, some <a href="https://youtu.be/65vteaWz4HE?si=p3U3khDqYXitStCA" target="_blank">pre-season games</a> with the WJ Jags, and the <a href="https://basketballcal.blogspot.com/2024/03/colton-top50.html" target="_blank">Top50 league</a>. Cal had his Men's League on Wednesday nights. Keaton even joined in for one of the games,, and had a little league on the side (that he wouldn't give me details on, he didn't want me coming to watch and video). </li><li style="text-align: justify;">Homecoming: Colton wasn't really planning on attending the school Homecoming dance, but then he was nominated for prom king, and made it into the top vote. So he snagged a date and went through all the "kingly" activities ... he had to do a little dance off, be presented at the Homecoming football game. Ultimately, he didn't get the crown, but he'll always be king of the court!</li></ul><div style="text-align: justify;">We got in our usual weekly pickleball, and I (re)introduced racquetball to Landon when the guys in were SanDiego (and we wouldn't have enough to pickle). Landon and Coop did a little r-ball too. Gray got in more golf. There was a Blackham pizza night with extended family in Riverton. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Here's a live look ... 1 second style.</div><div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L7jMMpHBHqI?si=Zx6fk7HTFaRAKCBc" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a class="style-scope ytcp-video-info" href="https://youtu.be/L7jMMpHBHqI" style="scrollbar-color: var(--ytcp-icon-disabled) transparent; scrollbar-width: thin; text-align: start;" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/L7jMMpHBHqI</a></div><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">On to October ...</div><p></p>JenBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16376616104651932239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879963775027146952.post-26929204386291249792023-09-30T16:58:00.010-07:002024-03-02T11:25:01.163-08:00More Hikes!<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnq56lF3tBh1Cu06Zu3wWm3FE2ONK-QjNXNYXV3W6z8i4g-H8Kj6kfdLrD8-jsGAWaRyFFnEtbwatuVC3PvlU-2jgbGI-S1g29Lig9ULDzoC4xOHyf22n2DJ5rZHfRvNtuhi-VvQJo3h65Et1ttDY3h6B0T_kD2z4tWQ5q_eEyjKSwgIjALep_oFRbnrWd/s918/2023.0805%20TimpLandon.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="918" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnq56lF3tBh1Cu06Zu3wWm3FE2ONK-QjNXNYXV3W6z8i4g-H8Kj6kfdLrD8-jsGAWaRyFFnEtbwatuVC3PvlU-2jgbGI-S1g29Lig9ULDzoC4xOHyf22n2DJ5rZHfRvNtuhi-VvQJo3h65Et1ttDY3h6B0T_kD2z4tWQ5q_eEyjKSwgIjALep_oFRbnrWd/w640-h640/2023.0805%20TimpLandon.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />The <a href="http://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2023/05/gray-goes-hiking.html" target="_blank">EMI/Symphony Hiking Challenge</a> started in April and ran through the end of September. Here's a look at Hub's Hikes for August and September. The first one was a doozy! Climbing Timpanogos in the dark, and waiting to watch the sunrise from the summit. Landon went along with this hike too. <p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">With the work challenge, Grayson's been good at taking pictures and doing write-ups, which I've really appreciated! Here's the collage he created and his write-up below ...</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh4D-8IKXqPsEKcnUieG-O0ZqlpTqvMZgM4nOhkJXi4iEWjp3EAfioCwNvGrJoQy_e3IZlG1OSvjhYaDXz9HcbckLz5fE6ovGkl3xFkWEX-vrZS4nPAI_mKiUa52oKdzLSFxqaX-KZGxfzaFMuL0G7rSKk8BPPDfXnqp12m0mb1I4l1267Ta03kdWoLbfn/s1249/2023.0804%20Timp.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="776" data-original-width="1249" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh4D-8IKXqPsEKcnUieG-O0ZqlpTqvMZgM4nOhkJXi4iEWjp3EAfioCwNvGrJoQy_e3IZlG1OSvjhYaDXz9HcbckLz5fE6ovGkl3xFkWEX-vrZS4nPAI_mKiUa52oKdzLSFxqaX-KZGxfzaFMuL0G7rSKk8BPPDfXnqp12m0mb1I4l1267Ta03kdWoLbfn/w640-h398/2023.0804%20Timp.png" width="640" /></a><br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg63X7LLJuTwjljE1A7pAmxdOoLbSJuU52ZPEG0-6p56CbjqH_4Sl9Lq6v1fCwqB9KiweiWHZD4rb1jsfCooLrkyL6N8Oq55c_Q-iTHGOEREbXsbTsFXKliOJvhUfSncdAWD2gjh96GGoCFmoG-106aqzCnWjhrrDzeuq2HoIsot-xUWb-I0I3AKOmUh0IU/s1239/2023.0805%20Timp.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="798" data-original-width="1239" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg63X7LLJuTwjljE1A7pAmxdOoLbSJuU52ZPEG0-6p56CbjqH_4Sl9Lq6v1fCwqB9KiweiWHZD4rb1jsfCooLrkyL6N8Oq55c_Q-iTHGOEREbXsbTsFXKliOJvhUfSncdAWD2gjh96GGoCFmoG-106aqzCnWjhrrDzeuq2HoIsot-xUWb-I0I3AKOmUh0IU/w640-h412/2023.0805%20Timp.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><i>Date - August 4th and 5th<br />Location - Timpooneke Trailhead to Mount Timpanogos Summit<br /><br />First entry - 11:56 pm -<br />What the heck are we thinking?<br /><br />Various take-aways from Mount Timpanogos -<br /><br /></i><ol><li><i>I think one-and-done is just fine for this trail.</i></li><li><i>Sometimes bucket list items are for masochists.</i></li><li><i>Microspikes are the bomb-diggity for crossing ice fields.</i></li><li><i>"Sketchy" becomes a very common word.</i></li><li><i>As usual Zac's hiking outfit is on point. Very chic indeed.</i></li><li><i>Headlamps only last about 2-3 hours which is fine if your hike is 2-3 hours.</i></li><li><i>The last mile from saddle to summit is worse by far than the 6 or 7 that preceded it.</i></li><li><i>How in the living heck did people do this without GPS???</i></li><li><i>Shack graffiti includes some familiar first names. You were with us in spirit and Sharpie.</i></li><li><i>Space blankets save the day as body temps plummet waiting for the sunrise. We consider emergency hypothermia treatment.</i></li><li><i>Teens and 20-somethings arrive at the summit after a seemingly leisurely stroll to the top....sheesh...show-offs.</i></li><li><i>On the way down I count 321 hikers on their way up......Ha! suckerzzz....</i></li></ol><i>And scene! Fade to black. Time to nap.</i><br /><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i><br /></i><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Grayson was in <a href="http://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2023/09/gray-goes-to-london-and-paris.html" target="_blank">London/Paris</a> for a couple weeks in August. He and Zach had debated an out-of-country hike, but had plenty of other sites to see. September started with SanDiego (which is where Gray and Landon did one of the first hikes back in April, this time with Coop and Keaton -no hike), then some final hikes to wrap up the challenge.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Monday, September 7, 2023 - Flag Rock</div><div style="text-align: center;">Grayson's write-up is below</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIZWSjCweY-3VBm44KhSNQoez34LJNAXXG2DTWjjXzww5yISxXlq7xVqdQTC30V-_aNsDGGnHJatbzyyexBE4SPztECO2XM5cQ4wEDa8MNvQs5rZMz-hsAep9A4CBpYS_MUGvWwQf81ZTfci1tLQeqqcMybYrXhSFlDQ37zYjxVFWsfLYyz7EN1YSYiG0Z/s2040/2023.0907%20FlagRock.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2040" data-original-width="1320" height="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIZWSjCweY-3VBm44KhSNQoez34LJNAXXG2DTWjjXzww5yISxXlq7xVqdQTC30V-_aNsDGGnHJatbzyyexBE4SPztECO2XM5cQ4wEDa8MNvQs5rZMz-hsAep9A4CBpYS_MUGvWwQf81ZTfci1tLQeqqcMybYrXhSFlDQ37zYjxVFWsfLYyz7EN1YSYiG0Z/w582-h900/2023.0907%20FlagRock.jpg" width="582" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>My Symphony peeps, if you look yonder, directly east of our office, you see Deuel Creek Canyon. On the south side of the canyon is a flowy, beautiful hike that is ultra-popular - yes, I know you already know ;) On the north side there is another hiking trail (or two or three). This trail is short, steep, cantankerous, inexplicably cruel and forsaken...kind of like a middle child (sorry if this is triggering). However, at the end of this trail, some dedicated soul or souls have hoisted a flag pole and of course an American Flag. No small effort here. My hats off to those who made this happen.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Now.... What if, just maybe, possibly a Symphony flag could accompany Old Glory, if only for a minute. Thanks to the ever-resourceful Caroline working with Zac to orchestrate (see what I did there) just one such flag. The pictures tell the tale....with one exception. The wind, which would normally accompany any morning in any canyon in the state, was completely silent. Like no wind. Our hope for flags unfurled and waving in the morning breeze was not to be. Alas.... Perhaps we return. Perhaps we don't. Either way, this one's in the books.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Thursday, September 14, 2023</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9CmQBjvUnailxx2P8IQbh9DYZPWWxakZ_VRReG0zKaoSZzH_atlh1b0RVVFglkNoB1MUmVvUKbXS-LNykSUgWYaA4MvctC_xaWmAg1oRcclnnjw2TObPEixhOjOsaz_DACix5j3mmg8_XKuEnZ4UfU0HkNZszBQJmsgANJ3kdk07zxLTYVy-Iv3KVlSVK/s949/2023.0914%20JacksMountain.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="949" data-original-width="631" height="826" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9CmQBjvUnailxx2P8IQbh9DYZPWWxakZ_VRReG0zKaoSZzH_atlh1b0RVVFglkNoB1MUmVvUKbXS-LNykSUgWYaA4MvctC_xaWmAg1oRcclnnjw2TObPEixhOjOsaz_DACix5j3mmg8_XKuEnZ4UfU0HkNZszBQJmsgANJ3kdk07zxLTYVy-Iv3KVlSVK/w550-h826/2023.0914%20JacksMountain.png" width="550" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">No official write up of this hike, but Gray included a <a href="https://www.theoutbound.com/utah/hiking/hike-jacks-mountain#:~:text=Named%20for%20a%20toddler%20who,the%20valley%20and%20contemplate%20mortality." target="_blank">link</a> to info about it. Click the link for a brief read - one of the cathartic benefits of the hike. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Saturday, September 16</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4YJNGuiaVnh3N6ZTK4GtJUG4YLRRN5TJPaQBA8Xv4ma3FyszUYeWhadRnONCp9VRiooJ0cnsQRHY27IUc41K16udjQaZbW6arAjb3fmiJ35QGRwN0erW98X4ENQahJ9FGjxPqefRdGaSRQdGR8-CdCQvLvaaDKJ6U1v-wjtNXc5Fex7XXClsbJsCMC-e7/s861/2023.0916%20RUCK.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="861" data-original-width="630" height="713" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4YJNGuiaVnh3N6ZTK4GtJUG4YLRRN5TJPaQBA8Xv4ma3FyszUYeWhadRnONCp9VRiooJ0cnsQRHY27IUc41K16udjQaZbW6arAjb3fmiJ35QGRwN0erW98X4ENQahJ9FGjxPqefRdGaSRQdGR8-CdCQvLvaaDKJ6U1v-wjtNXc5Fex7XXClsbJsCMC-e7/w522-h713/2023.0916%20RUCK.png" width="522" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">This new trail system is out by us, near Kennecott (err Rio Tinto).</div><div style="text-align: center;">I went and checked it out this last weekend. They've done a good job with it.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Saturday, September 16 was a big hiking day for Landon too. He hit Mount Olympus again, this time on his own - he didn't take pictures. These are a few photos from the first/June trip (<a href="https://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2023/09/hiking-challenge-continued.html" target="_blank">Hikes~June/July</a>) that I didn't have when I made the collage about that hike ... so I'm going to put them here anyway! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_nLIz0uFA9AI6_vdSZQ8DNg7-uYDzo0LNJwq0QGnbrYXFXyx2xzpHZE2EV5JGM0y9eWosRM4pDvZWS_WJb6U5ELg9TDfNJcUPUOeqS7QLLOP2OqWstV7oDpmRK9kxuLJUgNoENhWgrig1ZoTq9dJvOverVn46ABxvUeGqG1Z0Tp1ee3jBQ86_bCc_x2v9/s1725/FotoJet%20-%202024-03-02T122345.240.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1725" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_nLIz0uFA9AI6_vdSZQ8DNg7-uYDzo0LNJwq0QGnbrYXFXyx2xzpHZE2EV5JGM0y9eWosRM4pDvZWS_WJb6U5ELg9TDfNJcUPUOeqS7QLLOP2OqWstV7oDpmRK9kxuLJUgNoENhWgrig1ZoTq9dJvOverVn46ABxvUeGqG1Z0Tp1ee3jBQ86_bCc_x2v9/w640-h446/FotoJet%20-%202024-03-02T122345.240.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Saturday - September 23 - Donut Falls</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicQ48oZu6_aIFSlOeg7rjvGSGvUlpb8LcE1b1h0Fc53uN5I9BfMr3hEVXJzX7q2q5Q7eEQpiJPF-ZggJ0ONsD0SnQxvVVl0_b-fggA1x-ajfssoLaSYamee7kivgWhMPtmHqg9Vm8YwIkoTVJI2WYGy-iFdVq9Pq036dBizY2_Psa2od2zQ9dqFIIpNcAt/s920/2023.0923%20donut.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="917" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicQ48oZu6_aIFSlOeg7rjvGSGvUlpb8LcE1b1h0Fc53uN5I9BfMr3hEVXJzX7q2q5Q7eEQpiJPF-ZggJ0ONsD0SnQxvVVl0_b-fggA1x-ajfssoLaSYamee7kivgWhMPtmHqg9Vm8YwIkoTVJI2WYGy-iFdVq9Pq036dBizY2_Psa2od2zQ9dqFIIpNcAt/w638-h640/2023.0923%20donut.png" width="638" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Wednesday, September 27 </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu0T5DB9fUaR5Rj_HSKiaLoqFhrssE8CQGGQN7DFu2yFy2H16-8j_yu3NP37bHscGrgZxpB3yKxOy7oec5JcXdQ-76wpRUDvUUHF76xhzZYM1pHWViuzrjtZ7aYfYX0y0EWkOEqa4JAg6p30-QJxz75I4kVBxLgdYtcrD3qt4y_DvadpruVKkqwkKfYfyY/s922/2023.0927.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="921" data-original-width="922" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu0T5DB9fUaR5Rj_HSKiaLoqFhrssE8CQGGQN7DFu2yFy2H16-8j_yu3NP37bHscGrgZxpB3yKxOy7oec5JcXdQ-76wpRUDvUUHF76xhzZYM1pHWViuzrjtZ7aYfYX0y0EWkOEqa4JAg6p30-QJxz75I4kVBxLgdYtcrD3qt4y_DvadpruVKkqwkKfYfyY/w640-h640/2023.0927.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When recapping his morning to me in an email the next day Gray wrote "I'm dealing with some real residual fatigue from my hike. It wasn't particularly strenuous though Mueller is a bit longer than some of the usuals - 7 miles in total. It was a gorgeous day and the colors were well worth the jaunt." I love the shadow selfie ;) </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Friday, September 29</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgodbRzhzSLRZJie31mnF-a9xI0dZKXtXbnpcgb7-L8nVRbuIsLqYzpOMzOXKa1jfRGtCs0K3_SE8IEPGQlz2nlzmooWFRVLQioeReNrwdfC7aQniGsWpLuaMHftO-O9ojuvUN3pDJocDy28Pf7aXG839otyyg0mC1Q2Ie3eXtaakGaNvVFi4rcfD0OtfIS/s920/2023.0929%20mary%20and%20more.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="919" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgodbRzhzSLRZJie31mnF-a9xI0dZKXtXbnpcgb7-L8nVRbuIsLqYzpOMzOXKa1jfRGtCs0K3_SE8IEPGQlz2nlzmooWFRVLQioeReNrwdfC7aQniGsWpLuaMHftO-O9ojuvUN3pDJocDy28Pf7aXG839otyyg0mC1Q2Ie3eXtaakGaNvVFi4rcfD0OtfIS/w640-h640/2023.0929%20mary%20and%20more.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Lake Mary, Lake Martha, Lake Catherine ... Gray got off work a little early and Zach and Landon joined for a Friday afternoon hike. The official Symphony Hiking challenge has ended ... much to the relief of Janet in the office, who had to handle the photos and write ups. It's a little hard to see in the photos, but Gray and Zach got matching "King of the Hill" sweatshirts for all their outdoor activities!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the original post about the <a href="http://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2023/05/gray-goes-hiking.html" target="_blank">Symphony Hiking Challenge</a>, there was a picture showing the progress. This timeline ended up taking over the room! A simple photo couldn't capture everything by the end (and Gray didn't even include several of his hikes). You can see it <a href="https://youtube.com/shorts/XnUrAw8kstc?feature=share" target="_blank">HERE</a>. <span style="text-align: center;">There were a few <a href="http://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2023/10/bike-boy.html" target="_blank">BIKE</a> (not HIKE) alternate activities too!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div>JenBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16376616104651932239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879963775027146952.post-31748042607814548152023-09-17T13:23:00.000-07:002023-10-17T12:22:44.979-07:00Bike Boy<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrY8pUkpPZQ30Zj95Mn4BwapcXvdAt3x3xk1Q0w2ZxQlGAEVW_KHgxoflYukFUSVJ7u0GEfzEGX5VJGvXlWPmfqT7fdYkoIn2ugwwpWbWcqn2MSbxWwCblg1HiwbLA1T2Fq-DsFRt5UGwqNrZSMdEugJTxFfwkCQmmOQBRe8wFetkEVC8g67yHfq9giCSG/s4032/Bike%202023.0830.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrY8pUkpPZQ30Zj95Mn4BwapcXvdAt3x3xk1Q0w2ZxQlGAEVW_KHgxoflYukFUSVJ7u0GEfzEGX5VJGvXlWPmfqT7fdYkoIn2ugwwpWbWcqn2MSbxWwCblg1HiwbLA1T2Fq-DsFRt5UGwqNrZSMdEugJTxFfwkCQmmOQBRe8wFetkEVC8g67yHfq9giCSG/w400-h300/Bike%202023.0830.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Grayson has been doing a LOT of hiking ... but he pulled out his wheels and added in a little bit of biking recently too. He bought a new e-bike and scooter, but stuck with the standard (no power except from his pedals) for these outdoor activities. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">My brother Scott invited Gray out biking (Scott has an e-bike) - they hit Corner Canyon and had a good ride on Wednesday, August 30 ...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwiHdRM9eZ50h2GsSKuTTooAYrFXPbkUsqFMjfN4ELb65cl39afZ8X1RLztmMbyofWQSkGi20QmUvtVPCM9t_eSe9O20cL-K_V5DicY_eBNHj9PzRTehvUvInfH-ag7Xn_A2tXb7nmQwgv8nb5c90r-GrCqfHxQdsnO-1K5ly5sfZWHpbRukGjk16CTJH1/s923/bike%202023.0906.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="921" data-original-width="923" height="638" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwiHdRM9eZ50h2GsSKuTTooAYrFXPbkUsqFMjfN4ELb65cl39afZ8X1RLztmMbyofWQSkGi20QmUvtVPCM9t_eSe9O20cL-K_V5DicY_eBNHj9PzRTehvUvInfH-ag7Xn_A2tXb7nmQwgv8nb5c90r-GrCqfHxQdsnO-1K5ly5sfZWHpbRukGjk16CTJH1/w640-h638/bike%202023.0906.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Gray and Zach hit up Legacy for a ride on Wednesday, September 6th ...</div><div style="text-align: center;">... and again on Friday, September 15.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7uiXci28alAxocwlmySq7MqUWojScf3Nb-ifk-JQJTMxwAozn5BchhdA6wl9O23P8koaAKl6JoWeNz0IoQrdBUuYiIYYZ3y82XGF8OU5pZ7DFcrKwCd7rM9qqdGAap4vLyOhouAhWDjvLTBUMd33DYFrJNr5ZGbgNFhvuaUWepDyKwnkqLYlLWhWKG6Au/s920/bike%202023.0916.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="919" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7uiXci28alAxocwlmySq7MqUWojScf3Nb-ifk-JQJTMxwAozn5BchhdA6wl9O23P8koaAKl6JoWeNz0IoQrdBUuYiIYYZ3y82XGF8OU5pZ7DFcrKwCd7rM9qqdGAap4vLyOhouAhWDjvLTBUMd33DYFrJNr5ZGbgNFhvuaUWepDyKwnkqLYlLWhWKG6Au/w640-h640/bike%202023.0916.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Gray did a little writeup of that ride.</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Perhaps you've heard of LOTOJA....truth be told when I first heard speak of this I thought it was a brand of sunglasses....heh heh. I know now.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>But I bet you've never heard of CENTONOR!!! A grueling ride of epic elevation gain and treacherous terrain and boardwalks through duck-infested wetlands, extending all the way from Centerville, Utah to North Salt Lake, also Utah! Can you feel the adrenaline? It was touch and go at times but our camaraderie, spandex and fabulous headgear helped us through!</i></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"></div></div><p></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;"></div>JenBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16376616104651932239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879963775027146952.post-88233111173375313972023-08-31T21:06:00.000-07:002023-10-21T07:39:15.489-07:00August 2023<p> This will be backdated to the end of August ... I generally try to stay on top of the monthly recaps, but in actuality, it's October. There were a few things deserving of their own individualized posts that I needed to get done before the monthly recap. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuMGVySGQAfMIbtKLtE2LQw71xCX0gID0XzMvJWflYul-1jW6Nhr6BnWFSJlcKq1iBPXCF5oulRvrVuUIwKMYu4L8VKfu2ubGfCqiZ5J3aNjINxppS7epdEtaxmLChCjEBkRqJCghTjRGAJq8hjlvnydGHCOcBKHs9QyGQeD3jFJ-2_0cFccJ5Ogslngnw/s920/2023.08%20Family.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="919" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuMGVySGQAfMIbtKLtE2LQw71xCX0gID0XzMvJWflYul-1jW6Nhr6BnWFSJlcKq1iBPXCF5oulRvrVuUIwKMYu4L8VKfu2ubGfCqiZ5J3aNjINxppS7epdEtaxmLChCjEBkRqJCghTjRGAJq8hjlvnydGHCOcBKHs9QyGQeD3jFJ-2_0cFccJ5Ogslngnw/w640-h640/2023.08%20Family.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">With August comes the end of summer ... fitting in all the fun we can before school starts up (even though Colton is really the only one in school full time). There was hiking and biking, <a href="https://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2023/10/topgolf-wauntlivi-and-cousins.html" target="_blank">Topgolf</a> and Zumba, and pickleball (not pictures of pickle this month though, although the new "picklesmash" game got some photos and video). Coop, Landon and Jen tried out some racquetball as well. A couple trips, some birthdays and a new job. More details below ...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><ul><li>Basketball: As always. Cal and crew (including Colton) finished up the men's league with a championship win and t-shirt. Colton had practices with Coach Scott most Mondays/Saturdays and went to ball in Orem a couple times too. </li><li>Birthdays: Happy birthday to Cooper (20) and Keaton (23). Group birthday dinner was pushed to September (Landon's B-day coming right up too). We had a couple of cakes, but our go-to favorites (the Sam'sClub chocolate, Reams Cookies&Cream Ice Cream Cake) were no where to be found. Costco's white mousse cake is a newer favorite and filled in for Coop's birthday celebration (and it must be smaller, because it was pretty much eaten in its entirety) and Keaton got homemade lemon jello. The new PickleSmash game was a gift for the boys and it's a lot of fun.