Swell-tering Summer

 

So far Summer's been pretty swell, and pretty swell-tering. It is getting quite toasty here on the Wasatch front. I don’t mind the heat so much…except for the AC in my car not working, which is downright inconvenient! The thing about not having air conditioning is that when you show up at a party, people are bound to ask you embarrassing things, like "Oh! Did you ride your bike here?" "No, I drove," you say, as you try to brush back your sweaty locks and tug at the damp pants stuck to the back of your thighs. Last week I burned two silly looking spots onto the bridge of my nose when I snatched up the sunglasses that had been sitting on the dash and shoved them on before I realized how blistering hot they were. With all of the wildfires burning out of control, I am grateful that thus far, our little valley has been safe. Which is really quite amazing with all the aerials folks were shooting off for the 4th of July.

The only other major downside to the hundred degree weather is that it’s getting harder and harder to find anyone willing to play outside! I dearly miss running, and I've hardly climbed at all. But I still have my bike! I love it so much, that I even found the will power drag myself out of bed in the wee early hours of the morning to go riding a few times, and that is no small thing for a girl like me.

I really have had some good times this Summer, not the least of which have been my trip to New York, backpacking with my roommate, riding Little Red, and spending a day at Lagoon with my co-workers. My list of to-do’s is about a mile long, but I think I’m off to a good start.

My only pic from the 4th, and it isn't even my pic! But what a great lil' family. It's an undisputed fact that I have the cutest nieces and nephew on the planet!

I got to spend a lovely day at Lagoon with these fantastic ladies. Glad I'm not the only one who gets the giggles riding roller coasters!

Pinterest has ruined the whole world. You can't have a party these days without a theme. The watermelon shark is from our Jaws movie night!

Perfect weather for a perfect backpacking trip!

A giant sinkhole!

Hiking in the long awaited sunshine...

Loving being in the mountains...

Wide open mountain meadows sort of demand frolicking...

Frolicking with a pack on even!

This year on my birthday I fell asleep to the gentle bubbling of a meandering stream, under a beautiful starry sky. Our campsite was grassy and perfect, and apart from some squirrels, we didn't see another living soul our whole first day out. It was isolated and tranquil and like a little piece of heaven. Thankfully Terry didn't tell me about the moose roaming about our site til the next morning or I don't think I would have enjoyed it half so much! If you're not envious you might not be human. These are the times that make life great!

Enjoying lunch and a beautiful view.

We had to stop and pay our respects to Old Ephraim.

Terry surprised me with donuts and candles for my birthday! What a great friend. I have a weakness for donuts, because they're delicious. Best birthday ever!!

Hanging out with the wonderful Morales family gave me a chance to practice my super limited skills de Espanol...

Little Red is the best ride ever. You cross the finish line and somebody hands you a sparkly drink with an umbrella in it, bling in the from of a bracelet, and then ushers you to the icecream tent. Women are awesome. and I love to ride my bike.

Since I was still recovering from a torn hamstring I'm chalking this one up to a victory. And besides that I got to ride with Becka, who's an incredibly awesome person.

So happy to be biking with these great ladies!

Benson Marina, one of my favorite places to bike to.

My hardcore roommate even comes biking with me on her mountain bike!

Biking is not without its hazards, most notably the fiendish goat head thorn! I finished Little Red without getting a flat, but next day discovered one of my tires had been punctured 8 times! The beasty little guys can cause a lot of damage. 

It's been a long time since I was up to see the sunrise! Biking in the morning is purty darn nice. Took this pic on cool morning ride in Millville.

Got to go to Pickleville to see the latest installment of Juanito Bandito with the fam. I love Bear Lake! Even though it was too stormy and cold to swim, it sure was pretty.

I'm SO excited about my garden. I think it's coming along quite nicely and can't wait to start cooking with my home-grown veggies!

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