A Trip To Deseret

My Friends Sara and Colin, along with their two lovely children, are on an expedition to the Land Of My Birth .


I have not heard much form them yet but she did post a quiz on her blog.

It is obvious from a couple of her questions that they took some of my sight seeing advice. Also it sounds like Park City is actually large enough now to be part of greater Los Angeles.

Missed Connection

I saw you in my rear view mirror as I headed west on I-80. Your buildings, towered over by the mountains, glimmered in the cloudless summer morning heat. You were beautiful and inviting but still, I made up my mind to leave.

I grew up with you; supported by your church taught by your schools. I found calm in your mountains and parks. Even when I discarded your church I found bars and coffee shops and other ways of finding meaning; you offered much. I had to leave, you did not seem to mind.

It's amazing how so much can change in just a few years but remain the same. I thought about you a lot, it was hard living where I decided to live and, at times, I wanted desperately to come back. I missed the clean streets, the snow, being in the mountains. Would you have me? Would I belong? Or would it just be too awkward? I am too different, it seems shallow to say, but your beer is ......well..... just too weak.

Now, I am living in another completely different town and... I don't really want you anymore. I miss your dry climate during our gray winter days but I would rather just visit. You probably already know that I am not coming back and maybe you don't miss me either. Maybe we can be friends and I could come for a visit once in a while.

A Trip To Salt Lake City

(This is Grandeur Peak. I used to hike to the top of this, then get all introspective, go home and listen to the Cure.)
(The Mountains and valley are tilted, a bit, more than I remember them being but still just as beautiful)

No, we did not go there to ski. Just thought I would get that out of the way just in case you were wondering.

A couple of weeks ago, the wife and I rented a van and packed the three kids into it ,with our stuff and hurdled ourselves across Nevada. It took us about thirteen hours to get to Salt Lake City, we did this with only a couple of melt-downs and no snow storms. ( but a strong blizzard is a great way to make a long trip more exciting.)

It is always a bit strange for me to go back to Salt Lake City (I lived there for 28 years and have only been away for 7). It is like when you go to your parents house and find your old room partially remodeled or same decor and mom is using it as an office. Every time I go back I expect it to have remained the same as when I left, only to find that there have been drastic changes.

The other difficulty is that I never really wanted to leave. Several of our trips there have included talk of moving there. The housing prices are lower than the Bay areas and the schools are in better shape, so there are good reasons to move there but the reality is that we will not be moving there.