</li><li>Hiking and <a href="https://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2023/10/bike-boy.html" target="_blank">Biking</a>: Gray joined Scott for a bike ride, and got in a couple rides with Zac from work. More hiking with the Symphony/EMI Hiking Challenge ... too much for one post! You can see the original post from <a href="https://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2023/05/gray-goes-hiking.html" target="_blank">April/May</a>, <a href="https://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2023/09/hiking-challenge-continued.html" target="_blank">June/July Hikes</a> and <a href="https://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2023/09/more-hikes.html" target="_blank">August/September Hikes</a>. The BIG one for August was a night hike up Timp to see the Sunrise. Landon joined Gray and others from Symphony. Check out the posts for details, songs, poems from Gray and ChatCBT - his clever write ups for work preserved here on the blog. </li><li>Hale/Newsies: I've enjoyed Newsies ... both the Disney-fied update and the stage version. It was on my list of shows I'd like to see, so Gray got tickets and we hit a show.</li><li>In Diapers: Symphony does several community outreach projects. A monthly dinner at Fisher House for Veterans, and here in August, a diaper drive ... a "Parade of Homes" with the homes being built from boxes of donated diapers. Check out more about this <a href="https://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2023/09/diaper-daze.html" target="_blank">DiaperDay</a>, there was a little newstory and you can see a familiar face in the video clip. It was fun for Gray to run into several former co-workers too.</li><li>Travel: The BIG trip was Grayson going to London/Paris for a week+ ... it started out just him and a Symphony buddy, then another Symphony couple joined them. Gray was good at keeping in touch with pictures, emails and texts, which was a bit of a built in blog post. You can see more about his travels <a href="https://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2023/09/gray-goes-to-london-and-paris.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>. At the end of the month, Grayson, Keaton and Cooper headed out to SanDiego for a birthday weekend. More on that next month, as it overlapped into September. Landon also had a weekend work trip to Idaho.</li><li>Lake Day: Gray had hit the lake a few times in July with work friends, but we got a <a href="https://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2023/10/pineview-2023.html" target="_blank">Blackham Family Lake Day</a> in August. Perfect weather, and everyone got wet and a little sunburned.</li><li>NEW JOB! Coop was finishing up his work at the school for summer, but gave his notice that he wouldn't be continuing once school started up again. He wanted something full-time, and we were hoping a perfect job might happen along ... and it did! You can read more about it <a href="https://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2023/10/new-job-for-cooperman.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>.</li><li>School Starting: Colton is a SENIOR this year!</li><li>Repairs: It's always something ... the Durango wouldn't start. It was a few days of Jen needing to run Cooper to his shift at the school before Landon replaced the battery, and that did the trick. Back up and running (well ... driving). The recliners we had purchased a few years ago had a recall (something with the lights) so one afternoon a repairman came in to switch some stuff out on those. </li><li>Garden: The garden has been growing, lots of pumpkin vines, zuchinni, cucumbers, beans and tomatoes. And marigolds, reseeded themselves like crazy! The hydrangea and hyacinth have been blooming in the front flowerbed. The sprinklers cover the lawn, but the garden needs handwatering, which gets a little tiring - worth it? Received a LOVELY bouquet of home-grown flowers from a friend in the neighborhood. </li><li>JenBsBooks: Two bookclub meetings (Mickey7 and The Peach Rebellion) and an extra one for The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion ... meeting with one of Mom's friends. 30 books and 8945 pages total, everything reviewed and rated on Goodreads and Storygraph. </li></ul><div style="text-align: center;">I think that about covers things for August ... love that I can backdate on the blog!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://youtu.be/ici-nxUI8pA?si=hyz99sOJ2qph6I7G" target="_blank">Here's a LIVE LOOK - 1 Second Style</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">https://youtu.be/ici-nxUI8pA?si=hyz99sOJ2qph6I7G</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ici-nxUI8pA?si=hyz99sOJ2qph6I7G" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>JenBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16376616104651932239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879963775027146952.post-22970720050300144542023-08-30T19:50:00.000-07:002023-10-17T12:24:09.662-07:00New Job for Cooperman<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgksvu6L1d9kzXGRcUGRrzyW0atXlSqUSmtlQiUYgUPGr4qhzCM9DrN9N3DhJdEp6Xnb7a-AqHcSfjS6nHEqcmU5SYBF9HYWPZF7FZKt45YSev52BSV-tGOVITY6uWqbnC5wszOLO0wqi7_yXHJk9RMMD-4yE1O6NvecnX0-RwD6_Vjg-Kgwj9mJNqRFZo9/s884/Coop%20DLP.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="574" data-original-width="884" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgksvu6L1d9kzXGRcUGRrzyW0atXlSqUSmtlQiUYgUPGr4qhzCM9DrN9N3DhJdEp6Xnb7a-AqHcSfjS6nHEqcmU5SYBF9HYWPZF7FZKt45YSev52BSV-tGOVITY6uWqbnC5wszOLO0wqi7_yXHJk9RMMD-4yE1O6NvecnX0-RwD6_Vjg-Kgwj9mJNqRFZo9/w640-h416/Coop%20DLP.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Cooper graduated last year and probably should have moved on from his custodial work at the local elementary school to a job with more working hours ... but until he got his driver's license, things were limited. He got his license October 2022, but the school year had started and it was easy just to fall back into that routine. It was close and easy and flexible and he stuck with it through the summer, and got a few more hours than during the school year. He and I had our eyes open for different work and he'd put in a couple applications, but nothing had panned out yet. As the summer ended the focus on finding new employment was top priority. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The dream job would be fairly close (while Coop is driving, he's still a bit road-shy ... takes after his mom). A set schedule was desired, and as Cooper was available during the day, he hoped to avoid evenings and weekends (especially Sundays, Monday/Thursday nights, as football season was ready to start up - he's a fantasy football fanatic). He was willing/wanting to work full-time. Coop had just started listening to audiobooks at his current job, and Mom LOVED that, so had fingers crossed that they might be able to find employment that would allow that option. Coop's hair is a little unruly, so if he was able to wear a cap, that would be helpful. Something active ... Cooper likes to get his steps in. Dealing with customers and confrontation wasn't really something he felt he was up to handling ... I know, it's hard when you have such a long wishlist, and I figured we wouldn't be able to get it all.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There's a neighborhood Facebook group that I'm a part of, so I placed a post on it, wondering if someone who knew us, knew Cooper, might be a little more willing to hire or have connections that could help us out. And it happened! A fellow in the neighborhood (who I didn't really know personally) reached out saying they might have a position in their warehouse. Coop and I drove out the day before the interview, a bit further than I'd originally hoped, but we took 9800 (single lane road) down to just before the freeway and found the building, so Coop would know exactly how long the trip would take and where to go for his interview. Coop said the interview itself was pretty casual, he took in a resume even though that hadn't been required. Just chatting with a few people, taking a little tour of the warehouse and discussing duties ... and he was offered the job on the spot, accepted, and started the following Monday.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The warehouse hours are 7:00-4:00, and the employees can have a flexible shift within those hours. In fact, some employees work a little over eight hours (7-4, no clock out for lunch) and then just work a half day Friday. Full-time, 40 hour work week. There are paid holidays, and vacation/sick days included. It's packing products in boxes, for Amazon, Walmart and Costco, not too demanding or stressful (as I've heard the actual Amazon warehouse can be, I hadn't even put that one on the list for Coop to apply to). There seems to be a "family feel" ... lunches brought in on birthdays, first/last days ... Cooper's first day WAS his birthday! They brought in lunch! Okay ... so the starting pay was a bit lower that we'd hoped (comparatively to what he had been earning, what Colton had been getting at Home Depot when he worked there) but that would go up with a little time and good performance. With every other box checked, $$ was really not as big a deal as everything else this opportunity offered. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I was a little worried about how Coop would adapt to working full time. He's had SUCH flexibility the last few years with his schooling online. He'd been able to sleep in, or catch a nap as needed. I know it would sure be a transition for ME! He's been doing great though, getting up, packing a lunch, heading out. He doesn't have a lot of experience driving in the dark, but for the first few weeks it would still be light in the mornings for his commute. I'll still stress out on the first snowy day!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Starting on this new adventure also makes us reflect on the job he has finished up. He did a write-up for school, which I turned into a blog post (you can see it <a href="http://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2022/03/cooper-school-assignment-first-job.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>). When Coop turned 18, he had to switch to an "adult" status and got a new ID. I know I took a picture of it (it was a great picture of him), and the key Cooper was entrusted with, but I can't find it. I also remember snagging some screenshots of an assignment for his work study class ... but I can't find where I saved those either. Cooper got a nice letter of recommendation from his supervisor and a resume update (assignments for that class). It was the perfect first job ... now on to bigger and better and full-time employment. </div><p></p>JenBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16376616104651932239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879963775027146952.post-71951290032671619492023-08-26T16:32:00.000-07:002023-10-17T13:03:08.837-07:00Diaper Daze ...<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzOf3vaXI8JmxtR0SXeZvCpjKdJxNIdT2Mt2q9bFMfuU-Mu861kWp50mP7Mr1yXGK6InNjWIfB4YNJ8SL4KG2Cm0tCOfyeHHj_JT8wZNh8cdbAEYb-dnyiEvx9qn_RyVscD1BepItj7D12aR9O_lPZb0zA2rRPqy6EScAsZGCjTRugIPndwZoqm6JpmkNO/s919/diapers.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="919" data-original-width="919" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzOf3vaXI8JmxtR0SXeZvCpjKdJxNIdT2Mt2q9bFMfuU-Mu861kWp50mP7Mr1yXGK6InNjWIfB4YNJ8SL4KG2Cm0tCOfyeHHj_JT8wZNh8cdbAEYb-dnyiEvx9qn_RyVscD1BepItj7D12aR9O_lPZb0zA2rRPqy6EScAsZGCjTRugIPndwZoqm6JpmkNO/w640-h640/diapers.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Blackham Bunch has been done with diapers for quite a while, but Grayson/Symphony Homes discovered a <a href="https://www.homeaidutah.org/events/2023-diaper-drive" target="_blank">diaper drive by HomeAid</a> and participate, along with several other builders in the area. For the last 4 years, HomeAid Utah has hosted an annual Diaper Drive to support the Utah Diaper Bank. While there are programs to help families in need to cover the cost of food, diapers are NOT covered by government safety net programs and can be a major financial strain for families experiencing homelessness or housing instability.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In past years, one business or group would construct a diaper house, this year, it was a diaper house competition ... a Parade of Homes (built with diaper boxes) if you will. Builders had pallets of diapers for their home's construction. Each house had to be made up of 80% packaged diapers. Each company donated between 100 – 400 boxes of diapers ... approximately $10,000 worth of diapers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Grayson and Symphony Homes weren't entering a house in the competition this year, but were a sponsor, and the official "counting team" and provided food trucks for the event. It was out in the warm sunshine at the soccer stadium in Sandy. Gray ran into quite a few old co-workers and friends and said it was a fun activity. You can check out an <a href="https://www.abc4.com/news/local-news/homeaid-utah-annual-diaper-drive-to-benefit-utah-diaper-bank/" target="_blank">ABC News Story HERE</a>. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Check out a little video recap ... GB is looking good!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1mlZvJpiVN0?si=4a4rb8amXKxl3IIs" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mlZvJpiVN0</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">... and the counted results are in.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><p style="color: inherit; font-family: Palatino, Palladio, Baskerville, "Nimbus Roman No9 L", Garamond, "Century Schoolbook", serif; font-size: 1em; line-height: 19.4pt; margin: 0in 0px 15pt;"><strong>760,957 Diapers</strong></p><p style="color: inherit; font-family: Palatino, Palladio, Baskerville, "Nimbus Roman No9 L", Garamond, "Century Schoolbook", serif; font-size: 1em; line-height: 19.4pt; margin: 0in 0px 15pt;"><strong>46,912 Wipes</strong></p><p style="color: inherit; font-family: Palatino, Palladio, Baskerville, "Nimbus Roman No9 L", Garamond, "Century Schoolbook", serif; font-size: 1em; line-height: 19.4pt; margin: 0in 0px 15pt;"><strong>373 oz of Formula</strong></p><p style="color: inherit; font-family: Palatino, Palladio, Baskerville, "Nimbus Roman No9 L", Garamond, "Century Schoolbook", serif; font-size: 1em; line-height: 19.4pt; margin: 0in 0px 15pt;">The LARGEST diaper drive in The Utah Diaper Bank’s HISTORY!</p></div>JenBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16376616104651932239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879963775027146952.post-65810319634613948712023-08-25T15:26:00.000-07:002023-10-17T12:22:08.952-07:00Gray Goes To London (and Paris)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfOD1aN6zj5OORzv7W4zf3kQ1ct8d_GT8sgvADzp3BSGt9UgkeXDXny-FLCEN8Tsz8CPeaBykiCL8jTKUudyjQWM7KsBURxu7BvLRawxlGAcKScKICkA0Vgt5Q-CtD_BC72UweYMaWSDywYVVBqA2npvrNWwuUxuOgI0X1CIsSEpZ3H-eO6VoraStfDDk_/s919/GB%20Trip%201.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="919" data-original-width="919" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfOD1aN6zj5OORzv7W4zf3kQ1ct8d_GT8sgvADzp3BSGt9UgkeXDXny-FLCEN8Tsz8CPeaBykiCL8jTKUudyjQWM7KsBURxu7BvLRawxlGAcKScKICkA0Vgt5Q-CtD_BC72UweYMaWSDywYVVBqA2npvrNWwuUxuOgI0X1CIsSEpZ3H-eO6VoraStfDDk_/w640-h640/GB%20Trip%201.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A while back Gray and his buddy Cole were talking about a going on a trip to London ... and a plan was hatched, tickets were purchased. While originally a "guys trip" Zach and Brittany (also from Symphony) heard about the trip and joined in for the fun. They left late Monday, August 14 and returned Tuesday, August 22, hitting London and Paris. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was a huge plane. Long flight. Gray took an Ambien and slept for 5-6 hours of it. They arrived in London around 1:30 and the rest of the day was just trying to adjust to the time differences and waiting for Cole to get a tattoos done (the REAL reason for the whole trip ... j/k). A little bit of a progressive dinner (going to different places) in the evening. About seven hours time difference between London and West Jordan, but Gray was good keeping in touch with texts, emails and photos. Here's some of what he shared along the way ...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Wednesday Aug 16, 2023</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhonnj88AqiULUxrGr_BmECcbCZS2JOOsMa8l6f9_Cd9qINWSTsDHoAONWArM2vp9Cp66WngMeeoeIN6aUlDmlBIjHAxZlQeniou0M4SOAyVV2dPAiNPg60Ahr-89oOMoP4GkjB8vSg1n11uYChuOn7Eeopnro5kBCXarobp82yon88afcX5nQn5Q1r3x0y/s920/GB%20Trip%202.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="918" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhonnj88AqiULUxrGr_BmECcbCZS2JOOsMa8l6f9_Cd9qINWSTsDHoAONWArM2vp9Cp66WngMeeoeIN6aUlDmlBIjHAxZlQeniou0M4SOAyVV2dPAiNPg60Ahr-89oOMoP4GkjB8vSg1n11uYChuOn7Eeopnro5kBCXarobp82yon88afcX5nQn5Q1r3x0y/w638-h640/GB%20Trip%202.png" width="638" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><blockquote style="text-align: justify;"><i>Started the day with a walk around the area with Zac. We rolled out around 6:30 and it was almost as buy as midday. It was wild. Walked along the River Thames ... how do you pronounce that? After that - Westminster Abbey - extremely fascinating. It was a lot like the Vatican in Rome. So incredibly old. The line to get in was a bit long but still worth it. Little lunch afterwards. Then back to the flat to chill for a bit. After some down time we went to The London Tower and the Tower Bridge. That last go was a bust - things closed. Lots of walking. Ended the night with a trip to a London casino. Quite happy about that - not due to winnings, of course. But I was able to add 4 poker chips to my collection. I should be able to get a couple more from a different casino tomorrow. </i></blockquote><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-lQ066P48Vj88feiT4mx89IfSB4rxlUriONx9YJvPBVfbwqXqz_suAugcUP-eC44TGHGL_1FQv96xisYEhBsrnFsu3Vf-6ndXrUFuvRK-3Vp8Vg58JLgHqFiRR-L5wd_Y0XcnwjRT432ArD-pcnz1-mZcsYFH5txvzTX9FrSVvQQzqoqA8PaQtvuE1Pc1/s921/GBTrip%20Flat%20London.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="921" data-original-width="918" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-lQ066P48Vj88feiT4mx89IfSB4rxlUriONx9YJvPBVfbwqXqz_suAugcUP-eC44TGHGL_1FQv96xisYEhBsrnFsu3Vf-6ndXrUFuvRK-3Vp8Vg58JLgHqFiRR-L5wd_Y0XcnwjRT432ArD-pcnz1-mZcsYFH5txvzTX9FrSVvQQzqoqA8PaQtvuE1Pc1/w638-h640/GBTrip%20Flat%20London.png" width="638" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Here's a picture of where they stayed ... their "flat" ... loved the picture of the Symphony Four on the balcony. Gray had asked a couple if they'd be willing to snap the picture (and they added a selfie of themselves for free!) Fun photo! Sleep is always a challenge, and as Gray said, it was "<i>not great….or maybe more clearly stated, terrible. No AC in the flat here. Constantly humid. I sweat all night long for the most part."</i></div> <p></p><p></p><div dir="auto"><div style="text-align: center;">Thursday Aug17, 2023 </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRe1rA05A9aR_V1fy38klDlyN7suoxVi18VAhwAyjSMBV8ENkst5lupd8w8EEsaVYch9rRIJc7y6WzXd4BovvGLVSTHkBTJpD2x7uoSDL5vnkAbBaE35SiRm4kHXsUzifSFTHevk1ft0sXodd_y3up9NEC_gFfSOyFGvGEgMuURlyMhAxN7Za4j3LZpGUh/s922/GB%20Trip%203.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="922" data-original-width="920" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRe1rA05A9aR_V1fy38klDlyN7suoxVi18VAhwAyjSMBV8ENkst5lupd8w8EEsaVYch9rRIJc7y6WzXd4BovvGLVSTHkBTJpD2x7uoSDL5vnkAbBaE35SiRm4kHXsUzifSFTHevk1ft0sXodd_y3up9NEC_gFfSOyFGvGEgMuURlyMhAxN7Za4j3LZpGUh/w638-h640/GB%20Trip%203.png" width="638" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: justify;"></div><blockquote><div dir="auto" style="text-align: justify;">Thursday Recap: <i>Got in a morning run. Very much enjoyed it. Big day. Lots of walking. Main events were Hyde Park (ginormous famous park) and Buckingham Palace (the home of the king). The crowds have been significant which shouldn’t surprise me. Did get to see some ducks, geese and pelicans at the park(s) - mostly from a distance. No close interaction. Thursday’s dinner was at a steak house called the Heliot in the Hippodrome Casino. Had dinner then played blackjack. So much fun. End the night with more than I started (even though it’s insignificant). Plus I got to add several more poker chips to my collection. At the casino there was a Magic Mike Revu right around the time of our dinner.</i></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Friday Morning: <i>This morning it’s raining a bit. I really should get out for another rain run but I’m a bit worn out right now. Today would be the day we do a bus tour - kind of a hop on hop off situation. We’ll see how the motivation is. We head to Paris tomorrow morning via train. That’s where we’ll spend the last couple days of the trip. On Sunday we’ll go to the Louvre museum and on Monday we’ll go to the Eiffel Tower. Just hitting the mid point in the trip. The return on Weds will be interesting - fly out around 10:00 am from Paris and turn to SLC around 1:30 pm. That day will be the potential jet lag day methinks. </i></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsuBTBwob2JNeUGFTKexm0n0KSM08prrBoXpszj-vLvgulyz9jqEd8z8Xcz1zCOHZTRrhCqUNTaMITgc6eOxPldeZ6cmIHXAi6MdSCYjJT3Sa18HOlm9SOIeYCC1s_737wTl_T_o7_ecJ7FWkE5T0tcvdU3TbK6DcLz9EOTEWB4Weqle9rjhoZZObPL-p-/s918/GB%20Trip%204.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="917" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsuBTBwob2JNeUGFTKexm0n0KSM08prrBoXpszj-vLvgulyz9jqEd8z8Xcz1zCOHZTRrhCqUNTaMITgc6eOxPldeZ6cmIHXAi6MdSCYjJT3Sa18HOlm9SOIeYCC1s_737wTl_T_o7_ecJ7FWkE5T0tcvdU3TbK6DcLz9EOTEWB4Weqle9rjhoZZObPL-p-/w640-h640/GB%20Trip%204.