Monumental

Today Feb 23, 2011 Sunny ate a sandwich. She ate all of it. She ate it with out disassembling it first. This is a first for her. She ate it like any other person would eat it. Then she ate all her oranges and chips just for good measure. I am feeling very accomplished as a parent after this.

It must be a very cold day in you know where.

Walking in a Winter Whining Wonder Land

So, last year, we started snowshoeing. We got snowshoes from my in-laws for Christmas and went several times last year. I remember the first time we went about a year ago up Millcreek Canyon. We saw lots of great scenery, clean air, cross country skiers, dogs, and other healthy recreators. It was inspiring and we’ve plunged into winter sports ever since.

We hadn’t used our snowshoes yet this year. As discussed previously, we tried to go once, but only brought one set of snowshoes, so it became a hike in the snow.

So, we were very eagerly anticipating our first snowshoeing trip of the year. Our plan was to pull the kids with our new and already improved sleds (we added longer ropes for improved pull-a-bility). We had looked forward to this for months. We decided to go up Millcreek Canyon because we knew it would be a good place to pull the kids (not too steep, plenty wide) and we knew we’d have great experience there.

Finally, President’s day came. It had snowed for the two previous days and then the Monday holiday was warm and sunny. Perfect for snowshoeing. It looked so ideal, that we packed a lunch and a waterproof blanket and planned to have a picnic on the trail. The kids were very excited about this idea of a winter picnic.


We arrived at the top of the canyon and saw that a lot of other people had the same idea we did. The lots were packed. But we got a great parking spot anyway.

This guy got such a good spot he decided to leave his car for the whole winter I guess.

The snow cat ran by as we arrived.
The kids thought that was exciting. They also seemed to enjoy our hike up the canyon. It was very pretty. Lots of new, clean snow. Other interesting recreators were everywhere.

One thing we noticed immediately was a lot of dogs and a whole lot of yellow snow. I guess every other day they are allowed off-leash up there and it was today. So many dogs running around.
It was fun—but also a little bit of a pain to deal with them all. Of course, the girls wanted to see each dog until it got close to them and then they got scared. Oh well.

Sunny, and then Alyssa decided they wanted to pull their own sleds for a while.

Fine with me!

We were just starting to move along pretty good when Alyssa started to complain about “freeze toes.” It was a very nice day—there was no way her feet were really too cold. But she started whining about it a lot. Of course, Sunny then joined in the game. She complained even more about her freeze toes although I seriously doubt here feet were anything but sweltering in her boots and two pairs of socks (these kids take after Steve whose feet are usually burning hot).

We eventually stopped and I put some mittens on Alyssa’s feet.
She seemed to think this was humorous enough and we kept going. She felt like Curious George with four hands. Sunny got mittens on her feet 25 feet later.

Now, everyone’s feet were OK, the complaint was about donuts, more specifically their wanting some, which they knew were in the backpack to eat with lunch.
So, we stopped quite a while before we were planning to and had lunch in the middle of the trail.


It was actually pretty fun.
Cold cuts on King’s Hawaiian Rolls™, grapes, Cheetos™, and mini donuts. Everyone was happy.

Happy until a huge Pluto (Alyssa for poodle) came up and wanted to eat our food. Wanted it bad. It grabbed a roll right out of Steve’s hand, and now emboldened was trying to take everything we had. The poodle’s owner tried to stop it, but this animal had tasted blood (or Hawaiian style rolls anyway) and wouldn’t give up. I put the meat and other food back in my backpack just in time. The poodle still was after us, so Steve threw a roll down the trail. The poodle chased it—and then came right back. At this point the dog’s owner and we got more aggressive and chased it off. But not before it jumped right over Sunny. This scared her and she was crying at this point “I don’t want that dog to eat my food,” she wailed.

So after this pleasant experience, we packed up and walked back down. Down is a lot faster—but we had made it further up than we thought. Both girls we weeping as we climbed down.


We had been out about an hour and a half at this point. It was 28 degrees out (not real cold) and we were all dressed really well. But these girls are not used to such hardship. Alyssa kept telling us she thought our picnic would be in Moab by the stone arch (her name for Delicate Arch). So I think she was disappointed as much as cold. Anyway, we pulled two crying girls down the canyon.

