Rapelling with the OCD...

A few of us from the Dixie College Outdoor Club got together Saturday morning and did a bit of rapelling training/review up at Cougar Cliffs. Allystair and Dr. Walker led the group, so we had the best instruction possible! It was nice weather and we had a lot of fun learning the ropes ;p We'll be doing a bit of canyoneering toward the beginning of November - yay!!!

TTC Troubles...

It's strange... I went through my adolescent and young adult years hearing so much about how to NOT become pregnant, that I assumed it would happen so easily when I tried. Now that we're ready to have a family, and after more than a year of being patient, we've begun to get a little worried. Things appear to be normal but (considering family and personal history), I've got an appointment toward the end of October anyway. We get so much mixed advice from people. Some say, "Don't stress it! Enjoy the childless time while you can!" and others say "Children are your goal. Family is your purpose in life. Don't wait." My opinion, however, falls kind of in the middle on this subject. I'm not ready to do the whole take-my-temperature-track-my-days-thing (mostly 'cause its too much work and seems so calculating :), but I'd like be more proactive. I get confused though at where it's Gods role and where it's my role. Should I go to extremes? Or should I be patient and take the stance, "It will happen when it happens?"

Fall camping trip ~ Beaver Mountain

We had an awesome, RELAXING weekend away from work on our annual fall camping trip to Beaver Mountain. Instead of staying at LaBaron Reservoir this year, we decided to stay a short distance away in a place called Woodcutters Meadow. The fam had work, but Trent did come up for a couple of days to hang out with us. The weather was perfect but we were about a week early for the leaf change. Last year, same time, leaves had already changed and were off.

Every night we were woken up by the elk bugling in the meadow next to us. The first night it scared me, the rest of the time it was just eerie! One night we went spotlighting on Big John Flat and saw the biggest bull elk any of us had ever seen! Think trophy-wall-at-Cabela's big! The boys were drooling. :)

Cows were everywhere we went up there! We couldn't figure out how the ranchers might even TRY to round them up to bring them down off the mountain.

In addition to elk and cows, we saw lots of deer, both buck and doe. We also saw several porcupines and flying squirrels. We hoped to see a bear but no luck. Maybe next year. :)

Trent and Kyle did lots of riding on the trails while I worked on an article analysis paper for my writing class and caught up on some other homework.

We didn't do a lot - and it was nice to just relax, spend time together, and forget about all the things waiting at home for us!

Saturday in the Subway!!!

We finally got permits to do the Subway (after trying to get them for several weeks, yayy)! Tyler and Trent came with us this year. We wanted to start later in the morning to avoid the rush of people and because Misty wanted a nap after her graveyard shift the night before. Trent, however, had "important plans" at 7pm that he needed to be back for, so we decided to compromise and leave town at 10am. We arrived at the Wildcat Trailhead in Kolob and began hiking at 11:30am.

The first 3 miles to get to the actual "Subway canyon" took us downhill through Kolob slickrock territory. When we reached the trecherous downhill climb into the canyon, we saw another group a distance away that appeared to be stuck halfway down a steeper, rockier, and more dangerous route. Kyle tried to get to them to tell them to turn around and use the way we came but once he got within yelling distace they were gone. We sure hope they made it down ok!

Tyler and Trent ditched their shoes near the bottom of the downhill climb because of blisters, and hiked the "hippie-way" until we reached cold water. They then decided that the shoes were worth the pain :)

Once inside the canyon, the air cooled us right down. The walk was enjoyable until we reached the first swim into a shady, ice-cold pool. Just as our clothes would begin to dry out, we'd have to swim through another, and then another, freezing-cold, water-filled slot. I kept wondering why I like to do this hike year after year!

We used the webbing to get over a few waterfalls and at the last big rapel, and then we were out of the cold slots and into the sun again!

At a mossy, steep waterfall, Trenton got too close to the edge, slipped, and went sliding out of control to the bottom. Luckily there was nothing for him to run into so he wasn't hurt, just soaked again and surpised. After four more miles of boring, hot riverbed hiking, (and a few snakes) we climbed up steep switchbacks to bring us to the end of the trail where the car was waiting. Our hike ended just before 5pm, timing us at about 5 1/2 hours for the entire thing. Only after we got back into town did we find out that Trenton's "super important plans" involved a hot date that night. :P

Pursuit Training

http://www.kcsg.com/news/local/27846259.html?video=YHI&t=a

Both me and Kyle had fun today training with the PD for vehicle pursuits in the industrial area south of St George. Kyle practiced evasive driving, felony stops, and pursuing, and even got caught on TV throwing spike strips. Misty practiced dispatching the pursuits, and then came out for awhile and helped officers train by being one of the "bad guys" in the cars that were stopped, being non-compliant, hiding a gun, and even running away from them. It was really good training for both dispatchers and officers, and a ton of fun too!