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Friday Recap: <i>Slow start to the morning. Breakfast was just outside our flat - eggs bennie for me and just delightful. Then we got on a hop on hop off bus tour which was kinda nice. You plug in earphones they provide and listen to a recorded narrative as you pass areas in the city. We did a bus tour in NYC but the guide was live and very entertaining. During the tour we stopped and got off at St Paul’s Cathedral. Another epic thing to behold. It’s just crazy to contemplate the work that has gone into these structures. In the area we stopped by two different pubs -one of which has been in the same location since 1667 - yes 1667. It has been there prior but the great fire of 1666 burned the city to the ground. Or so I’m learning. Back on the bus and returned to Tower Bridge and we were able to get on the tour - which is more of a walk type thing. Cool. Late launch or early dinner was at another small restaurant - trying to eat a little lighter as we’ve been having lots of fried food (fish and chips are rampant here) Uber ride to Covent Garden - thinking it was a park but nay nay. Big open market, gathering, street performers, food, drink, etc etc.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Speaking of food and drink ... here's some of the snapshots Grayson captured before consuming.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpQQOTcvitWnudcqzWU3q9Gj_uGhRLTad6yw6yuiEjNcPtoYgECdP7OCaYUIvGnT-xy0nf8XTn9D_YeIUFC0ZAvi2bZHRlxV9u70t7xee2Zgrfo9vdQ6GtpZaL1A9_gvQLX8JzUUEMyK1ffr3_IvppmclPt4lxPssKrwfr81u0nq63ke8RUByCYeWECEOE/s923/GB%20Trip%20Food.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="923" data-original-width="920" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpQQOTcvitWnudcqzWU3q9Gj_uGhRLTad6yw6yuiEjNcPtoYgECdP7OCaYUIvGnT-xy0nf8XTn9D_YeIUFC0ZAvi2bZHRlxV9u70t7xee2Zgrfo9vdQ6GtpZaL1A9_gvQLX8JzUUEMyK1ffr3_IvppmclPt4lxPssKrwfr81u0nq63ke8RUByCYeWECEOE/w638-h640/GB%20Trip%20Food.png" width="638" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">I loved the "Tequila Mockingbird" play on words ... I happened to be giving To Kill A Mockingbird a re-read this month (and ended up going over a graphic novel adaptation, and then the movie). Another book tie-in, in another book a character says "remember there's no such thing as a bad idea" to which the main character thinks "that was patently untrue ... what about prawn-cocktail flavored crisps?" I probably wouldn't have really even registered the sentence if Grayson hadn't recently sent a picture of said prawn-cocktail flavored Pringles. Yuck! </div><br /><br />Two moments of heightened concern from Gray-<div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li style="text-align: justify;"><i>As we were coming down the steps in the Tower Bridges (probs 12 flights of stairs some of which circular) Cole said something to me and in order here him I had to turn my right ear toward him. I did so on the circular section and missed my first step. Damn near went hurling down onto steel and concrete stairs and iron railing. Out of some sort of luck Cole grabs my hand just enough that I get stabilized. T’would not have been good.</i></li><li style="text-align: justify;"><i>Less dramatic but more panic inducing was as I got out of the Uber and luckily did my self pat down - always checking for phone, wallet, etc. NO WALLET - frantically flipped around to catch the Uber driver who has already noticed my wallet in his car and was getting out to return it. Close call.</i></li></ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCb7Yx0DI4VBC5a4DhkqZTjoyGzy67Dcwsw1mJYEvHZSz2an_-k4FEnl0sR43qvOPkmk-Ei49-FICdEGOceElNcUDQ8rtFnhgw2AcDWMLuhJLdc0NJCuDhjUbZGYSoJy5bDsgFMxD2xcpcY7nrXuH1_GfBXmEyb-E5sXPr1XcGE-R5tRPXyYUa1u9hIeLW/s4032/Photo%20Aug%2019%202023,%207%2013%2011%20AM.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCb7Yx0DI4VBC5a4DhkqZTjoyGzy67Dcwsw1mJYEvHZSz2an_-k4FEnl0sR43qvOPkmk-Ei49-FICdEGOceElNcUDQ8rtFnhgw2AcDWMLuhJLdc0NJCuDhjUbZGYSoJy5bDsgFMxD2xcpcY7nrXuH1_GfBXmEyb-E5sXPr1XcGE-R5tRPXyYUa1u9hIeLW/s320/Photo%20Aug%2019%202023,%207%2013%2011%20AM.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span>Gray and Zac had considered trying to get in a hike for the </span><a href="http://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2023/05/gray-goes-hiking.html" target="_blank">Symphony Hiking Challenge</a><span style="text-align: justify;">. That didn't end up fitting into the itinerary, but Grayson got in a few runs while in London. Paris was another matter, very hilly. </span></div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Saturday, August 19 ... Leaving London, Off to Paris</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: start;"></span></div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="text-align: start;">Departure from London was uneventful. Cleaned up the flat, took the subway (the tube) to the train station (Eurostar). Think Mission Impossible or Bullet Train type deal. Very fast and comfortable train ride. I risked some motion sickness at first but got over it pretty quickly. Did not sleep but probably could have. </span>Can’t remember if I mentioned it but Cole has some weird affection for the subway. I do not share that affection. I’d just as soon pay more and get taken right to my destination. He loves being able to navigate the underground. Ubers are available, but the taxis in London are pretty cool actually - and you “hail” them like you might see in the movies. The back of the taxi where you sit has four opposing seats, actually comfortable. E-scooters, e-bikes and regular bikes galore. All over the place.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: start;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: start;"><i>We had a three hour train ride, give or take. Once we hit Paris, the culture shock is almost immediate. Language is a huge factor in it all and you feel it immediately. I kind of remember that feeling from Italy. It’s just a lot to take in almost instantly. It eases quickly but never completely. </i></span></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="text-align: start;"></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlcKs7b8Foc1Os2eY6P3EGgJPWN2hlJU7Nf8VmMNYaqQOAOX43dgTg3DLVGCWYCJAmcn6jPgfg90ffWUulC9xu5mYTXLd09EYaeqJKw8-b-KpDXrwWKAezWy92PcfnqagiRy0sqtkUQnBWDWCE8Ax-0MYxsaxksgR0v-dhArY4j3uu8PrKZa16BWEZD4uE/s920/GB%20Trip%205.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="917" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlcKs7b8Foc1Os2eY6P3EGgJPWN2hlJU7Nf8VmMNYaqQOAOX43dgTg3DLVGCWYCJAmcn6jPgfg90ffWUulC9xu5mYTXLd09EYaeqJKw8-b-KpDXrwWKAezWy92PcfnqagiRy0sqtkUQnBWDWCE8Ax-0MYxsaxksgR0v-dhArY4j3uu8PrKZa16BWEZD4uE/w638-h640/GB%20Trip%205.png" width="638" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote><i>Took a taxi to our flat. Not easy getting in. The host, who is nice and also extremely responsive, but hadn't given a clear explanation of how to get in. So it took us 30-40 to get it figured out. Two unfortunate factors - our flat is 6 flights up (top floor) and does not have AC. It’s warmer here by about 10 degrees with high humidity too. So while it's the "penthouse" I no longer wondered why the price was so reasonable. It is a cute pad - but just about everything is crammed. It appears to be a functioning residence - clothing, fully stocked kitchen, toys, books upon books, etc. I’m wondering if this family lives elsewhere for periods of the year so they can make it available for rent.</i></blockquote></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><br /><div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Sunday, August 20, 2023</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCMf2X__tkS9Xrct3A5XtC2fJs6sM1AJ-SlF2g1QQLvgwRaiKjYpKvmeKto5gtw5r9qkKjXBtpdtTP5Dd_d-zVe6hLH24BR_OxXPAWd-zORh1WYXTVvhfRnuJNvs9hhzs6tgi_yb6yWTeANwo4wYyuwb1_ZlRLebNSWjF6_bL3WNfnB7kgzcHAxdy4fXqV/s920/Gb%20Trip%206.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="918" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCMf2X__tkS9Xrct3A5XtC2fJs6sM1AJ-SlF2g1QQLvgwRaiKjYpKvmeKto5gtw5r9qkKjXBtpdtTP5Dd_d-zVe6hLH24BR_OxXPAWd-zORh1WYXTVvhfRnuJNvs9hhzs6tgi_yb6yWTeANwo4wYyuwb1_ZlRLebNSWjF6_bL3WNfnB7kgzcHAxdy4fXqV/w638-h640/Gb%20Trip%206.png" width="638" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Monster day at the Louvre. There’s really no point of trying to describe it. Even pictures do little to convey the magnitude. Just trying to make the point that words can’t encompass this is equally futile. The things to see there are equally indescribable.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw1NiLRbZe8B1-eo2RAImL6XCO77SlYMEu9yG1d_Y8PEu8j6cG18lYbgO0YsHa7fs3fmJVtHRlfexMdy7YYyDuulN3Wp8PWWvObnvoxOaR7AxXD7Yudvq5jFyOj9gr3JzEcRC00feGaQCYo-iHuajfIjkO6mgxt7g4QSFv702vQAm21WeG9G7HzR6aG28Y/s919/GB%20Trip%207.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="919" data-original-width="916" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw1NiLRbZe8B1-eo2RAImL6XCO77SlYMEu9yG1d_Y8PEu8j6cG18lYbgO0YsHa7fs3fmJVtHRlfexMdy7YYyDuulN3Wp8PWWvObnvoxOaR7AxXD7Yudvq5jFyOj9gr3JzEcRC00feGaQCYo-iHuajfIjkO6mgxt7g4QSFv702vQAm21WeG9G7HzR6aG28Y/w638-h640/GB%20Trip%207.png" width="638" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>After the Louvre we walked to Notre Dame Cathedral. There was a very destructive fire in 2019 so there is some major construction but still a striking visual from the outside. No tours inside. Dinner on a street side bistro - one of the many here - simply nuts. Getting to the end of the night. Winding down. Humid night but temps are ok at the moment. Last night was THEE best night of sleep I’ve had since I’ve left, bar none. Holy moly. I thought I wouldn’t get any sleep until I got home but last night was a bit of a recharge. </i></div><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Monday August 21</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3GQIMTE60grJYdUXKMV0B6Jk66jBanP73YuSnZZmg8OP_mhqgbt_Oj-2KC1Egs1po4C-H7WH08jmHzO0M6fkFYl3ZqLJAwgCzfl9MvKOd7oqiZaiFD1_JlumBfw6EURrJTnCDeQNlYYl4Gs5TzRqPNLasgIOefoLCYn-kZuYQJShhrBArWrSnYzD81D9t/s919/GB%20Trip%208.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="917" data-original-width="919" height="638" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3GQIMTE60grJYdUXKMV0B6Jk66jBanP73YuSnZZmg8OP_mhqgbt_Oj-2KC1Egs1po4C-H7WH08jmHzO0M6fkFYl3ZqLJAwgCzfl9MvKOd7oqiZaiFD1_JlumBfw6EURrJTnCDeQNlYYl4Gs5TzRqPNLasgIOefoLCYn-kZuYQJShhrBArWrSnYzD81D9t/w640-h638/GB%20Trip%208.png" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Monday mostly in the history book. Another big day. Started with a solo walk to a basilica close by. As usual very impressive - though sensory overload is very much in play now. Hopped on bus this morning around 10:00. Stopped at the Arc de Triomfe. Another incredible place. Different than the churches, cathedrals, basilicas but similar gothic genre. Great little breakfast this morning. Simple, fresh, delicious. After the Arc, we walked to a casino to try and size it up. Requires your passport to get in. Might try to get back tomorrow to get my collectibles.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Made our way to the Eiffel Tower. Unbelievable from the ground. To compare - it’s almost twice as tall as the Seattle Needle. Interestingly, there seems to be a point where height just doesn’t process by scale - yes it’s higher but how do you compare things so high? Started making our way back - stopped to get a couple of drinks, being parched. Ubered back to the flat. Zac is making us noodles and butter….mmmmm….</i></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Tuesday August 22</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioU5KSic-hiXVlzmvs4e72jYv9uT-JA6VYTb2b58YO4roAF4UUp1u9fMkrMLiySly0SErZ5L-jvIvumTdLKc5NogqHP-_HoyHtI4t6fjZ2gHeZT08tpI3UDpfQVrYXwQB5vNQazwN3q921cI1dxLLt5KYGgHUh19v75OXnlTiiLq44xUkJVQrUgtA_FOuz/s917/Gb%20Trip9.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="916" data-original-width="917" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioU5KSic-hiXVlzmvs4e72jYv9uT-JA6VYTb2b58YO4roAF4UUp1u9fMkrMLiySly0SErZ5L-jvIvumTdLKc5NogqHP-_HoyHtI4t6fjZ2gHeZT08tpI3UDpfQVrYXwQB5vNQazwN3q921cI1dxLLt5KYGgHUh19v75OXnlTiiLq44xUkJVQrUgtA_FOuz/w640-h640/Gb%20Trip9.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Catacombs ...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>... and after that, we made it to a casino. So intimidating trying to navigate without having a command of the language and sometimes the rules can vary. This casino was much more sophisticated than any of the ones I’ve been to. Dress code, membership card, slight variation on basic blackjack rules. A very nice director was a lady from the UK, spoke English, and was really accommodating. She helped us understand what we needed to do. After some formalities, including a near rejection from the casino based on dress code, we got seated at a blackjack table and the games began. Very similar to the US for the most part. Zac almost busted, down to only 20 or 30 euros. Then he went on a tear and finally ducked out about 400 euros to the positive. I had been tracking mostly even, no major ups or downs. By the time I was done I was up about 100 euros give or take - not bad. I tip the dealer really well because it makes for a fun and enjoyable game and vibe. So I was up MUCH higher but had tipped at least another 100 euros. But Cole was playing a bonus option on a number of the hands. Long story short, in the last 15 minutes of play he hit a 125 euro bonus on a 5 euro bet and then a 1250 euro bonus on a 5 euro bet. It was SO much fun. He immediately cashed out and we were done. I made sure I had my collector chips before cashing out. ‘Twas a fun side excursion. In the end I got collector’s chips from 3 casinos. Meaningless to anyone but me. But Cole was very happy. Like very happy. We’ll be hearing about it for years to come. Dinner on the street in Montemartre (wherever that is). Last supper, so to speak.</i></div><i><br /></i><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>That’s the last day. It’s over. Europe 2023 in the books. For the most part, I’m packed up and ready. We have to hit the road a little early. I’ll be glad to be home. PS - my good friend Zac call me Carbie on the Eurostar train to Paris after I eat my friends meals and desserts and still have room for more. I am seriously hurt by this new name. Seems to be discriminatory. (Please read the PS message in Borat voice, otherwise, most meaning is lost)</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Flight Home. Made fun of Zac because he didn’t upgrade his seat on the plane. 10 hour flight. Apparently the captain on this flight is retiring, this is his last flight.</i></div><div></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Gray's buddy Cole plays Pokemon Go, and suggested Gray add the app to his phone and get a little POGO in during the travels. Coop hasn't been playing much, so Grayson logged into Cooper's account and caught a few pokemon, spun a few stops ... but Gray doesn't quite feel the allure of the game. </div></div>JenBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16376616104651932239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879963775027146952.post-85959545365927978402023-08-14T11:59:00.000-07:002023-10-17T12:25:01.088-07:00Pineview 2023<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuSmx8ArbJm9IR9CcwbAtTzfQzlEsUvVexLy8BfChCn7vjeeRntmFbC_IwjfR7OaTxWVQ5EH4IbrAJHHEDLVYJ9FpO5gno5zXcoBecR8z3FVESf7KmpndmOztZFsvooJ14JRRqx-oWpwyLzG4S4BpJk0aUwjeTM09QL9TiuaY2XMWbshow1_a1rmXvZek-/s921/pineviewfamily.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="921" data-original-width="921" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuSmx8ArbJm9IR9CcwbAtTzfQzlEsUvVexLy8BfChCn7vjeeRntmFbC_IwjfR7OaTxWVQ5EH4IbrAJHHEDLVYJ9FpO5gno5zXcoBecR8z3FVESf7KmpndmOztZFsvooJ14JRRqx-oWpwyLzG4S4BpJk0aUwjeTM09QL9TiuaY2XMWbshow1_a1rmXvZek-/w640-h640/pineviewfamily.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We got ONE family trip to Pineview summer of 2023, but everyone attended, and everyone (including Cooper and Jen) got in the water. The family trip was August 13, and it was a pretty perfect day. It got a little windy in the afternoon (see the picture in the bottom corner of the collage of Keaton and Gray holding the shade structure in place so it didn't blow away). </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">With an early start to the day, we didn't hit a backlog entering the reservoir, and with all the rains and snow from the year, the water level was quite high. Lots of helping hands got everything transported from the cars/truck (Gray/Landon/Colton had gone in the truck hauling the waverunners, Keaton drove the Tesla, taking Jen and Cooper, and Cal&Kate drove up separately). We have an inflatable paddleboard (easier for transport and storage) and we rented a second one for the day, as paddleboarding is as popular as Roxy and Susie, the waverunners.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote>Funny story ... last year we had our one full family trip to Pineview (it never got an individual post) and brought the paddleboard, but forgot the paddle ... you really need a paddle. A couple years ago we'd lost the original paddle and had to buy a replacement one, you just can't use the board much without the paddle. So, Gray rented a paddle (came with a board *Ü*) for the 2022 excursion (there's a shop there for rentals and such). Not long after, playing in the water, Keaton bumped into something buried in the sand and pulled it out. It was a paddle! I looked like the paddle we'd lost (in about the same spot) a couple years ago! So we had two paddles and two boards (Grayson went and bought a pool noodle at the shop, and added it to the "lost&found" paddle which didn't have a floatation device attached ... thus how it had been lost in the first place). This whole thing showed us that having TWO paddleboards still got plenty of use, and that fun events, like paddleboard jousting and racing, could now happen. We have yet to purchase a second one though ...</blockquote><p><br /></p><p>Landon paddleboarded all the way across the lake and back. Even Coop and I got in the water (often we pass on the sexy swimsuit scene and stick to the sand and shade) and tried our balance. Cooper did fine, but I couldn't get my balance. I know I have in years past - not sure if it has anything to do with the recent health issues, or if it's just weight/getting older, etc. After a few failed attempts at standing I just spent some time floating in a sitting position. There was the usual tossing of a football and frisbee (on sand and on the water). Skipping rocks, feeding seagulls ... feeding ourselves. The waverunners got used. Kate got thrown. Coop hasn't seen much sun on his skin, but was good with sunscreen ... except for his feet, which got burned. My shoulders got more sun than I'd anticipated, pretty red, but didn't blister or peel. Gray, per usual, doesn't apply any sunscreen. It was a good day.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Here's a little LIVE ACTION look ...
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WhOlDXP-swM?si=DDJc5CevO199FBOS" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