Steve and I had a pretty good time though. It was unbelievably scenic—the perfect day.

Notice Sunny's blankie in the background here. Yep...we had to break it out for her comfort although she pretty much cried the whole way down anyway. I felt really bad for her.

We remembered coming up a year ago and feeling so out of place with the REI crowd up here. This time, we felt like we fit in (please no comments about our not fitting in up there—don’t burst my bubble).

We finally got to the bottom and packed the girls up. They were both very traumatized. This might have been the worst thing that ever happened to them. So much crying and a little more shivering than I ever want to see again.
Thank goodness for blankies.
Alyssa trying so hard to be brave and not cry.
I know how she felt though I cried after finishing that horrible Tour-de-Cure in Brigham last year. Alyssa and Sunny will stay home from our next few winter mountain treks.

You know this was a very damaging experience for them because after they had been in the warm car about six minutes, they forgot all about the coldness and just acted normal.

We went to Einstein Brothers Bagel Bakery™ for some hot cocoa. Note: Einstein’s cups have the little slit holes in the top like every other coffee shop. But they don’t have brewing straws. I guess you are supposed to shove a regular straw through the brew-staw hole. Of maybe just pick up the cup and drink right through the brew-straw hole (and hope the top stays on). Either way, my verdict: Lame.

Despite the hardship, we had a good time.
We even sent this picture into KSL.

One final note, this is Steve writing in the style of Kristin. Could you tell?

I skied, I'm a Skier

Yes...those are my feet. For 32 years I have always thought that skiing was too hard and too expensive and too dangerous and too cold to even try. A few weeks ago I found out that you could ski for FREE at Alta Ski Resort after 3pm. I also found out that you could rent all the equipment you needed to ski for around $12.

Steve in his former life was a bit of an expert when it came to skiing. Then he moved to California and married me, the non-skier, and never went again. However a group of his co-workers decided to get together for a ski day so he signed up to go too. He had a blast. Even though he hadn’t been in 9 years, he was able to run the hills 20 times during the day.

He came home from that outing determined to take ME skiing. He told me I should at least give it a try. I decided to go for it, against my better instincts to never slide down an icy mountain on long skinny waxed foot sleds.

I agreed to go because I knew I could do it for only $12 and I wouldn’t feel any pressure to have a $100 all-day experience. It’s like golf. I like to golf, but I only like to play 4 to 6 holes because I get bored. I thought staying all day on a cold mountain sounded…not fun. This, I could do.

So we rented the junk and headed up the mountain the next day. Special thanks to my mother in law for watching our kids. We got there and unloaded our stuff. We got rock star parking and unloaded and put on said ski junk.

Then we headed onto the hill. It was very slippery. I was sliding everywhere and I just could not stop. It was only slightly down hill, but it didn’t seem to matter. I just slid and slid and slid until I fell, fell and fell. It didn’t hurt and I was expecting that. I was expecting to be able to control myself a little more than this. (Steve’s comment: This is the area by the transfer rope tow at the Alta Albion base. Basically a flat surface.)

Steve intended to take me up the rope tow a few times before we went up the real lift, but I couldn’t exactly get to the rope tow.

He decided to send me back to the start of the non-hill on the transfer rope tow so I could try and get the hang of it a little more before I went up even the beginner bunny rope tow hill.
Here I am being moved by this rope and clinging to it for life. I might look like I am having fun, but I promise it is just because I felt so stupid and inadequate.

I again tried, but failed to reach the rope tow. I just couldn’t understand how to make those skis turn and stop. All the other children who were there learning to ski for the first time didn't seem to have the same problems I was having. They were all at the rope tow riding up and sking down...but I for some reason was unable to accomplish this.

After 20 minutes or so of spousal ski instruction I was final able to make my skis turn in one direction. The real lift opened and Steve assured me that with my newly acquired skill I was qualified to ride the lift and go down the bunny hill. I wasn’t sure how this was possible since I didn’t have a clue as how to operate the junk I was wearing, but…I was obedient and rode up the lift.

The lift was very impressive. It was incredibly beautiful on the mountain.