</p><p style="text-align: center;">https://youtu.be/WhOlDXP-swM?si=ZkiEYHUBZmcqFPZv</p><p>Grayson had an early August date planned to take Colton and friends to the lake ... unfortunately, the weather didn't cooperate (cold and rainy), and then schedules/school made rescheduling it impossible. </p><p><br /></p><p>Gray had made it to the lake a few times in July ... He and Keaton made a quick trip up after work on July 10, mainly just to put the machines in the water and work out any kinks. They didn't stay out too long, even though it was a perfect night. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtSFsK9qMr9Idtu8g3-b5cNUYDN22O8B6bcDrdFTlu_1Fr9ecMpvPwdtug_D-rE2X4T1X98OoLlMivuMv738Zc4wCKWtlxhuNHwJzm_lyVAbqFNF6zLWBpcotICxUMQuInor6XR2AV74EVwj2kHW_vwmd5rDKvgqsSO7-zyJD8LHvlzSPxdDN_pvDVjUy7/s4032/2023-07-10%2017.08.48.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtSFsK9qMr9Idtu8g3-b5cNUYDN22O8B6bcDrdFTlu_1Fr9ecMpvPwdtug_D-rE2X4T1X98OoLlMivuMv738Zc4wCKWtlxhuNHwJzm_lyVAbqFNF6zLWBpcotICxUMQuInor6XR2AV74EVwj2kHW_vwmd5rDKvgqsSO7-zyJD8LHvlzSPxdDN_pvDVjUy7/w640-h480/2023-07-10%2017.08.48.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>... Grayson then had a few work-buddy&kids lake excursions. With Cole and kids on July 17, with Jon and his boys on July 20, and with Corbin and wife/kids on July 26. It made me remember how our family was introduced to waverunner fun ...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGQ9ZNp7ilr9HziNbL8SkP-udRhQKq2CySkjQD6CSQBx0chP5WH8lnrFvZremFO0MEU1sfRsG0U9WU5D7GqBdcSoEHLXjU8Vh0UG24aE900vTFYgOvKy-bb5nempKF4fLnPexX9Ngd1u3smSUKvkO058GAhreODYrNYgtdvOgiOdwzA4ZKR8tSDdjoSyft/s917/pineviewfriends.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="917" data-original-width="916" height="610" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGQ9ZNp7ilr9HziNbL8SkP-udRhQKq2CySkjQD6CSQBx0chP5WH8lnrFvZremFO0MEU1sfRsG0U9WU5D7GqBdcSoEHLXjU8Vh0UG24aE900vTFYgOvKy-bb5nempKF4fLnPexX9Ngd1u3smSUKvkO058GAhreODYrNYgtdvOgiOdwzA4ZKR8tSDdjoSyft/w610-h610/pineviewfriends.png" width="610" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>... back in 2000, some friends/neighbors introduced our little family to lake days and waverunners. Ralph and Sherry Burton lived up the road on Mapleleaf and had some waverunners for several years. Some years later (in 2013) we got Roxy and Susie. Not sure that would have happened without this early introduction. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvhp6_iVa2Aie8lWz4wXRJmiOYEjeD1ZQE2i2lOAylIOyEHmTSPvQlx6ZdDH-_z6gn2hKRuyERGkrON2whJW_B0sNyLxUzprg15AHdnSXDq8v7OJ_kn1eWl-zMNxqNqVmGHlLyBC4PaxUYfy0FRyM91sv4anejQv-yusMS-wJR-M3EkGqGxLS-1Sty1pLW/s918/pineview%20old.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="917" data-original-width="918" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvhp6_iVa2Aie8lWz4wXRJmiOYEjeD1ZQE2i2lOAylIOyEHmTSPvQlx6ZdDH-_z6gn2hKRuyERGkrON2whJW_B0sNyLxUzprg15AHdnSXDq8v7OJ_kn1eWl-zMNxqNqVmGHlLyBC4PaxUYfy0FRyM91sv4anejQv-yusMS-wJR-M3EkGqGxLS-1Sty1pLW/w640-h640/pineview%20old.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Little Landon, cute Callahan and Grayson ... with hair!</div><p><br /></p><p>Over the years, there have been MANY trips to the lake (usually Pineview). Not all managed to make it into individual blog posts (mentioned in monthly recaps, annual reviews). There are many memories and pictures. Here's a peek at some previous Pineview posts ... </p><p></p><ul><li><a href="https://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2020/06/camp-beach-pineview-family.html" target="_blank">Pineview2007</a></li><li><a href="https://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2009/09/summer-recap.html" target="_blank">Summer2009</a></li><li><a href="https://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2013/08/waverunners.html" target="_blank">WaveRunners! 2013</a></li><li><a href="https://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2015/01/summer-fun.html" target="_blank">Summer2014</a></li><li><a href="https://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2016/01/pineview-and-park-city.html" target="_blank">Pineview&ParkCity2015</a>.</li></ul><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></div><p></p>JenBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16376616104651932239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879963775027146952.post-1528133895977439072023-08-09T11:16:00.000-07:002023-10-17T12:23:32.246-07:00TopGolf w/AuntLivi and Cousins<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEDkyR6Ydx0kB2m_AhnFIIX93K_1W2znq6DEFOUXTTRNSmQoFrDdegq1BtHe1d4PCfsidjjFPqDqPZ_e3DeJ6BZG0OInbpinXnX15GIHVKCCbs1oBMNaYjmaA15qTDCnhO_mSUVReL_CPB0gcgM2jK8eBkNAcnYZaIEPbP-M5VPbB7QDznU5kJoZCmEilB/s1200/FotoJet%20-%202023-10-02T105900.951.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEDkyR6Ydx0kB2m_AhnFIIX93K_1W2znq6DEFOUXTTRNSmQoFrDdegq1BtHe1d4PCfsidjjFPqDqPZ_e3DeJ6BZG0OInbpinXnX15GIHVKCCbs1oBMNaYjmaA15qTDCnhO_mSUVReL_CPB0gcgM2jK8eBkNAcnYZaIEPbP-M5VPbB7QDznU5kJoZCmEilB/w640-h640/FotoJet%20-%202023-10-02T105900.951.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Aunt Olivia takes her "aunt" relationship seriously, and tries to plan fun activities with the nieces and nephews. It's hard to get to them all, but in August, she hosted a TopGolf activity on Tuesday, August 8th (originally planned for the following Tuesday, the 16th, but Courtney's boys started school the next day, so it was shifted up). Originally, Grayson responded to the group text that he wouldn't be able to make it (when it was scheduled for August 15, as <a href="http://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2023/09/gray-goes-to-london-and-paris.html" target="_blank">he'd be in London</a>). I almost responded to him that while I was sure he'd be welcome, he wasn't technically invited ... we parents were just included on the group text to keep everyone in the loop. </div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Four of the five Blackham boys made it out (missing Cal and Kate) and Addie was the sole niece there to give Olivia a little feminine company amongst all the boys. Addie actually IS a golfer, on the team there are Riverton. But TopGolf is great for the casual player too, lots of fun activities. The day after Coop was rolling his shoulder saying that he was a little bit sore, having used some muscles that he doesn't normally work with during his treadmill runs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">I wondered a little about the cost of such an outing, but one of the boys peeked at the bill and said it was right around $100, which was surprising, as it was in a suite and they had some food too. But I guess there's a great Tuesday deal. But ... Livi also gave some little challenges to the boys such as "I'll give you $5 if you get it into that hole" or other similar challenges, so she left with a lighter wallet while the boys added a little cash to theirs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Thanks for the fun night Olivia! And she's always good about grabbing some pictures too!</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>JenBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16376616104651932239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879963775027146952.post-921153320045973792023-07-31T14:57:00.000-07:002023-10-17T13:13:53.845-07:002023 ~ July Recap<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8iN2fSynKomLRYSPqqkzzd_7XGvG4cy8PBiGYAQhi0Q4CkX5XKF3sIBZmtdmTtnHAjxJUS6oM6-wfAJW92WKor56KHEtDGtDCrJxd7EOp-5WZAn-psWOynUSRNxtcwHMuAhyhiMRc-fwElIBmM4azbLBKvWNSZiH0Zm0Pa6-YHG9vBdk8tm64mXbV8qmz/s921/2023.07%20Family.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="921" data-original-width="919" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8iN2fSynKomLRYSPqqkzzd_7XGvG4cy8PBiGYAQhi0Q4CkX5XKF3sIBZmtdmTtnHAjxJUS6oM6-wfAJW92WKor56KHEtDGtDCrJxd7EOp-5WZAn-psWOynUSRNxtcwHMuAhyhiMRc-fwElIBmM4azbLBKvWNSZiH0Zm0Pa6-YHG9vBdk8tm64mXbV8qmz/w638-h640/2023.07%20Family.png" width="638" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">July was a very busy and active month! Lots of sports stuff, some travel, lake days ... there were the July 4th and 24th holidays, and an anniversary (#31).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><ul><li>Basketball: As always ... Colton and two trips to California with his Metro team. Once flying with one of the coaches and his buddy Carter, and the second time with the folks (you can see more about the Gray/Jen/Colton Goes to Cali <a href="https://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2023/08/colton-goes-to-cali-and-mom-too.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>). Finally got some footage with this team, and the highlight videos are on <a href="https://studio.youtube.com/playlist/PLjzh_xdqpHfHfnoDCeNkMv3xwylRls9Mt/videos" target="_blank">YouTube</a>. Colton played in a men's league game with Cal too, and Keaton has been playing some pickup ball with his buddies (and got Cal and Colton to join one Saturday morning). </li><li>Pickleball, Wiffleball and Badminton: We try to get at least four of the BlackhamBunch out for pickleball each week. Landon had been wanting to try <a href="https://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2023/08/wiffleball.html" target="_blank">wiffleball</a>, and finally found some time and a crew to join him. We got in a little badminton in the front yard, had to get new racquets as the older ones literally had holes in them. </li><li>Hiking: Is still happening. Landon and Gray did Lake Blanche, and Gray and his work buddy Zach hit Gloria Falls and Cecret Lake. I need to update the hiking post.</li><li>Lake Days: Gray and Keaton took the waverunners up to Pineview to make sure they were in running order, then Grayson went a few evenings with work buds and their kids. There is a Blackham Lake Day planned for next month. </li><li>Spartan Run: <a href="http://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2023/09/landon-spartan.html" target="_blank">Landon did the Spartan Run</a> ... not your usual 5k, twice as long, with obstacles & challenges. Landon was able to grab a few pictures from the race and did a write up, so check out the blog post about it.</li><li>Dates: GB and Jen hit a little cooking class at Bosche on Saturday, with a stop at Italian Village afterward. There was a RedRobin run (they've changed their cheesesticks) and looking at little libraries (thinking of installing one at our house). We went to MountainMikes and checked out the <a href="https://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2023/07/anniversary-with-floats-little.html" target="_blank">Float Preview Party</a>. </li><li>Work Social Stuff: Symphony hosts a dinner at the Fisher House monthly during the summer, providing food for the families of vets who have come in for medical care. There are some other work food days where Gray is providing his smoking skills, and he's a party planner too, hosting an engagement party for a work buddy as well. </li><li>New E-Bike and Scooter: We got a new e-bike (just as we heard news of Uncle Arnold's accident) and scooter. Jen hasn't done much on the bike, but she did get on and give it loop right around the neighborhood. </li><li>Repairs: Our stovetop stopped working ... it was an expensive repair, but we are back in business. The Durango's check engine light came on again, so another repair there as well. </li><li>Bear Lake: We got the Blackham Bunch out for a family weekend at Bear Lake. Read more about it <a href="https://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2023/08/blackhams-at-bear-lake.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>. </li><li>Books: Jen has been reading per usual ... perhaps a little over the norm. 29 books this month, many were smaller ones. Favorites were The Wishing Game, and two historical fiction, The Peach Rebellion and The Paris Daughter. Keaton had expressed a little interest in an audiobook after being given a book by a co-worker. He wasn't getting through it reading and thought an audiobook might be more efficient. He can to the expert, and had the app/audiobook in hand moments later and was able to finish. Keaton then said he'd be willing to try something fiction, so he was set up with that, and has gotten through a few books. Cooper also said he'd try listening while at work, and went back to an old favorite, the Hatchet series. It's been fun being able to discuss books with the family! </li></ul></div><div style="text-align: center;">Here's a look back at the month one second style ...</div><p></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OmFfHyT8pzo" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;">https://youtu.be/OmFfHyT8pzo</div><div><br /></div>JenBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16376616104651932239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879963775027146952.post-22623606394884596582023-07-30T16:26:00.003-07:002023-08-16T18:51:14.884-07:00Blackhams at Bear Lake<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTbLRzhVS2ACxZN-OFAOniG6jzvpvaD7gjqELGKhyadZ4lHjXR9y-cd2B-Q9qR5IZ_Sx_WjZLy-2ptiA1Vvu1IRA9A_lHaJQHN6QYO3U8GqNItC3s9wdgVZXjLsptOMR6Cihy62BMGVMhSoO1ydpLzd1sfMdse4F6ypUzQFlABXct20B7FxYJlcfe4N1fo/s922/bearlake.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="921" data-original-width="922" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTbLRzhVS2ACxZN-OFAOniG6jzvpvaD7gjqELGKhyadZ4lHjXR9y-cd2B-Q9qR5IZ_Sx_WjZLy-2ptiA1Vvu1IRA9A_lHaJQHN6QYO3U8GqNItC3s9wdgVZXjLsptOMR6Cihy62BMGVMhSoO1ydpLzd1sfMdse4F6ypUzQFlABXct20B7FxYJlcfe4N1fo/w640-h640/bearlake.png" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Grayson's work buddy has a cabin at Bear Lake, and Gray has been a few times. It had been offered to our family to use, and so we took him up on it! The cabin was lovely. Five bedrooms, huge kitchen and family rooms on the main floor and basement. Fully stocked. It's a "Scentsy" cabin ... little aromatic pots and diffusers in every room. Scentsy is the family business for the cabin owners. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The five West Jordan Blackhams (Gray, Jen, Landon, Cooper, Colton) headed out on Thursday, July 27 taking Gray's truck. We didn't drag down the waverunners, because the cabin had a set there. The first night we hit a local joint for some fast food and Friday morning, hit Crepes and Coffee for breakfast. Cal and Kate came up Friday, and Keaton was up a little later that day. I don't think we got a full family picture with EVERYONE. We went out for pizza,, then had a friendly game of Blackjack (there had been a $20 buy-in). We crossed the Utah/Idaho border several times. The cabin was up a long and windy unpaved road, so it was always a bit of a trek getting in and out. We didn't actually end up making it to the beach (other than a drive-by to take a look). </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFPttfNCdYvMaxNdtyfFaWaDu3ACSdiXsqWv1stc6J93uqInx1jlD6CKQm7gl8YUAuvoYyqKaV9i6tHkGFAt0M8dyZ0nSJiIe-mhJs65oTDywzqBURqxUXyUEqHnXKCKS2-5CLqNsh5Ke4nfzyFcxH1k3Bc8rPGCGAyjpfQCDiYknpUUlykNmIZtyXMrPH/s4032/Photo%20Jul%2028%202023,%2012%2012%2022%20PM.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFPttfNCdYvMaxNdtyfFaWaDu3ACSdiXsqWv1stc6J93uqInx1jlD6CKQm7gl8YUAuvoYyqKaV9i6tHkGFAt0M8dyZ0nSJiIe-mhJs65oTDywzqBURqxUXyUEqHnXKCKS2-5CLqNsh5Ke4nfzyFcxH1k3Bc8rPGCGAyjpfQCDiYknpUUlykNmIZtyXMrPH/w400-h300/Photo%20Jul%2028%202023,%2012%2012%2022%20PM.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;">... as part of the POA, there was a restaurant (called Coopers), golf course, swimming pool and tennis courts and pickleball courts. The tennis courts had a basketball hoop on them. Unfortunately, we never got to try them out. They had been doing some work and we were told "tomorrow" Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Sunday morning before heading home, we hit some pickleball courts in Garden City and got a little pickle-play in. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Summer at Bear Lake is BUSY! We were okay getting food Thursday and early Friday, but later that day, things were getting really backed up. The first pizza place we tried we were told a 4:00 order would be ready at 6:00. Attempting to order out on Saturday, we were told take out orders weren't even being accepted. We had supplies for a full breakfast that we probably wouldn't have time for Sunday morning, so Saturday night was "breakfast for dinner" and it was great. Cal, Kate & Keaton hit Crepes and Coffee Saturday morning, it was busy!</p><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Here's a little live action from the Blackham's at Bear Lake ...
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pXxArmY6nso" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://youtu.be/pXxArmY6nso">https://youtu.be/pXxArmY6nso</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Jen wrote up some little memory tidbits afterward ... "pretty nice" cabin, windy rocky road, lots of pillows, late dinner, together in one bed, pickleball courts available "tomorrow", Crepes and Coffee ... 3 classicos, NorthBeach drive-by, naptime, early dinner, pizza ordered at 4:00 ready by 6:00, umbrella shade, LOTS of pizza, buy a basketball but ... closed until tomorrow, Colton in the trunk, Stranger Than Fiction, family Blackjack - Keaton's strategies, no pillow for Keaton, Saturday setbacks ... no beach for the Blackhams, no basketball/pickleball/still closed, take a walk/incline! Scooter and e-bike ... Some Blackhams swim. Pesto Alfredo? no takeout orders accepted anyway, breakfast for dinner, Bye Cal&K8, Keaton gets a bed .. and a pillow. Jen takes a bath, Hercules, lots of Pogo, little nudge/snore, early morning sunshine, pickleball, PokemonGo, time to go ... cabin cleanup and hit the road for home.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Reflecting on the weekend while playing ping pong with Cooper, additional memories ... Cooper needing to hit his 10k (has had a streak daily for 2023) going up and down the stairs in the cabin. Coop and Landon watching Interstellar. Lots of "The Office" on as the portable hard drive hooked up. The boys were happy to see an Xbox. A little PacMan game there too. Dalmuti ... Coop and Landon tried some two-person games. After Cal&Kate left Saturday, Coop was a little worried they still had the pickleball bag in their car. Stolen Pepsi. Coop reading "Woodsrunner" (and Mom did too). </div>JenBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16376616104651932239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879963775027146952.post-57609361261298400862023-07-29T15:08:00.000-07:002023-10-17T13:15:34.726-07:00Hiking Challenge Continued ...<div style="text-align: center;">Here's an update to the Symphony Homes Hiking challenge ... June/July 2023</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjATjuS9Gg53x-evo96Klqtxu847DzQbdho88cALbvAKIPfD2jblwoVoMFqHZappdZV_r2EmiVJ-XeeW2foxezXJNPpWAbNA077EELLjDNHOF1LthmzBRjhTs4u199dvbYDQV9JxFO6--mYwrFDUz4ZqpUQarghUfmB6OhgVDlh7OAPv02y1f9tj1CAj9OM/s4032/Hiking%20Challenge.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjATjuS9Gg53x-evo96Klqtxu847DzQbdho88cALbvAKIPfD2jblwoVoMFqHZappdZV_r2EmiVJ-XeeW2foxezXJNPpWAbNA077EELLjDNHOF1LthmzBRjhTs4u199dvbYDQV9JxFO6--mYwrFDUz4ZqpUQarghUfmB6OhgVDlh7OAPv02y1f9tj1CAj9OM/w640-h480/Hiking%20Challenge.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">I'd originally posted about the <a href="http://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2023/05/gray-goes-hiking.html" target="_blank">EMI/Symphony hiking challenge</a> last month/May.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Grayson hasn't even included all of his hikes... he's done a LOT.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p> </p><p><span style="text-align: center;">There was a bit of a hiking hiatus for a couple of weeks ... as June started up, then Grayson (and Zach) were back at it. Complete with pictures an a write-up with a little help from ChatGPT.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcnr8PMkZj2nM2aFABvT2Os-pVlAYns-fexAA3QRh24k4p-1xYFuV8xGboMQIFlBdca7r4HMXbEDVI1EwPseE34kyNuUuzjIfgxATlnhBknLRdaGMcw12UzzDwK4a_lVsjeADDTd9Qy7152H6OmekHoJght1r1Qjj8Coe6IYLBq_qR3IfIXgSFNmvpT7SZ/s987/Grotto%20Hornet.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="762" data-original-width="987" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcnr8PMkZj2nM2aFABvT2Os-pVlAYns-fexAA3QRh24k4p-1xYFuV8xGboMQIFlBdca7r4HMXbEDVI1EwPseE34kyNuUuzjIfgxATlnhBknLRdaGMcw12UzzDwK4a_lVsjeADDTd9Qy7152H6OmekHoJght1r1Qjj8Coe6IYLBq_qR3IfIXgSFNmvpT7SZ/w640-h494/Grotto%20Hornet.png" width="640" /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">Thursday, June 15 ... a poem (ChatGPT assist)</div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">There once were two dudes who went hikin',</div><div style="text-align: center;">Hit Hornet's Canyon, the adventure they're likin',</div><div style="text-align: center;">To the Grotto they climbed, feeling like kings,</div><div style="text-align: center;">A spot so epic, straight out of Lord of the Rings.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">But wait, what's that sign? Poison ivy's callin',</div><div style="text-align: center;">Labeled on the trail, it had 'em all fallin',</div><div style="text-align: center;">Surprised and cautious, they switched up the pace,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Dodging the itch, avoiding the embrace.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Hip hop hustlers, navigating the wild,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Hiking trails, keepin' nature's secrets compiled,</div><div style="text-align: center;">From Hornet's Canyon to the Grotto's abyss,</div><div style="text-align: center;">They learned the hard way, but they never dismissed.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">So next time you hike, pay attention, no doubt,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Stay wary of signs, know what it's all about,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Respect the outdoors, with rhymes and style,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Two dudes on the trail, they hiked with a smile.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">On Saturday, June 17, Gray and Landon tackled Olympus</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4096Oqxzm3UHkNYpURPHs0Syx2uOdy_aBA5Q4zcPj0S6JSpCVpe96pQQskauDFH7znz1Tw3lLkFJW5uSIio3AH3QzVLI-0rU4m7WIAQWD8qSuq0om4lwWu5-WBxDXKMBHYHkaNAAFJeUThU3omLGPnOCiqU395elkQR7uSAIMcAC_WhUaShxD4sBhBetL/s919/2023.0717%20Olympus.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="915" data-original-width="919" height="638" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4096Oqxzm3UHkNYpURPHs0Syx2uOdy_aBA5Q4zcPj0S6JSpCVpe96pQQskauDFH7znz1Tw3lLkFJW5uSIio3AH3QzVLI-0rU4m7WIAQWD8qSuq0om4lwWu5-WBxDXKMBHYHkaNAAFJeUThU3omLGPnOCiqU395elkQR7uSAIMcAC_WhUaShxD4sBhBetL/w640-h638/2023.0717%20Olympus.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">They were back earlier than I'd expected for such a long hike. Gray said it felt a bit harder than when he hiked it the last time, in <a href="http://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2010/05/mountain-man.html" target="_blank">2010</a>. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">June 28, 2023~ </span><span style="text-align: left;">North Canyon Trail to Rudy’s Flat – above Bountiful</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqg9NngsfH8W58vfAgPdwWFXXqUze5dAykQeuevFGieQYcb-H2FzjhFwlsUZ-Bk-VLqLs83KItIhiUviyslHSxeljq_sktUd79fdhHxjNlbCJLt2r95zyq7Ph8Y6FK2fev4pBjjFG16FrN5lVRNBzn-IA999skwpTVkcuezZIo_6rlp6oRQk0Sqcf-nGNE/s1093/image001.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="824" data-original-width="1093" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqg9NngsfH8W58vfAgPdwWFXXqUze5dAykQeuevFGieQYcb-H2FzjhFwlsUZ-Bk-VLqLs83KItIhiUviyslHSxeljq_sktUd79fdhHxjNlbCJLt2r95zyq7Ph8Y6FK2fev4pBjjFG16FrN5lVRNBzn-IA999skwpTVkcuezZIo_6rlp6oRQk0Sqcf-nGNE/w640-h482/image001.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Just the facts today, just the facts – Miles logged: 7.4 Elevation gain: 1,552 Temps: Mid-50’s and overcast. Mushrooms or marshmallows: Not sure. Julie Andrews sighting: Kinda. Zac’s attire: On point, per usual.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Starting of July with a Saturday morning hike ... Lake Blanche Trail (there's some Westra Family History here!) Luckily, no injuries or events for these fellows. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv_UJnXw79CvkTF9gK2GXGcyb9MngwXArbEnEbqwOzg5wX1e_XUIZ-kjvANqnshNZbaJR67V8KOvr1PmMCvzQ5EHdztxWs9jgQTe1-r7rr-T-yJeTQmB8rvtk1xYHl4m1enHnCFzTh3ET2mePq0rRLeHlbAkzQSQmA7nWoo1kVd9gl1Yd9MfZRZHoTRc58/s1063/2023.0701%20Lake%20Blanche.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="764" data-original-width="1063" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv_UJnXw79CvkTF9gK2GXGcyb9MngwXArbEnEbqwOzg5wX1e_XUIZ-kjvANqnshNZbaJR67V8KOvr1PmMCvzQ5EHdztxWs9jgQTe1-r7rr-T-yJeTQmB8rvtk1xYHl4m1enHnCFzTh3ET2mePq0rRLeHlbAkzQSQmA7nWoo1kVd9gl1Yd9MfZRZHoTRc58/w640-h460/2023.0701%20Lake%20Blanche.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Lake Blanche – By the Numbers</b></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">Distance hiked – 8.45 miles</div><div style="text-align: center;">Elevation gain – 2,967 feet</div><div style="text-align: center;">Time on trail – 3 hours 7 mins</div><div style="text-align: center;">Sweat - profuse</div><div style="text-align: center;">Menu – Beef jerky, Peanut M & M’s, water, etc</div><div style="text-align: center;">Fellow hikers – half of Salt Lake County</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Then mid-week, mid-month (July 19) Gray and Zach hit Gloria Falls, which while nice, wasn't quite enough. So they added on Cecret Lake (which was perhaps a little too much in combination with the previous hike and the cooler weather). Here's Gray's photos and write-up ...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAhd2fV9-NYJhX5Cb6sRs7353V-3-JC_6dyrjIARAg3w2SuT9N4mHZukkq0KgIRdC6Q9xmrjS69GULXee3FOf-2cpA3Bg1kXHBxnMj_9MC97miy_cMFprCOI7MNHX-RzW9-LtHzjgzZSke7phhdC2Emjxr2bSx-7af8T_PBp69FbzLRkqDXufaQi4hPbEh/s770/2023.0719%20Crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="770" data-original-width="679" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAhd2fV9-NYJhX5Cb6sRs7353V-3-JC_6dyrjIARAg3w2SuT9N4mHZukkq0KgIRdC6Q9xmrjS69GULXee3FOf-2cpA3Bg1kXHBxnMj_9MC97miy_cMFprCOI7MNHX-RzW9-LtHzjgzZSke7phhdC2Emjxr2bSx-7af8T_PBp69FbzLRkqDXufaQi4hPbEh/w564-h640/2023.0719%20Crop.jpg" width="564" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>It's a tale of two hikes... Nineteen July, Two-thousand Twenty-three... We start with Gloria Falls - we'll stick with just the adjectives: Short, Green, Gushing, Flowery, Humid (moist) Overcast, and wait for it.....GLORIOUS - see what I did there?</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Continuing up Little Cottonwood Canyon we arrive at the Albion Basin wherein we seek the lake known as Cecret...shhhhh.... our trailmates for this second hike: Bruce the moose - very stand-off-ish but present nonetheless, Donna the doe deer - did not hang around to chat, Ronald the rock chuck - perched atop his favorite rock, he seemed uninterested in these hikers. But then I had to wonder: If a rock chuck could chuck rocks, how many rocks would a rock chuck chuck? (oh man, I slay me).</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlyd-CMimfsPXK45TlOBY_4EFlKVKCQI_NiupKXk8u8WqxOmJq7XU9k38zPlxWeYUA4-cXK_Bt4_UZID5dFCjrxjEQMUYOeVGTnpAcnSoVyJ2hP5ePRgsPWW0Xez3DD3stsWH4dYprGTxnz98PPlOloEjJeT0NtAaSFmnXYtMpZOvhk14t-L3eTy0nD58c/s1206/2023.0719%20Cecret.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1206" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlyd-CMimfsPXK45TlOBY_4EFlKVKCQI_NiupKXk8u8WqxOmJq7XU9k38zPlxWeYUA4-cXK_Bt4_UZID5dFCjrxjEQMUYOeVGTnpAcnSoVyJ2hP5ePRgsPWW0Xez3DD3stsWH4dYprGTxnz98PPlOloEjJeT0NtAaSFmnXYtMpZOvhk14t-L3eTy0nD58c/w640-h372/2023.0719%20Cecret.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />July was busy with travel and lake days.</div><div style="text-align: center;">More hiking to come before the challenge is over!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>JenBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16376616104651932239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879963775027146952.post-10116588512374936312023-07-22T20:07:00.001-07:002023-08-16T20:32:11.888-07:00Anniversary with Floats, Little Libraries, Pizza & Past Pictures<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbI06xk6N3oM9eSj4NlVhBKL3584gK5OUUZ_xY-vzOstgBXwgD1C69JdVB8SbFUf3QYNSfmrbb0T3l0OgFgrhmUuy3X7vZ9MOx7iBwddTzvhEtnIaXdSbMHoM17yvBBagTqvPFdXSN28mwFKqzgnA-I8UM3zFddQmeXYDBNk6V4gbviU6mzQdkKPwcAXsw/s921/floatpreview.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="919" data-original-width="921" height="638" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbI06xk6N3oM9eSj4NlVhBKL3584gK5OUUZ_xY-vzOstgBXwgD1C69JdVB8SbFUf3QYNSfmrbb0T3l0OgFgrhmUuy3X7vZ9MOx7iBwddTzvhEtnIaXdSbMHoM17yvBBagTqvPFdXSN28mwFKqzgnA-I8UM3zFddQmeXYDBNk6V4gbviU6mzQdkKPwcAXsw/w640-h638/floatpreview.png" width="640" /></a></div> <p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I've enjoyed going to see the parade floats at the Expo Center in Sandy in previous years ... (<a href="http://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2020/06/july-2017-westra-group-gatherings.html" target="_blank">2017</a>, <a href="http://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2011/07/parade-preview.html" target="_blank">2011</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1435854109946&l=cd8de1cc5e" target="_blank">2010</a>, <a href="http://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2014/11/flags-fireworks-floats.html" target="_blank">2014</a>, <a href="http://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2012/07/parade-preview.html" target="_blank">2012</a>). I think I enjoy it more than anyone else, and have even considered going by myself one year, although I never actually made that happen. I was glad when Gray brought it up as it would have slipped by me this year. Turned out to be an anniversary date for us. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">It's free, and air conditioned, and fun to see the floats up close and personal. I'm not a parade gal. Shared a little text with my brother Scott, as WCF was sponsoring (like they were at <a href="http://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2023/06/golf-guys.html" target="_blank">Gray's golf</a> tourney). We didn't stay that long, just enough to walk around and check them all out. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">We then drove around and checked out some Little Free Libraries ... this is a program that has been set up to share books. I asked Grayson if he'd be okay if we put one in at our house ... I have a little spot for it there in the front flowerbed next to my big birdhouse (that Grayson had built to cover up an ugly pole, pretty much like the one in the picture next to the little library below!). </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxSqAj_52Q20iJgUqNQCiTKsCaryzNNhbBsI9d16nYUZCc5s3K9Q5lU9MB8JEOC-0EwE9sD6pHI3JNIn3JKaWXrMlrPYHAG2I2CnNs5v15UlsY2uk0qwmngFYc1u_CoHHm5P90C0v9MAH61fU7GwQaXlaseU-0CeoK2soqjPsiwvFPxFHmmHqIHvzesNYO/s921/littlelibraries.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="921" data-original-width="919" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxSqAj_52Q20iJgUqNQCiTKsCaryzNNhbBsI9d16nYUZCc5s3K9Q5lU9MB8JEOC-0EwE9sD6pHI3JNIn3JKaWXrMlrPYHAG2I2CnNs5v15UlsY2uk0qwmngFYc1u_CoHHm5P90C0v9MAH61fU7GwQaXlaseU-0CeoK2soqjPsiwvFPxFHmmHqIHvzesNYO/w503-h504/littlelibraries.png" width="503" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">There's an app you can use to see if there are little libraries near you!</p><p style="text-align: center;">Then we had some dinner and dessert at Mountain Mikes ...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBjWs5xF0cDwyFfXLe_uV8jk-nTYdJ_95oDvSSwf_FLbmNzjyluwkder4AqjahPh24xfPCY3pEr3dXtEvyeAk36yfD7S2I1S5l5YYkvMbmu0psnxT2POPxZJI_OcooxMXP6e1esfL_ymEhHZlV6Mnf7kc9hfU-TpRWgCU3FFvQ1Gg3zuDJgwz92nYN1Qhk/s4032/2023-07-22%2014.07.06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBjWs5xF0cDwyFfXLe_uV8jk-nTYdJ_95oDvSSwf_FLbmNzjyluwkder4AqjahPh24xfPCY3pEr3dXtEvyeAk36yfD7S2I1S5l5YYkvMbmu0psnxT2POPxZJI_OcooxMXP6e1esfL_ymEhHZlV6Mnf7kc9hfU-TpRWgCU3FFvQ1Gg3zuDJgwz92nYN1Qhk/w400-h300/2023-07-22%2014.07.06.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIYeQOCJZWrzPmW-s5WmHH37n-TTkNtn_nck2vYWeyuG6_HKvYFiYZgPGODb8S02R18nNF3uBWaM7OZE1zmJH8wFHmvqWxsmOvXP2q20708rDJo9RZrBcB-XbQdtg3RW7BZ_4dtZfv0ipn1C8r1ZRnz9k0GuwFIl1F_pdgET4zUzX8dRxWwAU0KlSMai7Q/s4032/2023-07-22%2014.16.38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIYeQOCJZWrzPmW-s5WmHH37n-TTkNtn_nck2vYWeyuG6_HKvYFiYZgPGODb8S02R18nNF3uBWaM7OZE1zmJH8wFHmvqWxsmOvXP2q20708rDJo9RZrBcB-XbQdtg3RW7BZ_4dtZfv0ipn1C8r1ZRnz9k0GuwFIl1F_pdgET4zUzX8dRxWwAU0KlSMai7Q/w400-h300/2023-07-22%2014.16.38.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">... and brought home some pizza for the boys.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I created these collages last year, but didn't get around to creating a blog post.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii4u0cbk1He_uuY_KBKpmu7J3rYBifGFXlm-bMlV2cXni-TzpfrOgE3Cc_NuQ438sN7zKNK01gJc3vww0pwX8S9a3-n58jWAtWeBKIZq2geXYQiOJT6-nKvxKn_MWoOyKSWSh-7McmKJitybYK5ZDzlm7yM74Q0xQLOL9HnBdnJiT9hJfWVXe5gszTJ-Tx/s2616/2022-07-22%2015.28.55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1811" data-original-width="2616" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii4u0cbk1He_uuY_KBKpmu7J3rYBifGFXlm-bMlV2cXni-TzpfrOgE3Cc_NuQ438sN7zKNK01gJc3vww0pwX8S9a3-n58jWAtWeBKIZq2geXYQiOJT6-nKvxKn_MWoOyKSWSh-7McmKJitybYK5ZDzlm7yM74Q0xQLOL9HnBdnJiT9hJfWVXe5gszTJ-Tx/w640-h444/2022-07-22%2015.28.55.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0-SRatNBS_-7_FUKQ0enyXW6ZUL-r3U24a3W3GU0haCYEgVXZ9CQJW1hYwCWBTH5CAwGpaw2zKiXCk9qBcWEo4dMGB04uskh9fzc9D_o54uBid4H4mKo33VAi4acsuPjyL8oyCJkUGXVwpc0WWDyLAiwBKZJljfdqWyfJ7aZe0qrrsJNZGvJbWsOsn25c/s3000/2022-07-22%2015.28.51.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1811" data-original-width="3000" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0-SRatNBS_-7_FUKQ0enyXW6ZUL-r3U24a3W3GU0haCYEgVXZ9CQJW1hYwCWBTH5CAwGpaw2zKiXCk9qBcWEo4dMGB04uskh9fzc9D_o54uBid4H4mKo33VAi4acsuPjyL8oyCJkUGXVwpc0WWDyLAiwBKZJljfdqWyfJ7aZe0qrrsJNZGvJbWsOsn25c/w640-h386/2022-07-22%2015.28.51.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />JenBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16376616104651932239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879963775027146952.post-13503476522682198042023-07-17T18:34:00.000-07:002023-08-16T18:35:21.827-07:00Colton Goes To Cali (and Mom&Dad too)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCqm-PmCytLSHyS0_uJIUJvhn4W2eHtStpFgrW41tWlCDLUJRMOFF7tSZDB1NyjiEd2pnRJpegFu3O-I93tG8npldoSy_LdbCSQkvl3QvfbjrxNgWdAtVszPnWU-vW5YPhBt_R9gg-JJISQZLr5XB7xqP2JueeR7Vb43d4uFxYbCkfhEJ8FrD5RLTQGQxC/s920/cali.misc.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="919" data-original-width="920" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCqm-PmCytLSHyS0_uJIUJvhn4W2eHtStpFgrW41tWlCDLUJRMOFF7tSZDB1NyjiEd2pnRJpegFu3O-I93tG8npldoSy_LdbCSQkvl3QvfbjrxNgWdAtVszPnWU-vW5YPhBt_R9gg-JJISQZLr5XB7xqP2JueeR7Vb43d4uFxYbCkfhEJ8FrD5RLTQGQxC/w640-h640/cali.misc.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">California here we come ... last year Colton had been approached by a travel team for basketball, and we didn't commit then, but held onto the information for the future. After his Wolves finished up he needed a team, so we went ahead and joined Metro for Summer 2023. I'd told Grayson that while I'm not a big traveler, I wanted to go and attend one of the tournaments. Colton had three, Arizona in April, and two to California in July. We went to the one July 15-16th. We flew in a day early, on Friday the 14th. We got settled at the hotel, the same one the team would be staying at, the ubered out to get some dinner. Found a little Italian place ... and ALL the servers were good-looking young men. Our waiter's biceps barely fit into his shirt (Grayson was the one who commented on it, not me!). It was the opposite of Hooters :) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The hotel served breakfast, so Saturday morning we partook of that, then ubered out to Newport Beach. Our Uber driver chastised Grayson for his Red Bull (oh no, you should not be drinking that!) and was very talkative. At the beach, we walked the pier and dipped our toes in the sand and water. Grabbed some donuts from a popular shop there. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLWRaIMYlpebVJFi5snv4aBmVqy0ZKeh_rwLvN6a8d4G-YLzuwwn6_aQRgJ9JTrQfJi7hbFzoxcSU_lJSP9PXr5fa1o4U8vqeQiel58hMfEFW07u_ViVGzJ7ei02ezx2HiuH-_l65MauG1OMtevBfgd_8c_ziXSXWFWuI-q-bxBYdMvHSUKflzYBx1TlmV/s923/cali.beach.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="919" data-original-width="923" height="638" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLWRaIMYlpebVJFi5snv4aBmVqy0ZKeh_rwLvN6a8d4G-YLzuwwn6_aQRgJ9JTrQfJi7hbFzoxcSU_lJSP9PXr5fa1o4U8vqeQiel58hMfEFW07u_ViVGzJ7ei02ezx2HiuH-_l65MauG1OMtevBfgd_8c_ziXSXWFWuI-q-bxBYdMvHSUKflzYBx1TlmV/w640-h638/cali.beach.png" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Gray noticed a little shop selling souvenirs ... usually his name "Grayson" is unique enough that he doesn't ever find it on pre-personized items, but today, there it was! No Callahan or Keaton, but Cooper and Landon were there. Cole, but no Colton ... and NO Jen (generally quite common). I was busy getting a little Pokemon Go in while we were out and about also. </div><div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtw3pHvAAQpzRdlA_AVvZFt_8bPCjUk0H6hxXc76GasX89hZF67WvAT-OdfYvwklbAoabh0NgAUpqTVxbn8s6cYWzQ8px_uta6LHvklDfUQ91UAB-fxOTlSzph-TWN05zhzwcelN00cQQf3NjdyUZuYXBgq7coHAR9bAG2UCtThOUZrBlEcpVzDOxEVKXr/s919/cali.boards.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="919" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtw3pHvAAQpzRdlA_AVvZFt_8bPCjUk0H6hxXc76GasX89hZF67WvAT-OdfYvwklbAoabh0NgAUpqTVxbn8s6cYWzQ8px_uta6LHvklDfUQ91UAB-fxOTlSzph-TWN05zhzwcelN00cQQf3NjdyUZuYXBgq7coHAR9bAG2UCtThOUZrBlEcpVzDOxEVKXr/w400-h400/cali.boards.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Colton and his Metro team had two games Saturday, at 3:30 and 5:40, and two Sunday at 9:00 and 12:15. They won two, lost two (they were still pretty close). It was a nice facility, but they charged parents $20 to watch, and they charged $20 for parking too. I got video and made highlights ...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Game 1 ~ <a class="style-scope ytcp-video-info" href="https://youtu.be/QiQWJp_eMZE" style="background-color: #f9f9f9; font-family: Roboto, Noto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; text-wrap: nowrap;" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/QiQWJp_eMZE</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Game 2 ~ <a class="style-scope ytcp-video-info" href="https://youtu.be/dtfJ6-e3K0w" style="background-color: #f9f9f9; font-family: Roboto, Noto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; text-wrap: nowrap;" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/dtfJ6-e3K0w</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Game 3 ~ <a class="style-scope ytcp-video-info" href="https://youtu.be/AhsntW5Khnk" style="background-color: #f9f9f9; font-family: Roboto, Noto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; text-wrap: nowrap;" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/AhsntW5Khnk</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Game 4 ~ <a class="style-scope ytcp-video-info" href="https://youtu.be/3WKXI7hr5bA" style="background-color: #f9f9f9; font-family: Roboto, Noto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none; text-wrap: nowrap;" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/3WKXI7hr5bA</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqtg4jqMkCYop9C5_nl1QnMLWl_YRLic8Q6CRYsV7sweITtHlkvqpb-fqEewFfYzZMacMpTzoDYRZWIbiZJ-hjcmEg_d1zFMhzaHkTqPxOYQkBH52HZbjUbDTillGQtbFQtHZXAWKqcdPRDAY1v1318CgniKO_SarH5Guq6_6GWGh1ZB8K6zIHB0IdANUB/s4032/2023-07-16%2014.07.29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqtg4jqMkCYop9C5_nl1QnMLWl_YRLic8Q6CRYsV7sweITtHlkvqpb-fqEewFfYzZMacMpTzoDYRZWIbiZJ-hjcmEg_d1zFMhzaHkTqPxOYQkBH52HZbjUbDTillGQtbFQtHZXAWKqcdPRDAY1v1318CgniKO_SarH5Guq6_6GWGh1ZB8K6zIHB0IdANUB/w640-h480/2023-07-16%2014.07.29.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Salt Lake Metro - Black</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Kahner, Jason, Cai, Carter, Colton, Dawson, Reef, Coach Hammer</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">We flew from Salt Lake to Long Beach Airport, which was very small and low-key. We Ubered when we needed to get places. Colton's buddy Carter was playing in Vegas on Friday, so he and his folks drove the rest of the way to California for this tournament. We carpooled with them a few times. I'm not a travel gal, but this went well and made me wish that we'd gone to some of the other tournaments as well. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">After we got back - Gray had recapped some of the little memories he had, bullet style ...</div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>65 degree room with queen....err, double beds</li><li>Running lost - calling Jen - maybe not the one to aid in this sitch</li><li>"Hooters" Italian restaurant except it's for the ladies</li><li>Extremely loud gastropub with meh fish and chips (no beating Red Robin at this point, methinks)</li><li>Uber driver chastening my decision to drink Red Bull</li><li>Newport donut lunch with pigeons eating fries under our table</li><li>Red Vines and more Red Vines - the short, thick ones please</li><li>The Mule starring LaMar</li><li>Watching a weird episode of Barry in a weird way</li><li>Airport moving sidewalks with Jen laughing - thinking she was pretty funny</li><li>Colton with two elbows on one arm</li></ul><div>... adding more of my own ...</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Colton going on his own with TSA precheck - Gray staying with me, like a peasant. On the way back "why are you here in this line?" LGB airport (took a picture, Landon's initials!)</li><li>Squished, three in the back of an Uber</li><li>Colton gets his own room</li><li>Gray's RedBull runs at the nearby gas station</li><li>Hotel breakfast - cute little circle waffles</li><li>$8 Dibs</li><li>Watched "The Lizzie Bennet Diaries" on Youtube during drives</li><li>Watched Creed on the flight there - thought I had Creed II for the flight back but it wasn't downloaded. Had a backup movie "We Have a Ghost"</li><li>Getting some Pogo in ... missing out on the little Koala</li><li>Family History "find relative nearby" activity between games</li><li>Catching a ride with Carter's family ... Carter's mom squishing into the back for the final ride back to the hotel (with the two sweaty boys)</li><li>Kahner (tallest player) almost hitting the ceiling at the hotel ... and sitting next to Colton on the flight home. Definite space issues for that size!</li><li>Not so great fish and chips (twice) ... Red Robin still a favorite</li><li>Gray zooming through the airport ... would he notice if we were no longer following him?</li></ul><div>I asked Colton to write up his memories ...</div></div><div><br /></div><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-33ff2207-7fff-46f9-3044-f31b2c8b88ff"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><blockquote><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Friday - We landed in California in the evening and had a pretty cramped Uber ride over to the hotel. Really just dropped off our stuff in our rooms then headed back out to get some food. Went to this Italian restaurant. Nothing really happened for the rest of the night, just chilled at the hotel for a bit, before going to sleep.</span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Saturday - Don’t remember exactly what time I woke up, but I quickly headed down to breakfast and met up with Vaughn for just a bit. He told me about how he had a distant grandma with my same last name and was just wondering if I maybe had a family tree to look at and see if there was any connection. After breakfast, we headed to the beach for like an hour, just walking around and eventually grabbed some donuts to eat. After we got back, a few of the other boys were waiting in the lobby for their rooms to be ready, so I just had them come up and chill with me for a couple hours until they got their room keys. After that, we had the first games of the weekend, losing the first game and winning the second. I was pretty exhausted after the games, just took a shower and needed some food, so I headed to the Carl’s Jr. next to the hotel with Cai and Dawson. Got some snacks from the gas station to take back to my room after and watched Creed III on Amazon once I got back. That was all for the night.</span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Sunday - Not too much happened for the trip on Sunday as our games all wrapped up by 3:00. I headed down to the lobby to grab a quick breakfast then went back up to the room to pack up my stuff. I left my luggage with my parents before I left with the team for the games, since we were leaving for the airport directly after the games. The games went really similar to the day before, losing the first one and winning the second. Did a quick change of clothes back at the hotel before catching an uber to the airport. We ate at a nice little restaurant right by the gate and finally got on the flight back to Salt Lake City.</span></p></blockquote><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">At home, Landon and Cooper were holding down the fort. I had instructed Cooper on the watering of the garden (most of it needs handwatering) and he handled that while I was gone. The guys (Landon, Cooper, Cal and Keaton) still made a foursome for pickleball Sunday morning.</span></div></span></div><p></p></div>JenBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16376616104651932239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879963775027146952.post-24551088593881887522023-07-10T22:00:00.000-07:002023-10-17T13:05:41.048-07:00Landon Spartan<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwDL1caMGVBqoHZViPvqQWqzlKb3Xb5XslTSoJCCrCvo4WC8VTqQPmFxMf-PgMzvVJHxnbYE3_q0FwI6wY7FD8omswSGb4i1cVPnJMf7wuWNkmLbBqoNS56ahlRo2vN8DE6MvFWlgqHp0ZWRXruo0J_CGZgR96geIZHJMD4MEKid1FhvpuV6k2pqxyuWIl/s921/spartan%20Landon.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="921" data-original-width="920" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwDL1caMGVBqoHZViPvqQWqzlKb3Xb5XslTSoJCCrCvo4WC8VTqQPmFxMf-PgMzvVJHxnbYE3_q0FwI6wY7FD8omswSGb4i1cVPnJMf7wuWNkmLbBqoNS56ahlRo2vN8DE6MvFWlgqHp0ZWRXruo0J_CGZgR96geIZHJMD4MEKid1FhvpuV6k2pqxyuWIl/w640-h640/spartan%20Landon.