We’d been here several times earlier in the year during the summer to hike. We’d seen all those Moose right here in this very area, but it was very different covered in 10 feet or so of snow. So quiet.
So serene. Very impressive. I was in awe.


Before I knew it we were at the top of the lift and I was very nervous about it. I felt like a little child nervous at the bottom of an escalator. What to do, what to do. As my feet hit the ground I stood up as directed and then Steve grabbed my arm and we skied away from the lift and down a gentle incline toward the signs marked “Easiest Way Down” I, as a result of lack of ski skill and experience, immediately skied right off the groomed trail and out of bounds.
The snow doesn’t taste too bad just in case you were wondering. Better than down in the valley I’d say.

Here is the evidence of my first of a series of crashes.
I got up each time and that is the important part. We skied down and I turned my one good direction and then crashed when it was time to turn the other. OH BROTHER! It is very difficult to stand up on a mountain with your feet bound to these skis.


Then…it happened. I started to feel how it worked. I thought I was supposed to lead on my inside leg to turn, I mis-understood what Steve was telling me. As soon as I started leaning on the proper leg I could turn in either direction. EITHER DIRECTION! No more crashes. Okay a few more, but not constant.

It was about ¾ of the way down the first run where I finally caught on.
Beauty.
Here I am skiing now!


(Interesting comparison...here's Steve and Sunny in the same spot during a hiking trip last summer...see the mountain behind them and me in the ski photo above?.. What a difference a season makes.)

Then the only thing I had problems with was going too fast and feeling out of control. I don’t like feeling out of control. I realized I just needed more experience, so we went up the lift again.

Aren’t we cute together? Yes.

The second time was totally different than the first. I only crashed one time the whole way down.
The first run took us one hour. Then second time it only took 22 minutes. It was way funner this time too. Imagine that.

Instead of having all the little children pass me by, I was skiing with them. I could now ski about as well as a five-year-old. Congratulations! I was really surprised how many children were up there skiing on teeny-tiny skis. So cute, and daring. I do intend to make my children one of them, as soon as I am more experienced myself. My children aren’t going to spend their lives living at the bottom of world-class ski resorts without at least trying to ski.

The lifts were open for another 8 minutes so we decided to make a third and final run down the hill. Back up the lift.

This time we skied down the “Easy Way”, but not the “Easiest Way.” I graduated. It was a little more challenging, but I was up for it. We came to a long steep part and I was really nervous about going down so I had Steve stop and take some pictures of us so I could stall for a few minutes. Since I had no other options, I worked up some more nerve to continue the rest of the way down. I did well too. I almost crashed once, but saved it. I went too fast once and didn’t freak out and throw myself into a crash; I just stayed the course and eventually came to a stop. Steve was impressed with my rapid improvement. I was pretty impressed too truth be told.


I really, really enjoyed this experience. It wasn’t nearly as hard, painful, dangerous or cold as I was expecting. I would and will totally do this again, over and over in fact. I can see how people would get obsessed with this sport.

We packed our ski junk back into the van and headed back down the canyon to the shop where we rented this stuff. As we turned it in the attendant asked how we liked it. I told him it was great and that I loved it. To which he said… “You guys should get out more and do more stuff.” I was like…really? Your mom should get out more… You don’t know me, you don’t know my life, you don’t know what I do…I do plenty of stuff thank you very much. I didn’t actually say that, I just thought it. But we do plenty of stuff. This is just one more stuff to add to the list.

In all, it was a fantastic experience. I feel like a total idiot for living my whole life here and totally snubbing the mountains in the winter time. It was great. Not that hard or expensive and everyone should try this even if you never have before. If I can do this anyone can. You really shouldn’t say that you don’t like something unless you have at least tried it a time or two.

If you are interested in having a similar experience, you can rent your ski junk here for around $12. Go ski for free here after 3pm. If you go, let me know, so I can come too.

Big, big thanks to Steve for telling me that I could do this. I wish everyone could be married to Steve, because he's awesome and makes awesome things happen for me. But you can't, he's mine, ALL MINE!

(Steve’s Note: She really did pick it up really quickly. It was like one second she could not ski at all, and the next second she was skiing quite well. I think you just have to get the feel of it and then you are good to go. Thanks for doing this with me babe. It sounds like you are in for next time.)