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/sparta"></a><blockquote><a href="https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/sparta">The Spartans</a> arose from the city-state of Sparta of ancient Greece. They were a warrior society that paid homage to the values of honor, duty, discipline, and endurance. Values that have led to their being regarded as some of the fiercest warriors history has ever known. And while their legacy still inspires and instructs professional warriors who are actually involved in armed conflict to this day; their legacy is equally as inspiring to everyday people. Why? Because we are all warriors. We all fight wars, be they internal struggles with motivation, our purpose, our relationships, etc… or external struggles like struggling for the flourishing of our careers, the survival of our businesses, or the advancement of our dreams (From <a href="https://thestrive.co/motivational-spartan-quotes/">The Strive</a>).</blockquote></div><blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"></div></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Inspired by the Spartan legacy, taking the traditional 5k a few steps further, a Spartan Race is a series of obstacle races of varying difficulty ranging from 3 miles to marathon distances. These races are held in the United States and have been franchised to 30 countries, including Canada, South Korea, Australia, the Philippines and several European countries. I'm not sure what inspired Landon to look into such a race, but he did. He signed up and completed it. I asked him to write up a few memories ...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><p></p><blockquote><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Today I completed my first Spartan race. I hadn't really looked into what the race would entail until the night before. A few YouTube videos later I was feeling confident and prepared for the race. The Spartan took place at the Snow Basin resort. I had to miss our family pickleball, but the run was honestly a ton of fun. There are three races: 5K, 10K, and 21K. I signed up for the 10K ... and it kicked my butt. It was silly to think the 5K would’ve been too easy, when that’s maybe what I should’ve started with.</i></div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>For the 10K race, we had 26 obstacles, and I’m proud to say I only failed one! Said obstacle was a wall that you needed to move horizontally across using only grips for your hands; no support for your feet. I’m sure I would’ve figured it out if I took my time, but I was feeling rushed as this was one of the first obstacles. One aspect of this race that ended up being most challenging for me was the elevation. I believe it was 1,300 ft of elevation, which is insane. Somehow I ran the first mile of incline, and it about slaughtered me. From there I decided to hike the inclines and save the running for the declines.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i></i></div><p></p></blockquote><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;"><i style="text-align: justify;">Most of the obstacles were entertaining and genuinely fun. The obstacles that were the buggers were all the carries. Carry a sand bag from here to there. Carry an atlas stone from here to there. And carry a bucket of rocks from here to there. You get the idea. </i><i>Something I learned from YouTube was the importance of keeping your hands clean for some obstacles. There are a number of monkey bar-like challenges. Unfortunately one of them ripped up my left hand a bit. I looked ahead hoping that the remaining obstacles didn’t require my hands. ... but that was not to be. There was even a legit rope climb! For being one of those classic PE class activities featured in movies, this was my first ever attempt. I saw others using a technique with their feet, but I just brute forced through it. My favorite obstacle was the Hercules Hoist. It was a sandbag attached to a rope and run through a pulley. The objective is to pull the other end of the rope to raise the sandbag to the top, and bring it back down softly. I quickly noticed that the technique was to use your bodyweight to hoist up the bag. You jump up the rope a bit, throw your body back, and repeat. I thought it was so fun (even though the previous obstacle had just ripped up my hand!) One of the final obstacles was a 5’ hurdle. Leading into the jump for the first one, my right calve almost cramped on me. Luckily I shook it off and finished the race. </i></p><i><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>For whatever reason I didn’t eat breakfast before, which wasn’t great, but nor was a real issue. Overall, I felt really good about the race. It was a challenge for sure, but I'm glad to say I conquered it.</i></div></i></blockquote><blockquote><p></p><p></p><blockquote><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDcGb8FrhL2qBfjdeXxyvTCsuJsb0UtViBLXZnsYzVe03QdEFDx8jhJZ0CtgbGAIiBs5Pybagt9Nfgn9aZgOsUJtXDzDoBry3R5e7KkJ6RYnfHYbmUkksEd68tTAqZ99UkzAgUP8ad0XTcMh-UKQo0npBKT7pQi8GFYa9ngoDRuS3i8orwsPGDMtK9YZi2/s812/9-9-2023%2011-16-37%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="812" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDcGb8FrhL2qBfjdeXxyvTCsuJsb0UtViBLXZnsYzVe03QdEFDx8jhJZ0CtgbGAIiBs5Pybagt9Nfgn9aZgOsUJtXDzDoBry3R5e7KkJ6RYnfHYbmUkksEd68tTAqZ99UkzAgUP8ad0XTcMh-UKQo0npBKT7pQi8GFYa9ngoDRuS3i8orwsPGDMtK9YZi2/w539-h182/9-9-2023%2011-16-37%20AM.png" width="539" /></a></div></blockquote></blockquote><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> You can read a little more about the event and see some pictures <a href="https://race.spartan.com/en/race/detail/7868/overview?_ics=1694279755085&irclickid=~9qhbzVMWOLJ.ECrmheda4YXSJKABwuje-874WPOKB&_gl=1%2a1eqnjpf%2a_gcl_au%2aODk2NjA0ODcwLjE2OTQyNzk3NDA." target="_blank">HERE</a>.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYFEfXSKBfGD1r3nf6awu5lbjSa4hQVNKBb2jHQARKuG1fwiJ7e5b2U7PLumytsa6AvMB0WgDKFOKzM9-4C5EmTnxqQoZd_fzSVJC-Cr6vnYC0XfHroU4p4fGh7Q509rO2fzG-sgSAarHNAfVGww72vnpFwESppmOdkgEgCXno5eKi_9Mo6suPpE7lYf5t/s534/spartanquote.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="443" data-original-width="534" height="409" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYFEfXSKBfGD1r3nf6awu5lbjSa4hQVNKBb2jHQARKuG1fwiJ7e5b2U7PLumytsa6AvMB0WgDKFOKzM9-4C5EmTnxqQoZd_fzSVJC-Cr6vnYC0XfHroU4p4fGh7Q509rO2fzG-sgSAarHNAfVGww72vnpFwESppmOdkgEgCXno5eKi_9Mo6suPpE7lYf5t/w494-h409/spartanquote.png" width="494" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><p></p>JenBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16376616104651932239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879963775027146952.post-85426799937498180662023-07-04T13:50:00.000-07:002023-08-12T19:09:29.907-07:00Wiffleball<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsaD6dssz_17OcpgQJIebr11eG0qRI4e2Uk43lyhWbJBAv3UJVhWJm3ABZDHezZkNnc9Dz6pmpOFNEPLyWfAzF-QCqwS0x9ePheJla8q-m6-LNd3p9nKz4t01fpqkFfdU81ynFkj-YJhhaOcR1smCf8eVnNPmMXvRd8UIy2GtLibUpYvwmnvc1WKVdFCFz/s4032/2023-07-04%2008.49.03-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsaD6dssz_17OcpgQJIebr11eG0qRI4e2Uk43lyhWbJBAv3UJVhWJm3ABZDHezZkNnc9Dz6pmpOFNEPLyWfAzF-QCqwS0x9ePheJla8q-m6-LNd3p9nKz4t01fpqkFfdU81ynFkj-YJhhaOcR1smCf8eVnNPmMXvRd8UIy2GtLibUpYvwmnvc1WKVdFCFz/w640-h480/2023-07-04%2008.49.03-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The 4th of July was on a Tuesday, and the guys had the day off work. We decided we'd get an extra edition of pickleball in ... but apparently we weren't the only ones with that thought. The eight courts at Constitution Park were completely packed, as were the ones at Ron Woods. The baseball diamond however, was available, and Landon had been wanting to try some wiffleball ...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">We were missing Cal&Kate, and while Gray had joined us for the pickleball attempt, he had since jogged home, getting in his workout for the day. So I filmed the four Blackham Brothers as they got some wiffle in ... hitting the ball, catching, stealing bases. Landon and Cooper both ended up with some skinned knees, but there was a lot of laughter, as often happens when these guys hang out together. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wr5TlgeF4v0" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;">https://youtu.be/wr5TlgeF4v0</div><div><br /></div>JenBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16376616104651932239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879963775027146952.post-67889325851503524722023-06-30T18:28:00.000-07:002023-08-12T19:09:49.091-07:002023 ~ June Recap<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYe13BzAI5Sr3EnJ8PqBK3FnUpHSdN0JB2EBzyuiuawx5g77ublwnhw3xEULlUN3lUCTbLEWVwukk32WEIS8ZbuyCYp5_jgRcptsjkTgTJyUk0SL8I1sCSNbFhMO45M8eXNMrI5n53FpaItOj09VXRsxn9EQDMf4XfWRXXoR7Q5VsbzDGJaEjTfKS9QiYD/s931/2023.06%20Family.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="931" data-original-width="928" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYe13BzAI5Sr3EnJ8PqBK3FnUpHSdN0JB2EBzyuiuawx5g77ublwnhw3xEULlUN3lUCTbLEWVwukk32WEIS8ZbuyCYp5_jgRcptsjkTgTJyUk0SL8I1sCSNbFhMO45M8eXNMrI5n53FpaItOj09VXRsxn9EQDMf4XfWRXXoR7Q5VsbzDGJaEjTfKS9QiYD/w638-h640/2023.06%20Family.png" width="638" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">June ... Summer is in full swing. More hiking, some golf, some getaways, and basketball, as always. There was hail, and Hale, and haircuts. Pickleball and poker (ok, it was Blackjack, but alliteration!) More medical appointments and the annual Westra gathering for Father's Day. Cal&K8 have become puppy parents!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li>Basketball - Colton had a busy month. He has had some practices with Metro, and training with Coach Scott. One week was team camp at the high school (he got the "camper of the day" award on Thursday, and was awarded "camper of the week" at the end - won an Echo Dot). He went down to St. George for a tournament with the school team and got to play in the AllStar game, and then played up at the U in a tournament there. There were also a couple car wash fund raisers to help pay for said tournaments and camps. </li><li>Staying Active: There is a Blackham Bunch at the pickleball courts every Sunday morning, trying to beat the heat (which wasn't bad in June). It's so much fun! Gray has added more hikes (see the updated post about the Symphony Hiking Challenge <a href="http://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2023/05/gray-goes-hiking.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>) - he and Landon summited Olympus, and Landon has gone on some hikes himself. Gray had a golf activity for work and roped Landon into that too (Landon does quite a bit of "client entertainment" on his job - mostly TopGolf thus far, but it's good to improve ball & club skills). You can see a post about that <a href="http://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2023/06/golf-guys.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>. Gray did a little writeup for work, as he does for the hikes, getting creative with ChatGPT. Jen has her Zumba Mon/Wed/Fri and pickleball with the relief society ladies on Thursdays. </li><li>Bear Lake: Gray got invited up to a work friend's place at Bear Lake ... it's quite rustic, so he rented an RV to be a little more comfortable. The water was too cold to play in, so it was mainly just hanging out. Landon was under the weather for a day. </li><li>Medical Moments: Jen had been hit with something at the end of May, and it was still hanging on a bit as June started. She had a follow-up with her family physician, met with a cardiologist (the ER doctor has seemed to think that was a good next step) and had a heart monitor tracking for a few days. Ultimately though, based on the video of the fall (caught on the grocery store cameras) and the aftermath, we're thinking it's neuro. There was an appointment with Neurology at the end of the month. Jen will start some anti-seizure medication and we'll hope for the best. </li><li>Doggie: I guess it was Callahan who was pushing for a doggy (even though K8 is the one who grew up with one). They adopted Vera from a shelter and are now proud puppy parents. Kate posted a bunch of pictures on Instagram showing how cute she is and how happy they are followed by "I've also cried every single day the last three weeks. Vera was a stray and bounced around shelters her whole life. She has a lot of behavioral issues to correct. She's chewed through her crate, ate my snake plants, scratched our walls and shutters, costs an arm and a leg. I'm exhausted and am grieving my freedom and I love her with all of my heart." Many of the Westras got to meet her at the family Father's Day gathering. Coop also was on Doggy Duty for the neighbors at the end of the month. </li><li>Westra Group Gathering: Hosted by Scott and Amy, as it has been for the past many years ... but now at the Havenmoor House, which has hosted many a Westra party too! It was fun to visit with family and to see all the updates and renovations. </li><li>Charger Changes: Colton's Charger had its spoiler ripped off at the local car wash. We scheduled it out so that the repair was done the week he was in St. George, so that timing worked out well. One day Jen drove the Charger to Zumba as Colton was traveling further (let him have the Tesla) and it totally confused one of Jen's Zumba ladies who thought someone else was at the church when she didn't she the traditional vehicle, but this "muscle car". The Charger needed its registration renewed ... oops, that's still on the to do list!</li><li>Food: Jen continues to make sourdough, several loaves every week (about a dozen). She tried making bagels for the first time, and Cooper has been creating homemade breakfast sandwiches. Coop also tried his hand at making a cheese ball (Gray had been grabbing them from the store, a favorite snack). There were snickerdoodles and homemade pizza ... Gray bought ANOTHER pizza oven (we now have three). </li></ul><div>We all started the month with HAIL ... it was a crazy storm. The next weekend it was HALE, as Olivia had invited Jen to go see Hello Dolly there. Aunt Olivia also came over and did a haircut housecall. Landon shaved off his beard ... for a bit, it's already back! Jen had two bookclub meetups ... the books were The Measure (recommend this one) and Mrs. Mike. 21 books total for the month. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Here's a look back at the month live - one second style</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><p></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/i1gdDaBoE00" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://youtu.be/i1gdDaBoE00" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/i1gdDaBoE00</a></div>JenBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16376616104651932239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879963775027146952.post-69335709653948134632023-06-19T11:21:00.002-07:002023-06-19T11:22:11.553-07:00Golf Guys<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0_AsRONkXBI-xtJOnm8sJ913p1KlABoRxpcdD_OKQ37XN0082La3hydr9Cv3J9IxF5VMxzqe34_lyeM9LAJcvOOcWHYeLmVm-xXkZMvNP-Y5FQwxGgXojMHlORRyZ_XgD7eHDkDlhlluu1v0TLr2OM2eR0mHSk7nhRoBJ9-t8k_1v2eol96Sylng3W2Yt/s4032/Photo%20Jun%2016%202023,%201%2038%2047%20PM.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0_AsRONkXBI-xtJOnm8sJ913p1KlABoRxpcdD_OKQ37XN0082La3hydr9Cv3J9IxF5VMxzqe34_lyeM9LAJcvOOcWHYeLmVm-xXkZMvNP-Y5FQwxGgXojMHlORRyZ_XgD7eHDkDlhlluu1v0TLr2OM2eR0mHSk7nhRoBJ9-t8k_1v2eol96Sylng3W2Yt/w640-h480/Photo%20Jun%2016%202023,%201%2038%2047%20PM.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Grayson had a work golf tourney ... he's not a big golfer but figured he'd support Symphony's Rob, who is head of the HBA. He invited Landon to join (Landon has been entertaining at LKL and thought golf skills/experience might come in handy). Both guys came back with red necks after the sun sans sunscreen. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM3KNMtKI85N__erIR3abn9YuRnfabEKS38aZJfJwdWXFH-7tGgRUuHFc-qma6q4WJN5siVgSbU_rMAL-SpMMVICMfJcXiUpO6dbQg6rEsRSKAPVwA6fttE0ccNe-jLh0aLnY9f1iKmfypVTYZqGsj9tjAeoAKftAAQnIEaSNm_YBiRMwfAwc989lPb3-S/s4032/Photo%20Jun%2016%202023,%209%2024%2052%20AM.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM3KNMtKI85N__erIR3abn9YuRnfabEKS38aZJfJwdWXFH-7tGgRUuHFc-qma6q4WJN5siVgSbU_rMAL-SpMMVICMfJcXiUpO6dbQg6rEsRSKAPVwA6fttE0ccNe-jLh0aLnY9f1iKmfypVTYZqGsj9tjAeoAKftAAQnIEaSNm_YBiRMwfAwc989lPb3-S/w400-h300/Photo%20Jun%2016%202023,%209%2024%2052%20AM.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>There were stations set up at the various holes ... Gray took a moment to snap a selfie (ussie) there by the WCF one and sent it to Scottie. Other than some exhaustion, there were no injuries.</div><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Gray had been utilizing ChatGPT for his activity summaries for Symphony. He asked Chat CPT to write a short satirical ode to four sojourners set off on golf’s long travail. Prompts ... Brandon, Landon, Grayson and Cole. 18 long holes. Birdies but few. Long balls so many. Brandon’s boonie on fleek. Cole’s driver so sleek. Landon’s attire so chic. Golf cart stuck in reverse. Will this course never end?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnnOMcB22qj8axZMSS617JRXfM2nj6tsQSW6ginEMS1A9nz3r-kU0BD6-ua9Se6b55nfxauwPEuR_qvL0gT5Kyb24e25rM9WA6FLBnoy2oScFe2F1ZVM-ycwanpnzB9BH6Hf2FgP-dGhlH2tReZmKQA2AOkaUphpwZI4mmAbzrsPRK06kFIkJ_sQ3pB0hd/s4032/Photo%20Jun%2016%202023,%201%2038%2027%20PM.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnnOMcB22qj8axZMSS617JRXfM2nj6tsQSW6ginEMS1A9nz3r-kU0BD6-ua9Se6b55nfxauwPEuR_qvL0gT5Kyb24e25rM9WA6FLBnoy2oScFe2F1ZVM-ycwanpnzB9BH6Hf2FgP-dGhlH2tReZmKQA2AOkaUphpwZI4mmAbzrsPRK06kFIkJ_sQ3pB0hd/w640-h480/Photo%20Jun%2016%202023,%201%2038%2027%20PM.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Oh, gather 'round and listen close,</div><div style="text-align: center;">To the tale of four golfers who dared to impose,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Upon a course, a challenge so grand,</div><div style="text-align: center;">But little did they know, things would get out of hand.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Brandon, Landon, Grayson, and Cole,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Embarked on a journey, with golf as their goal,</div><div style="text-align: center;">But birdies were scarce, lost balls aplenty,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Their dreams of glory, vanishing gently.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Brandon's boonie on fleek, oh so stylish,</div><div style="text-align: center;">But his swing, oh dear, it was quite childish,</div><div style="text-align: center;">The ball flew astray, no direction in sight,</div><div style="text-align: center;">As he adjusted his hat, full of false delight.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Cole, with his sleek driver, oh so pristine,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Believed he was destined for a golfing queen,</div><div style="text-align: center;">But alas, his shots went amiss, far and wide,</div><div style="text-align: center;">His dreams of triumph, quickly defied.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Landon, in attire so chic, so refined,</div><div style="text-align: center;">But his fashion sense couldn't save his scoreline,</div><div style="text-align: center;">As the ball rolled and tumbled, lost in the rough,</div><div style="text-align: center;">He realized fashion couldn't make his game tough.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And poor Cole, what a sight to behold,</div><div style="text-align: center;">His golf cart stuck in reverse, a tale untold,</div><div style="text-align: center;">He revved and he struggled, but no progress he made,</div><div style="text-align: center;">As he cursed his luck, his plans began to fade.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Will this course never end? they groaned and they sighed,</div><div style="text-align: center;">As the hours dragged on, their patience was tried,</div><div style="text-align: center;">The lost balls, the misfires, the cart stuck in reverse,</div><div style="text-align: center;">The golfing gods surely had them under a curse.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">But amidst the chaos, a lesson was learned,</div><div style="text-align: center;">That golf is a game where fortunes are turned,</div><div style="text-align: center;">With humor and laughter, they persevered,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Their misadventures, memories revered.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">So raise your clubs and toast to this crew,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Brandon, Landon, Grayson, and Cole, so true,</div><div style="text-align: center;">For in their golfing travails, a bond did form,</div><div style="text-align: center;">And though the course seemed endless, their spirits were warm.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg330GXMUfkjN0Y36kro2NAWg5oq88tSX4yqwQjEANOu5UrsuWuJSUO-hQN4-LmUf0MsmEWd28yL29Z4Pzfs_8Mu5PO6g_YCgThbTStqS4870y4eItoGbVHDkIQCN3G7c12WhfJGxFXfXUrmOtiIYAI2kO8VLzr6HIcmxw4wBqLFdUniY_WJPtlBDJDT0a/s1589/golf2023.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="1589" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg330GXMUfkjN0Y36kro2NAWg5oq88tSX4yqwQjEANOu5UrsuWuJSUO-hQN4-LmUf0MsmEWd28yL29Z4Pzfs_8Mu5PO6g_YCgThbTStqS4870y4eItoGbVHDkIQCN3G7c12WhfJGxFXfXUrmOtiIYAI2kO8VLzr6HIcmxw4wBqLFdUniY_WJPtlBDJDT0a/w640-h370/golf2023.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">A look at Landon in 2023 (above) ... and a flashback to his younger years in 2009 (below).</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaQIIzYiw9Qydn3dchf9qCvbDrNrqaUnX8G2S-RCZ-WV-KQ5ylJZhOqOhXh_zAP8s5Sbo-v1fgJN5i19_qBNgIyd0ptNjP_QYJk222mSDwx2gt5GtYJyjhiGLmTFNAN17_x3nFMZSeXw0pHT92gV6ibCMurfFi29U8dJ559cosdcbRWsx9gFgZT9jr7tJm/s922/golf2009.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="239" data-original-width="922" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaQIIzYiw9Qydn3dchf9qCvbDrNrqaUnX8G2S-RCZ-WV-KQ5ylJZhOqOhXh_zAP8s5Sbo-v1fgJN5i19_qBNgIyd0ptNjP_QYJk222mSDwx2gt5GtYJyjhiGLmTFNAN17_x3nFMZSeXw0pHT92gV6ibCMurfFi29U8dJ559cosdcbRWsx9gFgZT9jr7tJm/w640-h166/golf2009.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></div>JenBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16376616104651932239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879963775027146952.post-60300352687310829072023-06-12T18:54:00.002-07:002023-06-12T18:54:36.298-07:00Tulips - Thanksgiving Point<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje0f4XVjrmtGC1ovgOxlcW6doSO5zqFMG6czyeHvmtIPJ-Ahy1zN4YMESH6QGusgmYYc3yko1vN-nOAUZOvMsL2yLt1AwyCTpVCz3_u-jyG5A4ovUkvY9BNG5XGjgIkcxwHhWxq9wUmTT2XcQrl25evJXUh9EEGKJe9TtscSOJKpTfGLvS9EV3Put5nQ/s1200/FotoJet%20-%202023-06-12T194105.653.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje0f4XVjrmtGC1ovgOxlcW6doSO5zqFMG6czyeHvmtIPJ-Ahy1zN4YMESH6QGusgmYYc3yko1vN-nOAUZOvMsL2yLt1AwyCTpVCz3_u-jyG5A4ovUkvY9BNG5XGjgIkcxwHhWxq9wUmTT2XcQrl25evJXUh9EEGKJe9TtscSOJKpTfGLvS9EV3Put5nQ/w640-h640/FotoJet%20-%202023-06-12T194105.653.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Totally out of the blue on Friday, May 12, Grayson texted asking if I had anything going on that day. I'm pretty open. I thought maybe he needed me home for a delivery but he proposed a trip to Thanksgiving Point to see the tulips. We the colder spring, the Tulip Festival had been extended later into May, and there were lots of blooms. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Like last year, there was a Dutch theme, with wooden shoes hidden throughout the walkways, and a couple spots with big shoes for picture taking poses. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRL1xK9ev8lDcZe6yxXChc4w7hT6rBnjDTdi18nIGdJ9SfG7LrPxS0Dj9B8Rq7PgZ-L0scpiuDZ6SbvBkLMi52Fav-cGYRfshoBywgcICowjKGL2HXgJWAGYB9n6OZ-ErbdYwGmmHjEkB3ANmfjYsu5Kg1leWP5oIaKxPKqlPLrP7AZr4W_YqUbpuQ-Q/s1200/FotoJet%20-%202023-06-12T193443.070.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRL1xK9ev8lDcZe6yxXChc4w7hT6rBnjDTdi18nIGdJ9SfG7LrPxS0Dj9B8Rq7PgZ-L0scpiuDZ6SbvBkLMi52Fav-cGYRfshoBywgcICowjKGL2HXgJWAGYB9n6OZ-ErbdYwGmmHjEkB3ANmfjYsu5Kg1leWP5oIaKxPKqlPLrP7AZr4W_YqUbpuQ-Q/w640-h640/FotoJet%20-%202023-06-12T193443.070.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We had gone to the<a href="http://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2022/04/tiptoe-through-tulips.html" target="_blank"> Tulips in 2022</a> too.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">... and a <a href="http://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2011/05/tulip-festival.html" target="_blank">family tulip trip</a> back in 2011.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Check out <a href="http://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2022/05/cal-kate-tulip-trip.html" target="_blank">Cal and Kate's 2022 trip to Holland</a>.</div><br /><p></p></div>JenBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16376616104651932239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879963775027146952.post-76512126719266762562023-06-12T18:29:00.002-07:002023-06-12T18:29:29.737-07:00Keaton's Corner<p></p><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4orwXvlS2XSJvkB_4Mm8GIptaokrS17WePCWNe_9bm9voSbVmiNoWnZqp8BuaVjbjwjmKQEyc_UJ0O81wD8PoB3R0VDzxVQt8s9Es4nXY-JqAaBxQd7kLWPjiDjaVxZFI8yKk_p9uTUavFIsL3zUSwjiExdZ1MVnXefbolOazuZntL73sL3o5NHz0bQ/s1200/FotoJet%20-%202023-06-12T191644.469.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4orwXvlS2XSJvkB_4Mm8GIptaokrS17WePCWNe_9bm9voSbVmiNoWnZqp8BuaVjbjwjmKQEyc_UJ0O81wD8PoB3R0VDzxVQt8s9Es4nXY-JqAaBxQd7kLWPjiDjaVxZFI8yKk_p9uTUavFIsL3zUSwjiExdZ1MVnXefbolOazuZntL73sL3o5NHz0bQ/w640-h640/FotoJet%20-%202023-06-12T191644.469.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Keaton had been thinking he'd like to try this "adulting" thing and get a place of his own. After looking at apartment possibilities for a few months, he found one he liked and signed a lease. He's not far, about 10 minutes away in South Jordan, just a little NorthEast of the Oquirrh Mountain Temple. It's a house, and he's in a newly finished basement apartment. It doesn't feel like a basement though, there is a lot light. He has off-street parking, then he walks around the side of the house to a rear entrance. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Here's a peek at the inside ...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMxapjAxd3XswptCIfmXhwI4BLAOgCqaU8Wk1v68RbcNpZvpZw0emKToaQVp7JEmAwxgGtfvy3pOH0kGYPiZ3JkKMfxq8zTaAAkd04GD2zhoQSKUFiz05j1EhmMEeYCFFypjz7rlSRo4ry0Mb87nRoJhqhLgjrjgtR2z1LouYl1DiOaIqABKEDdUtKZQ/s1200/FotoJet%20-%202023-06-12T192042.403.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMxapjAxd3XswptCIfmXhwI4BLAOgCqaU8Wk1v68RbcNpZvpZw0emKToaQVp7JEmAwxgGtfvy3pOH0kGYPiZ3JkKMfxq8zTaAAkd04GD2zhoQSKUFiz05j1EhmMEeYCFFypjz7rlSRo4ry0Mb87nRoJhqhLgjrjgtR2z1LouYl1DiOaIqABKEDdUtKZQ/w640-h640/FotoJet%20-%202023-06-12T192042.403.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Home Sweet Keaton Home.</div><br /><p></p>JenBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16376616104651932239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879963775027146952.post-61096338600060307412023-06-12T14:49:00.002-07:002023-06-12T14:49:21.018-07:00MS Walk~ Team Ana<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5TttMyA8SeRT-UH0FBeT73BvE19OXOiqhebYm7tr0tKHhNezzb-XqfiBYtgbCmOJnpzlsTCLnvH0WFKpLY7QIZQrTFsbCni94CKmMceqJrGTj_Hyg1JhvUpMVG7tzq-ToYlOl3LYrBdt85vB9YHiz6jp7mJXM0T0leCfMoAEBy58Kh4gazliph7tyig/s929/2023.0506%20MS%20Collage.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="929" data-original-width="927" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5TttMyA8SeRT-UH0FBeT73BvE19OXOiqhebYm7tr0tKHhNezzb-XqfiBYtgbCmOJnpzlsTCLnvH0WFKpLY7QIZQrTFsbCni94CKmMceqJrGTj_Hyg1JhvUpMVG7tzq-ToYlOl3LYrBdt85vB9YHiz6jp7mJXM0T0leCfMoAEBy58Kh4gazliph7tyig/w638-h640/2023.0506%20MS%20Collage.png" width="638" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Last year Grayson's sister Ana was diagnosed with MS. Multiple Sclerosis. It's a tough diagnosis and disease, but Ana has been doing better now that they know what the problem is and getting treatment. When there was a <a href="https://mssociety.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.event&eventID=1366" target="_blank">local MS walk</a>, we decided to participate as a family. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">It was Saturday, May 6th. We got up and headed out with most of the crew (Colton had basketball practice, and I don't know if we'd remembered to tell Cal and Kate about it). Courtney came with the two boys (Clay had church obligations but was able to come at the very end, bringing Milo) and Olivia came with Ana's family. If you donated a certain amount, you got a bright orange t-shirt. There was a big Start/Finish but the walk itself wasn't super specific. It was just a loop (or two, or three) around Veteran's Memorial Park in West Jordan. There were lots of informational booths set up, and games and a band, and people cheering everyone on. </div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">Here's just a quick peek at the morning ...</p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2oZy5g_MNGA" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The weather was nice. It was a little cool. It rained later in the day, and we were glad it held off until after the event. </p><div><br /></div>JenBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16376616104651932239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879963775027146952.post-73932432669287053862023-05-31T13:14:00.000-07:002023-08-12T19:10:09.038-07:002023 ~ May Recap<p></p><div style="text-align: center;"> Memories from May ... </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOQDJbTat7sI_c8yNmubf2JPreIT0Dfr7qxcZBbznKD999D8QobtezATKwR6RXx0prEjyKAXDzPmRiDkCmRmCPCPiE6IjNT1PcAqPjSYnASUlogvQbZj0iM26tYjxdMcusQXQjcnx7hIyTuft2M2RN0IMpW6mpS7G2ts9AeLYOVCmPBzrXl0rgt1vDyQ/s928/2023.05%20Family.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="927" data-original-width="928" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOQDJbTat7sI_c8yNmubf2JPreIT0Dfr7qxcZBbznKD999D8QobtezATKwR6RXx0prEjyKAXDzPmRiDkCmRmCPCPiE6IjNT1PcAqPjSYnASUlogvQbZj0iM26tYjxdMcusQXQjcnx7hIyTuft2M2RN0IMpW6mpS7G2ts9AeLYOVCmPBzrXl0rgt1vDyQ/w640-h640/2023.05%20Family.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li style="text-align: justify;">Jen's Medical: The head is healing ... it's a pretty big/bad scar this time, that not even a lot of hair covers up all the way. It's been a little tough getting back to the exercise and eating. Walks on the treadmill and Zumba have been fine (there was even an evening Zumba session with the Young Women), with pickleball added back in. A tetanus shot was needed near the end of the month after some gardening ended with an encounter with a rusty piece of metal ... and the day after that Jen was hit with dizzies and nausea. Couldn't get out of bed for the whole day (500 steps on the Fitbit). Hoped it was a one day thing, but it stuck around for about a week, getting only slightly better each day. But it was a solid week without leaving the house, and not leaving the bed much. Missed out on Colton's Wolves basketball tournament :(</li><li style="text-align: justify;">Car Stuff: Gray's truck wouldn't start mid-month ... and luckily we're in a pretty good situation with Coop/Jen able to share the Durango, so Grayson was able to take the Tesla while the truck was in the shop. Landon has been driving a work vehicle for a while, but with the divorce final and the house sold, he was in a good spot financially to finally get a car. It's a 2023 Toyota Camry - and it's RED! In addition to Colton's Charger having the spoiler ripped off at the car wash (and that's not something they claim responsibility for) his front license plate gets bent every time he goes through. He installed a plate frame to help with that issue before it broke off completely.</li><li style="text-align: justify;">Ice Ice Baby: Our icemaker in the freezer has been having issues for a long while. Sometimes it would work fine, then other times ... nothing. Then it would drop some ice cubes and pour water directly over them creating a big, solid block. We are super spoiled with out nice commercial pebbled ice maker, but we want the bigger cubes too. I called for repair ... it took FIVE trips. But we have ice again. Finally.</li><li style="text-align: justify;">Keaton's Corner: Keaton moved into his place back in March. Not many photos were taken the first day, and we hadn't been back to see him settled, until now. So if you wanted to see his spot, you can check out the blog post <a href="http://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2023/06/keatons-corner.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>. </li><li style="text-align: justify;">Blackham Bunch Activities: The Blackham's got together for an MS Walk at Veteran's Memorial Park, super close by! You can read a little more about it <a href="http://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2023/06/ms-walk-team-ana.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>. We also gathered to try out Clay's new pizza oven (the WJ Blackham's have a couple ovens that have been used quite a bit the last year or so). The dessert pizza was a hit!</li><li style="text-align: justify;">A Trip to the Tulips: Gray surprised Jen with a day date to see the tulips at Thanksgiving Point ... with the cooler weather, there were still a lot in bloom later in May. You can see photos <a href="http://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2023/06/tulips-thanksgiving-point.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>. </li><li style="text-align: justify;">Mother's Day: A lovely bouquet of flowers. It was drizzling, but we did a little family pickleball in the rain. Cal and Kate had been gone but got back in time to drop by in the evening.</li><li style="text-align: justify;">Pickleball: We've been hitting the pickleball courts each week. Originally Keaton had said he didn't care for the game as much, but he's become one of our regulars as well. He has a crazy lob! So there are five regulars (Jen, Coop, Landon, Cal and Keaton) and once in a while we get Gray and Colton out too. Jen also plays once a week with the relief society ladies, and went with a friend to an evening session in Murray. </li><li style="text-align: justify;">Basketball: Colton had a tournament with the WJ Jags the first week of May. Jen's still been cautious (especially in the evenings, driving and going out alone) and so Landon accompanied her to the first game, Keaton was the chauffer for a late Friday night game (the boys had a great comeback). Colton has still been practicing with Metro and with Coach Scott. He had a final tournament with the Wolves (they won the championship) and Cal's men's league has started up again, and Colton has been filling in there when they need an extra man. </li><li style="text-align: justify;">Hiking Hubs: Grayson's hiking adventures were mentioned in the April update, and the dedicated blog post about all his activities has been updated. New hikes, pictures, maps, there's even a haiku and new lyrics to a hit song (with a little help from ChatGPT). Scroll down <a href="http://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2023/05/gray-goes-hiking.html" target="_blank">HERE</a> to see the latest updates. </li><li style="text-align: justify;">Books! Jen's Bookclub read(s) this month were Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk (had a bit of a "To Kill a Mockingbird" feel. Wrote a lot on the GoodReads review!) and The Measure by Nikki Erlick (what would happen if everyone over the age of 22 suddenly had the choice to see how long they had to live?) Tons of discussion ideas on this one. Horse by Geraldine Brooks was another favorite.</li><li style="text-align: justify;">ByeBye Beta: Colton had received a little Beta fish last year (an answer/ask to a date/dance). The kitties loved to drink out of the beta bowl (ewww, fishy poop) and one day I found the bowl knocked over and poor Beta exposed. I scooped him up and put him in water, and he was alive, but never quite the same after that. It was a bit of a relief when he was out of his misery, and flushed. </li><li style="text-align: justify;">Cal&Kate: It was a busy month for these two. They had a weekend away in St. George, then a trip to Oregon. Kate also had a birthday!</li></ul><div style="text-align: justify;">School was wrapping up as the month ended ... so things will shift into a summer schedule for the next few months. Here's a look at a month of memories one second style ...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><p></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PTgKoSoepcM" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;">https://youtu.be/PTgKoSoepcM</div>JenBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16376616104651932239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879963775027146952.post-55651714541598234772023-05-11T18:33:00.024-07:002023-09-30T17:05:28.107-07:00My Hiking Hubs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNxOR_IB0pyWqEL-O_3anhzBwu4L7hIaUu4h0z5Dq1wJSJEHhYHa-DiyNfXPZdjPQjQQE-aS8TUYfWCLB4fHjlfCEGWQQHCEgyH2AtFYu8xXSQ2lA2QCQgCkQODq2Q1toeIF3-BL4-VfwK6lVqWZUzvu-Pbvtv1paMUtYLFx_w5FZivlOk0t63WgAC8w/s3798/Hiking%20Challange%205.8.2023.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1637" data-original-width="3798" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNxOR_IB0pyWqEL-O_3anhzBwu4L7hIaUu4h0z5Dq1wJSJEHhYHa-DiyNfXPZdjPQjQQE-aS8TUYfWCLB4fHjlfCEGWQQHCEgyH2AtFYu8xXSQ2lA2QCQgCkQODq2Q1toeIF3-BL4-VfwK6lVqWZUzvu-Pbvtv1paMUtYLFx_w5FZivlOk0t63WgAC8w/w640-h276/Hiking%20Challange%205.8.2023.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;">Symphony Homes, and the Health Insurance provider EMI have a hiking challenge going ... <i>"Beginning April 1st and ending on September 30th, all members of EMI Health’s medical insurance are invited to lace up those hiking boots and get on the trails! The goal is simple: complete 20 hikes before the season is over."</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p style="text-align: center;">Grayson got going!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><b><u>Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve - San Diego, California</u></b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: justify;">Three mile hike from the trailhead to beach, then along the beach back to the trailhead.</span></p><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJG1VjiNMx_rEBxa3ttSCz33wpiBsFIyP3e39s-tjsPrrpHOGeVWWpWjY8gHnTAIVcWK8y2YhsSPZ-PypKrN5SzveZMS0oXlL5YP5Un_D4gu9TSujixl7oZ8dbAnbDzoh2ESVGx7S41IxHjZxTd_KoGFNxfyfnDlrZjiHp46ckihqIIH751G_D-sGO2w/s683/Hike1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="395" data-original-width="683" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJG1VjiNMx_rEBxa3ttSCz33wpiBsFIyP3e39s-tjsPrrpHOGeVWWpWjY8gHnTAIVcWK8y2YhsSPZ-PypKrN5SzveZMS0oXlL5YP5Un_D4gu9TSujixl7oZ8dbAnbDzoh2ESVGx7S41IxHjZxTd_KoGFNxfyfnDlrZjiHp46ckihqIIH751G_D-sGO2w/w640-h370/Hike1.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Gray and Landon had gone on a quick getaway to SanDiego. In a text to me, Gray wrote "I think I may have set the wrong expectation on this one" (to Landon) "I called it a walk, or a mile hike." Gray had done a six mile run in the morning, and added the three mile hike to that, and was topping 20k in steps. I mentioned Cooper was close to catching him in steps .... Grayson said "he better not" ... oops! April 21, 2023</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqoROGFaWdvc5osjAvgAROycEvnxGbf4ONokAWVVIYMJC1c1sehU__EYmd_xPJprdCw7x_vO_oz9i4HvD--y3ygnMq4hCpKuuheH7iozGC515M-owB4U3dtXTvzSGFM9iwJXokDuCU-LuuLv8pUeB9b_op73PCe3nztXdZZ1jK_r6OcgKu8Jp4txenyg/s1316/texts.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="917" data-original-width="1316" height="405" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqoROGFaWdvc5osjAvgAROycEvnxGbf4ONokAWVVIYMJC1c1sehU__EYmd_xPJprdCw7x_vO_oz9i4HvD--y3ygnMq4hCpKuuheH7iozGC515M-owB4U3dtXTvzSGFM9iwJXokDuCU-LuuLv8pUeB9b_op73PCe3nztXdZZ1jK_r6OcgKu8Jp4txenyg/w580-h405/texts.png" width="580" /></a></div><br /><div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><u><b>Adam's Canyon</b></u></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN6BKUA9MbvAUWXL9SBgpVRUdmYb19Mg-B7sW5-1S2HXLAEJ5VWEALqAp5tFI98HOqKXrm_u_yjIn-5Kqoq2uXZA-aydbAJIu-FDUqD7Ff_5QG3pVWWmBzh2VXLwDFEedoZMV2cEZD89qWx4pcpD19Kat8SpBqDCFAyF6XVdbL8-ES0mDkz8CD_cdFsQ/s1033/Waterfall.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="908" data-original-width="1033" height="562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN6BKUA9MbvAUWXL9SBgpVRUdmYb19Mg-B7sW5-1S2HXLAEJ5VWEALqAp5tFI98HOqKXrm_u_yjIn-5Kqoq2uXZA-aydbAJIu-FDUqD7Ff_5QG3pVWWmBzh2VXLwDFEedoZMV2cEZD89qWx4pcpD19Kat8SpBqDCFAyF6XVdbL8-ES0mDkz8CD_cdFsQ/w640-h562/Waterfall.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">From Grayon's email to me and to the Symphony challenge... "ZLichtie and I reporting in on conditions in Adam’s Canyon this morning – brisk and icy – but exquisite nonetheless. Hike was 4 miles and in better conditions we would have been done at least 20 minutes faster. We. Needed. Spikes. On our shoes. There was much slipping and sliding. Coming down was not fun. I do want to do this one again but prepared. Good start to the day. A hike can be pretty cathartic." <span style="text-align: center;">April 28, 2023.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><b>Orson Smith Trail to the Bear Canyon Suspension Bridge</b></u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz3203vPjwGdhPrpf9g5RFYCYgUTMdK-HwM9usVXkdBX5IA7gLaikb_wSSjCf0NVYWHVhHGqdBS593DvIMhNedJo5NyNWoBW7E0S-5WUJLfKDE0fPTqNoYXwrvpYkDlC2iaAuAJCnw_qq4t9pQiCmt7QzDuqlE0tslu745WLNZ9faXCobZQlkF6AciwQ/s757/Hike2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="757" data-original-width="723" height="607" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz3203vPjwGdhPrpf9g5RFYCYgUTMdK-HwM9usVXkdBX5IA7gLaikb_wSSjCf0NVYWHVhHGqdBS593DvIMhNedJo5NyNWoBW7E0S-5WUJLfKDE0fPTqNoYXwrvpYkDlC2iaAuAJCnw_qq4t9pQiCmt7QzDuqlE0tslu745WLNZ9faXCobZQlkF6AciwQ/w580-h607/Hike2.png" width="580" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Weather report – a far cry from Monday earlier in the week. Cool bridge and overlook – enough climb to get your heart rate up. <span style="text-align: center;">Saturday, April 29.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><b>Living Room Lookout Trail</b></u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw0I5UpkimQIkr4cx5OBTRRg-VUOPztY3LoalN0A352sf9Vh-NnwDslfEARwZn4kR-dSMd5YvVZhklMnZigIVUjRdPMSbFY3NoBOW1z3i1FbVnzEDldjVxaHoJxsEjEzgbNy3WYPKujxG0iGyAGUVzFUhHiwOAGSiY0KxN3oPElD59JovETVUPNUY7-w/s1611/Hike3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="749" data-original-width="1611" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw0I5UpkimQIkr4cx5OBTRRg-VUOPztY3LoalN0A352sf9Vh-NnwDslfEARwZn4kR-dSMd5YvVZhklMnZigIVUjRdPMSbFY3NoBOW1z3i1FbVnzEDldjVxaHoJxsEjEzgbNy3WYPKujxG0iGyAGUVzFUhHiwOAGSiY0KxN3oPElD59JovETVUPNUY7-w/w640-h298/Hike3.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Not a long hike but almost entirely uphill to the overlook. Downhill was a quad-killer – rubbery legs for the rest of the day. Weather Report – perfect. <span style="text-align: center;">Sunday, April 30, 2023</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bgvkRMbVISmTsVgTQWo6AFgoLzl3-O4QoVyUNqUrzgeG4CR_eJZuimDH2A1U-921rbV31e5LCQUNr75eCKOczH13eRsSmNrWYiD0yDg00ZqqZ5H7LFizILD8QHjCv28EIhqQ2UQ83AcF_EsKCiiYuLOmi-m_TZVHwlYvDi_fZ2reLLMJY1wq0qAotA/s4032/Photo%20Apr%2030%202023,%208%2041%2010%20AM%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bgvkRMbVISmTsVgTQWo6AFgoLzl3-O4QoVyUNqUrzgeG4CR_eJZuimDH2A1U-921rbV31e5LCQUNr75eCKOczH13eRsSmNrWYiD0yDg00ZqqZ5H7LFizILD8QHjCv28EIhqQ2UQ83AcF_EsKCiiYuLOmi-m_TZVHwlYvDi_fZ2reLLMJY1wq0qAotA/w400-h300/Photo%20Apr%2030%202023,%208%2041%2010%20AM%20(1).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline;"><br /></span></div><u><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-weight: bold;"><div style="text-align: center;"><u>South Deuel Creek Trail</u></div></span></u><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyIHUT3oqB98nMalbJRB53iZjr0ROPzfRlPowJDSPQrimOIRqqqD_cI15VCRV0waDdY3Y5AQFz7_QyDrIBM0Y2KiWLAyGCdgua_w_oa478daUBpzF9MuLl1-f2FgXjiNIIPTZRrzC221NUT0-6mcsuwkeSWR2-U7n6NfzjIWeerExhfr-jk_31ipDVzA/s1031/0503.2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="907" data-original-width="1031" height="564" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyIHUT3oqB98nMalbJRB53iZjr0ROPzfRlPowJDSPQrimOIRqqqD_cI15VCRV0waDdY3Y5AQFz7_QyDrIBM0Y2KiWLAyGCdgua_w_oa478daUBpzF9MuLl1-f2FgXjiNIIPTZRrzC221NUT0-6mcsuwkeSWR2-U7n6NfzjIWeerExhfr-jk_31ipDVzA/w640-h564/0503.2.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Creek flow is very heavy – and beautiful. All bridges were cross-able with only some sketchiness. Trail condition is great up to the rope swing. The rope swing itself seems to be ready for the coming season of swingers (that sounds weird now that I read that back). We trekked past the swing about 3/4 mile and end up in mucho snow before we turned around. All in all, an excellent hike. Bonus: about 1/2 mile up (give or take) springing up from the base of the canyon is an absolutely exquisite tree in bloom. The attached pic doesn’t do it justice in any way. You have to go see it. And unfortunately the blooms will probably be gone in very short order.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; text-decoration-line: underline;"><u><b>Viewmont V </b></u></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia1pJvaB7XDqpnsbZGzqTIc-FmHgQdLtyJtAvO1aEiAjShitg5qvjCGkW7ibI0b6kK--5wmXTrd5reKzlBcdLUh6vEv3V9IaiM1o_V_gW7BLx0Mp6UjEwqugXc8EzEteLDT02XpnCMlA-HM6LRHVqud4kxjSOPIdIm_j7-Ny3JxkqH6RtcLguLxr7kuA/s1335/v.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="1335" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia1pJvaB7XDqpnsbZGzqTIc-FmHgQdLtyJtAvO1aEiAjShitg5qvjCGkW7ibI0b6kK--5wmXTrd5reKzlBcdLUh6vEv3V9IaiM1o_V_gW7BLx0Mp6UjEwqugXc8EzEteLDT02XpnCMlA-HM6LRHVqud4kxjSOPIdIm_j7-Ny3JxkqH6RtcLguLxr7kuA/w640-h440/v.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Conditions – very, very schwetty. Excellent views of the valley and our Great Salt Lake puddles . Since the “peace” sign is the official BeWell hand symbol (don’t look at me funny, I’m just following the book), it seemed a fitting hike for the theme. So yeah…..and done.</div></div></div><div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><p></p><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><u>Bountiful Lake Loop</u></b></div></b><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj20E321VWXiX5Em3SyCfii8KF6KZVqya243oxLitOsi47kSKA6vPii0qdC-VKwNLNL8es3Lz-tM6WJ7mQv0PxeXxwYGjkuT_m6WhR8l2WH12ZXMgWn8R8-doMQxQlMQEEGPeU-BZH44_OU6sBGcLrYnp4JmWySuIehfqO7h22IOO-_36bbkHuhDVy4Bg/s813/bountifulloop.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="813" data-original-width="760" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj20E321VWXiX5Em3SyCfii8KF6KZVqya243oxLitOsi47kSKA6vPii0qdC-VKwNLNL8es3Lz-tM6WJ7mQv0PxeXxwYGjkuT_m6WhR8l2WH12ZXMgWn8R8-doMQxQlMQEEGPeU-BZH44_OU6sBGcLrYnp4JmWySuIehfqO7h22IOO-_36bbkHuhDVy4Bg/w598-h640/bountifulloop.png" width="598" /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Conditions – W-E-T. I tacked this “hike” on with a morning run directly out of the office. About 1/3 of the trail is under water so I was doing some serious high-knees through much of it and returned with sopping shoes. Listed at 6’ of elevation gain, yes, SIX FEET, this one was a grunt. Luckily it was breezy keeping any mosquitoes away. Probs won’t be recommending this one even though it’s on the list of suggested hikes. My suggestion…..skip it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Wild Rose Loop</div><div style="text-align: center;">Above North Salt Lake</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEVYYSnnEbpvFqjwfct23RMXU15s-edAiw889-2ltXNnnkPfhOpsCwk34IgKhepAhjCcqwajnPFGZSY0z5gsAlUuwY2-NIGKwZKkDDqDlPqpy3MBTApFWWWKzlWh2_5_rj1vJX4jnKDyyv6k4kIYw_x2UILJZe8fYd6YVIB_vcIS4d54yaT4gDUQ9bAA/s739/wildrose.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="739" data-original-width="593" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEVYYSnnEbpvFqjwfct23RMXU15s-edAiw889-2ltXNnnkPfhOpsCwk34IgKhepAhjCcqwajnPFGZSY0z5gsAlUuwY2-NIGKwZKkDDqDlPqpy3MBTApFWWWKzlWh2_5_rj1vJX4jnKDyyv6k4kIYw_x2UILJZe8fYd6YVIB_vcIS4d54yaT4gDUQ9bAA/w514-h640/wildrose.png" width="514" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Conditions – Perfect. Cool and fresh from some light rail the night before. Greenification is still in the works. Numerous options on this jaunt that can extend from 40 minutes to well over an hour, if you want. Great views of our stomping grounds in Davis County. Unfortunately, no roses, wild or otherwise, to be seen.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNK-vY6_8NO8OCP3-VdsJtdW8FVMQYGBQpH6UTy56eqVrzl6jhY_vuWhlSs2PMRG_UlepwGCYRSRpb3Ay5Vx3nKI2b08kBxSVQzzq3WZoTiMJIsMx1VIUs9DvcYClp8rlk6DdWXvbIQTRc56M5E8AsCNLv5MVrej_c5xfteMdTyBfFEQ29Qnr9sUVekw/s4032/Photo%20Apr%2030%202023,%2010%2007%2000%20AM.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNK-vY6_8NO8OCP3-VdsJtdW8FVMQYGBQpH6UTy56eqVrzl6jhY_vuWhlSs2PMRG_UlepwGCYRSRpb3Ay5Vx3nKI2b08kBxSVQzzq3WZoTiMJIsMx1VIUs9DvcYClp8rlk6DdWXvbIQTRc56M5E8AsCNLv5MVrej_c5xfteMdTyBfFEQ29Qnr9sUVekw/w400-h300/Photo%20Apr%2030%202023,%2010%2007%2000%20AM.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><u>Ensign Peak via Bonneville Shoreline Trail</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEPYKg4StmCrFecJiz6A9PqBeQoIhbXQmV8aXgIkcXI7debbDSlYaDSi6AV_pPoBWdvutZPUl8iT7lMziKWBEM6cz0J03j3AMuPTvHsR2Kx4ljJ4MaTv2Z0kqgCy8bfsdp5dO01eQ7vH6uWwUS3-9B6mosqarfIeTEPr6d3whAhD4drvEPaz6DE1tLmQ/s986/ensign%20peak.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="773" data-original-width="986" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEPYKg4StmCrFecJiz6A9PqBeQoIhbXQmV8aXgIkcXI7debbDSlYaDSi6AV_pPoBWdvutZPUl8iT7lMziKWBEM6cz0J03j3AMuPTvHsR2Kx4ljJ4MaTv2Z0kqgCy8bfsdp5dO01eQ7vH6uWwUS3-9B6mosqarfIeTEPr6d3whAhD4drvEPaz6DE1tLmQ/w640-h502/ensign%20peak.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">May 10 ... Hammered out 6.35 miles with Zac dragging my sorry carcass to the finish. Speaking of carcass, the elk or deer remains on the trail certainly got our attention wondering who’s dinner this was and if we were next. On our return trip to Tunnel Springs Park, the photo ops were in FULL BLOOM – grads, engagement, bridal, missionary….what have you. They are were all there. While the views are mostly urban and less mountain-y, this was a great loop. The city overlooks are worth a glance. Trail conditions were perfect.</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Farmington Creek</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3RtEC6OoUYDmDmf_bXiWYD2JpHHh94i2mRmus5z7aHUZaOjcFUP39LTBoeHC3N3aSl1R3rmXm026BLkFYAMtnsU8MRQjKKgh2s24YRP6Ajrwvj9Du7YUHnXR76_nyL0kX_x5Rf6AQuUJqMtNBZrdYFiBV3ekW7PBB1Fp9CVhaKHNMY1IRDoCLfa8UyA/s1229/2023.0513%20Farmington%20Creek%20pictures.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="701" data-original-width="1229" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3RtEC6OoUYDmDmf_bXiWYD2JpHHh94i2mRmus5z7aHUZaOjcFUP39LTBoeHC3N3aSl1R3rmXm026BLkFYAMtnsU8MRQjKKgh2s24YRP6Ajrwvj9Du7YUHnXR76_nyL0kX_x5Rf6AQuUJqMtNBZrdYFiBV3ekW7PBB1Fp9CVhaKHNMY1IRDoCLfa8UyA/w640-h366/2023.0513%20Farmington%20Creek%20pictures.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">May 13 ... Farmington Creek Trail </div><div style="text-align: justify;">This oft-forgotten trail needs its minute. 2023 may be its year and quite possibly not have another year like it. Why, you ask? The falls……Oh. Em. Gee…..the FALLS. Neither my verbosity nor any picture will help. This hike is worth its ending. Hard stop. To summarize some info: The actual trailhead is about one mile above the Farmington Canyon gate which is currently closed/locked and will probably remain that way for another month, plus or minus. There’s a parking lot right below the gate. Park it there and start walking. Because Zac-Attack is an animal and takes no prisoners, he made me park at Farmington Pond and add another mile to our jaunt. Because of course. At the first switchback in the road you break off to the trailhead. The greenification of the canyon is still a work in progress. Not sure what bug we encountered but it was def worth a close up. Along the path, the tale of casualties coming from the road above is told by the vehicular carcasses still on display at the canyon floor. R.I.P. whoever was inside whence they descended. For those who will venture out on this hike, waterproof hiking shoes or better yet, hiking boots are invaluable. There are 3 stream crossings which I would call small, medium and large. Being able to get into water at least ankle deep will make your voyage a bit easier. About 2 miles from the trailhead you reach it….your destination….your purpose for being there that day. The Falls. Here’s the kicker – to get down to the base of the falls where you can really take in the proportions…..nay, its majesty… there are two routes: Rope descent – not a rappel but marvelously sketchy nonetheless. Muddy switchback – not as bad as it sounds as it will be drying a little bit everyday and making it much more passable. The choice is yours. The payoff, if you don’t tumble down the hill into the raging rapids below, is beyond any description. And I shall not attempt one. Now you can wait until the gate is opened in a few weeks and park right at the trailhead. But you risk the waterflow dropping to a more normal level. To reiterate….the pics just don’t capture it. Real life is the only way to experience it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhma06_DvNMHy-GYlVpPL6urv7QlBFdRcpHJf7FrA4gIc44fwzwxqCE4eD39ttMmrsXv7CKYwthdDCujPTzbN1bFIWQj25OSwkU5PoJ6MlV7ck_B4D7-UB9GoIk8gGF9cq5alOiP-b6IJGW3cx56ToMwhT1gbtkQ7aihUzRW90xnc2gL4ylElbkSd7jvA/s1423/2023.0513%20Farminton%20Creek%20Map.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1062" data-original-width="1423" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhma06_DvNMHy-GYlVpPL6urv7QlBFdRcpHJf7FrA4gIc44fwzwxqCE4eD39ttMmrsXv7CKYwthdDCujPTzbN1bFIWQj25OSwkU5PoJ6MlV7ck_B4D7-UB9GoIk8gGF9cq5alOiP-b6IJGW3cx56ToMwhT1gbtkQ7aihUzRW90xnc2gL4ylElbkSd7jvA/w591-h442/2023.0513%20Farminton%20Creek%20Map.png" width="591" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Here's a little video (<a href="https://youtu.be/py9WbQxqb7Q">https://youtu.be/py9WbQxqb7Q</a>)</div><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/py9WbQxqb7Q" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Parrish Creek</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDTZRBUQ-bIOU2NIJT_iQp-GXUC6FvGMyGchCmYBNtyY03sVRv4XTVbHZcS2MZTI9-Ph7LEQM63B4lq5bhfGuJaVK_xKSBx2Ap7EWrDmAucm8r5cbznh75fFYSYoCog7rQAmACujy1xUIM7Ny3gzeVkvHXtGaE9xftCfmOr15UheaGhd42Z1uWYmoUPw/s1151/2023.0516%20Parrish%20Creek%20Map.png"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDTZRBUQ-bIOU2NIJT_iQp-GXUC6FvGMyGchCmYBNtyY03sVRv4XTVbHZcS2MZTI9-Ph7LEQM63B4lq5bhfGuJaVK_xKSBx2Ap7EWrDmAucm8r5cbznh75fFYSYoCog7rQAmACujy1xUIM7Ny3gzeVkvHXtGaE9xftCfmOr15UheaGhd42Z1uWYmoUPw/w538-h344/2023.0516%20Parrish%20Creek%20Map.png" /></a></div></div></div></div><br /><div><div style="text-align: justify;">May 16 ... Gonna go ahead and say cross this one off your list unless self-punishment is part of your regimen. Parrish Creek Trail (not to be confused with Parrish Creek Pictographs Trail). A tad over 6 miles. Over 2000 feet of elevation gain. Scenery and views decent but no climactic ending point. Just a heave almost the whole way. Note to self: no more light grey shorts. There’s a reason I wear black. Won’t going into details.</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTcCVDS-lbg7VHVFKf6otYFdEMxVqJZcOIRIFTevKlCZJkrFpLntvb6o2zh07DA0PXYKkl7zP5h65_u0qPZWDxMdz8m1NtEfv2RlHo5tBq_OrhG29Gpc-M1Bbg4IsLrSzsoQ6AYkKa_bn8K6V92Xz1EviFxTCqitL0-v_zDZauzLk5zTJ2MV0WkENDNg/s906/2023.0516%20Parrish%20Creek%20Pictures%20Milk%20Duds.png"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTcCVDS-lbg7VHVFKf6otYFdEMxVqJZcOIRIFTevKlCZJkrFpLntvb6o2zh07DA0PXYKkl7zP5h65_u0qPZWDxMdz8m1NtEfv2RlHo5tBq_OrhG29Gpc-M1Bbg4IsLrSzsoQ6AYkKa_bn8K6V92Xz1EviFxTCqitL0-v_zDZauzLk5zTJ2MV0WkENDNg/w640-h494/2023.0516%20Parrish%20Creek%20Pictures%20Milk%20Duds.png" /></a></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Fun fact: I did not know that Milk Duds grew naturally in the wild. A tad bitter at this stage, so I’m guessing they need to ripen a little bit. But Jon Olson will be relieved to know he no longer needs to spend absurd amounts of money when he can harvest them naturally in the foothills of Davis County.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">To reiterate….proceed at own risk! GB Out.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Mueller Park - Elephant Rock</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikNFeVLkyYm5nARl0ErkDdtpqAPZcXCh6QJHEjmAxRG_8yyK77ESYTYa_MH5zXb0xWGjJX5nKrw0seJ8YfJjtQDeAXKzsGQ8LDgnPPgj9urGqFmdA2sxm4NlWnLGxWHp8f6YQnz76xNSsG6Tgs6yTinbeAfhkbsVRJt-anfBUnskfKoSvdGWKX5Qr2_A/s931/2023.0525%20Mueller.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="927" data-original-width="931" height="638" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikNFeVLkyYm5nARl0ErkDdtpqAPZcXCh6QJHEjmAxRG_8yyK77ESYTYa_MH5zXb0xWGjJX5nKrw0seJ8YfJjtQDeAXKzsGQ8LDgnPPgj9urGqFmdA2sxm4NlWnLGxWHp8f6YQnz76xNSsG6Tgs6yTinbeAfhkbsVRJt-anfBUnskfKoSvdGWKX5Qr2_A/w640-h638/2023.0525%20Mueller.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I asked Gray how they got the cool shot (below) of them on the rock from a distance. He said that Zac spotted a biker who had just arrived at the point where you start the scramble to the rock. We yelled up to him and he obliged. Then we scrambled back to the trail so he could text it to us. Even the full images aren’t particularly good quality but they were much better than nothing.</div><div><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVa4lokIBGu9QN-B4yySSsALxsV2OHdikuqKVj7MEohbZvwfWHbUeFt2iMmDsT8Ix8lFTzPfhKVECqgJZHPTN-3cWLJr_gbEoqbVM8q46SL4CgQ673hoQerU1SmeHOyEpIS0tvjvYOSvqSICsViZnONkzVmECJg2lBWwWWW8V2cjJ03kzsBP4h8M_y-g/s1274/2023.0531%20Elephant%20Rock.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="735" data-original-width="1274" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVa4lokIBGu9QN-B4yySSsALxsV2OHdikuqKVj7MEohbZvwfWHbUeFt2iMmDsT8Ix8lFTzPfhKVECqgJZHPTN-3cWLJr_gbEoqbVM8q46SL4CgQ673hoQerU1SmeHOyEpIS0tvjvYOSvqSICsViZnONkzVmECJg2lBWwWWW8V2cjJ03kzsBP4h8M_y-g/w640-h370/2023.0531%20Elephant%20Rock.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />This was May 25, and here's Grayson's write up for the work competition ...<br /><br /></div><blockquote>So I said to ChatGPT, I says…. “Write a satirical haiku poem about our hike on Mueller Park Trail to Elephant Rock” (I am not responsible for this content. Blame ChatGPT. I’m just the messenger) <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Perfect day to hike,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Zac and Grayson hit the trail,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Fashion show begins.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Zac, hot and stylish,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Hiking gear on fleek, they say,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Nature's catwalk star.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Seven miles conquered,</div><div style="text-align: center;">1099 feet uphill,</div><div style="text-align: center;">But Zac steals the show.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Elephant Rock waits,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Scrambling to a fierce pose,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Overlooking views.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Fashion-forward hike,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Zac, the trail's top model,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Nature's runway won.</div></blockquote><p><br /></p><p> </p><blockquote><div style="text-align: center;">Deuel Creek - Attempt</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGyGX3NrcQ5mQTIh5JLSYUzJpaj5X-vWs09AQ0kmKsIcuzT6Fpl9m97uxvIp38ka5mjKE1dXN9sIKrM5DOgCoSZumfDmTdFje4RTwiJ0kaR0-jwlN4drWGWPn0ySsWCCSw5kJ9SJ589cT4Ou-iMkiZwpTKqTBCOVX_XHQg0tOkcfvXFelCkwx7ComXjA/s893/2023.0526%20Deuel%20Creek.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="699" data-original-width="893" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGyGX3NrcQ5mQTIh5JLSYUzJpaj5X-vWs09AQ0kmKsIcuzT6Fpl9m97uxvIp38ka5mjKE1dXN9sIKrM5DOgCoSZumfDmTdFje4RTwiJ0kaR0-jwlN4drWGWPn0ySsWCCSw5kJ9SJ589cT4Ou-iMkiZwpTKqTBCOVX_XHQg0tOkcfvXFelCkwx7ComXjA/w640-h500/2023.0526%20Deuel%20Creek.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><div style="text-align: justify;">May 26 ... with a crew of five. Creek had overrun one of its crossings. We couldn’t find an alternate. Had to back out. Bummer. Decided on breakfast instead. Again, Grayson turned to ChatGPT...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP5cwk_JZWg918EhOr8_eaUsKk48c_5sJg94NdbpIwm2U2DhSBc2peAkC8A82deFwoJqW6dYeB5pM0ULtTd8qwCPaNdk9veXGl0Nvfuj5kjuV5Oh9AX9qUzKh4tTFI1c8mgqzs64hn3VWEclcqRsPa8SQzRaKlmG7rCPPP3iKh_1V6dqm2VvgdMKEidQ/s819/2023.0526%20song.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="641" data-original-width="819" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP5cwk_JZWg918EhOr8_eaUsKk48c_5sJg94NdbpIwm2U2DhSBc2peAkC8A82deFwoJqW6dYeB5pM0ULtTd8qwCPaNdk9veXGl0Nvfuj5kjuV5Oh9AX9qUzKh4tTFI1c8mgqzs64hn3VWEclcqRsPa8SQzRaKlmG7rCPPP3iKh_1V6dqm2VvgdMKEidQ/w640-h500/2023.0526%20song.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Grayson completed the hike himself a few days later.</div></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Bell's Canyon</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7MOliUjeQ6-_laVVGrvCvCUcPhAeX2NDlt6smSpisgwZkd6aissIZFzkTUekCU5OVwM-1ZDLY6SXYRr6R7f9mENQG95nIFURCNnaTIgvC40l3ea4OLkPQrLRiPOX6TI41lIaP-b4uEsrIsxaI-A-JQbZt9sjMPXqbrArd1S8VCHrbwI4X8MT13DCf8Q/s1224/2023.05%20Bell%20w.Landon.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="926" data-original-width="1224" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7MOliUjeQ6-_laVVGrvCvCUcPhAeX2NDlt6smSpisgwZkd6aissIZFzkTUekCU5OVwM-1ZDLY6SXYRr6R7f9mENQG95nIFURCNnaTIgvC40l3ea4OLkPQrLRiPOX6TI41lIaP-b4uEsrIsxaI-A-JQbZt9sjMPXqbrArd1S8VCHrbwI4X8MT13DCf8Q/w640-h484/2023.05%20Bell%20w.Landon.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Gray hit Bell's Canyon in Sandy on May 21 (alone) and then again on May 28 with Landon. Landon has been getting into hiking now too. Grayson doesn't want to dominate the Symphony hiking challenge, so he's not even submitting all his hikes. No clever write up for this one. </div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;">Over Memorial Day Weekend, Gray and Zac hit three different trails ...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil179TxaBAtQTSI9Q5l87CuUE7kSyVnrMCbCfW7t9GrQ23rK9AfjLDqGpMBfxnxyn89U5eExV_1-LzYuEbCdUHt9dUH0i38Yld4u5BQP8zG8eyytmQjhJ4ZKzuvEbamCjpTharu5P1-gP1RWEU_foZtNQcGDLHcz5Hn0XbVCPGj3eCML8V7UlI_FLoCA/s797/Freedom%20Hills%20Switchbacks.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="584" data-original-width="797" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil179TxaBAtQTSI9Q5l87CuUE7kSyVnrMCbCfW7t9GrQ23rK9AfjLDqGpMBfxnxyn89U5eExV_1-LzYuEbCdUHt9dUH0i38Yld4u5BQP8zG8eyytmQjhJ4ZKzuvEbamCjpTharu5P1-gP1RWEU_foZtNQcGDLHcz5Hn0XbVCPGj3eCML8V7UlI_FLoCA/w640-h468/Freedom%20Hills%20Switchbacks.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQpBbf4nFDvPaixnwsC9BK0HtuOgTTJOQw-HlqG1xNHHNxktzfhDIPcO8zXHigmtVD8FFIvYSLTgvOkpkHPRqy555qTpc6sxpsQO54KBdmaYW5C0fUYMJb3V4nfKtQQvCHQ4rqNpXd4em-mtbB8q6Bc8Mti4L6tX-t7xfTCh3-3PYYFYcC856ZRgCTNQ/s798/Davis%20Creek%20Trail.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="798" data-original-width="666" height="727" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQpBbf4nFDvPaixnwsC9BK0HtuOgTTJOQw-HlqG1xNHHNxktzfhDIPcO8zXHigmtVD8FFIvYSLTgvOkpkHPRqy555qTpc6sxpsQO54KBdmaYW5C0fUYMJb3V4nfKtQQvCHQ4rqNpXd4em-mtbB8q6Bc8Mti4L6tX-t7xfTCh3-3PYYFYcC856ZRgCTNQ/w607-h727/Davis%20Creek%20Trail.png" width="607" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2f4EJX3ffKpidnBQZ38O7KCNYYFWlDhK0d_BgLvwc8wLWMLQPRtl61aw7yglXeeX-RIVaSmTNC44Ww-Kp9zmklPs74TjiTYCh5shMERbUJQCNVDnuByEpSiaeyfgevERkXv0wsN08SBxEsdYiJozD_uEaU4tv0tG7LvFeR-hfMhwHGQvIpoIleV7Fug/s1154/Parrish%20Pictographs.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="494" data-original-width="1154" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2f4EJX3ffKpidnBQZ38O7KCNYYFWlDhK0d_BgLvwc8wLWMLQPRtl61aw7yglXeeX-RIVaSmTNC44Ww-Kp9zmklPs74TjiTYCh5shMERbUJQCNVDnuByEpSiaeyfgevERkXv0wsN08SBxEsdYiJozD_uEaU4tv0tG7LvFeR-hfMhwHGQvIpoIleV7Fug/w640-h274/Parrish%20Pictographs.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">... more <a href="https://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2023/09/hiking-challenge-continued.html" target="_blank">HIKING in JUNE/JULY 2023</a> and in <a href="https://blackhamboys.blogspot.com/2023/09/more-hikes.html" target="_blank">AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2023</a></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>JenBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16376616104651932239noreply@blogger.com0