Hiking, Part 2

Donut Falls

Donut Falls is a really cool place we found online. A natural formation and waterfall always makes any hike & climb worth it.

Bottom of falls

Paige



Mike



We went to Adam’s Canyon this year & last year. The first year we climbed up the rock face and took pictures, but this year we forgot to bring the camera. It’s a tall waterfall at the end of a pretty fun hike.

looking down from above

Mike at the top

Paige sitting on the top

There is a secret, hidden waterfall by a campground that most have never seen. Mike and a friend had found it before and he took me to it before he went to Iraq.

Mike & Paige

Paige

Mike in front of "secret" campground waterfall

Mike

One hike that we attempted and actually succeeded the first and only time, took a total of 9 hours up and back. It is called Ben Lomond. The Paramount logo you see on the beginning of their movies pictures this peak. This one did not have a waterfall to see but we made it to the top of a freakin mountain, so that was good enough for us. The only bad part was that we started out too late and did not make it back until after dark and we had to ration water. I think it was the only time I felt dehydrated to the point I was dreaming about water the whole way up. I am glad that we are both determined and encouraged each other because we would not have made it if not.

Mountain goats

Paige

Mike

Mike & Paige

Mike & Paige

camera shots to see after it got dark

Our feet after the long hike

While Mike was gone to Iraq I joined a hiking group with a friend of mine because I wanted to hike and am really bad with directions. So we went up the peak of Antelope Island, which was my first time but Mike had gone up it before. And then the group and I went up to Mount Olympus in Salt Lake City. There was still snow on top so we did not get all the way to the top but it was a challenging hike that Mike and I should plan on doing next summer.

Antelope Island hike

Paige

Mt. Olympus hike

When Mike got back from Iraq, we went to Stewart Falls in Provo. We had never been there before but definitely had a waterfall worth hiking to…at least once.

Merry Christmas!!!

Mike and I celebrated our first Christmas together today. Well actually its our second, but this time Mike wasn't in Iraq and I in Utah. We were both in Utah! Even though we would have loved the company of our families on this special day, our geographical distances won out this time. Fortunately there are phones and Facebook to keep in touch as well as mail. We appreciate everyone's gifts that we received via mail this year, even the Christmas cards. It was very thoughtful of so many family and friends to think of us during this time.

Our door-of-cards

Though presents are not the only reason that we celebrate Christmas, we really have had a great time with all of the gifts we received this holiday season. I personally had coveted a plaid straightening iron set with bag that Mike's Mom is selling at her shop, and learning the price, leaned on my cheapness instead of trying to get it. But was I sure surprised when I opened up that very set Christmas morning!! You should have seen my face. Haha! Mike was so excited for the Cranium board game he received from his family. We played it with another couple that came over this evening! Thanks Olson and Grandma for the special gifts!

Stocking Stuffers...LOL!

My Mom sent our presents in 2 different boxes, one labeled Christmas eve and one Christmas. Our Bay family tradition has always been to open 1 present on Christmas eve (and it has always turned out to be pajamas). My pj bottoms are peace signs that are rainbow color and really groovy ;) and Mike's turned out to have a small manufacturer problem where the left pocket faces backwards, but they fit him really well! For Christmas I recieved some really cool accessories of practical value from my Mom. It has always been a family tradition to get our necessitites before anything else and I totally love that :) Thanks to all of my family members for the love and gifts sent our way this year!

Mike and I didn't really get presents for each other last year, so this year we really wanted it special. Mike got me some really pretty, functional running shoes and my very own Starcraft 2 game along with some other awesome things. I got Mike a video camera that attaches to things to record him being him - being active, doing things like skateboarding and snowboarding and stuff. Its supposed to be waterproof and somewhat indestructible. He has already made a little snowboarding movie! Haha! I also got him a few other things, but for the both of us the best thing is being together this year.

Merry Christmas! Hope you enjoyed it just as much as we did :)

Hiking, Part 1

Well, so far this is our first winter together…and its great! I am glad I was interested and learned snowboarding while Mike was gone to Iraq last winter. We are having an awesome time being together on the slopes boarding. I can even keep up with him most of the time. Snowboarding is great because there is actually a beginner’s section. Skateboarding and most other sports do not have beginner’s sections for adults. You either started it when you were young and it was okay because you were young and just beginning. But as an adult you just look ridiculous trying most sports as a beginner, except snowboarding is something anyone of all ages can attempt to learn. Of course there are way little kids that get into skiing or snowboarding at a young age but it’s also welcome for adults to join in.  So most all of our free time recently is spent on snowboarding…and we love spending it together doing what we both like to do.

First time to Waterfall together

In the other seasons, most of our time is spent on hiking and camping…and Mike skateboarding. Our first summer together before Mike left for Iraq, almost all of our free time was hiking up somewhere. This spring/summer/fall since he got back we have not hiked as much but we have done a lot more traveling as you have seen in past posts.

top of waterfall

 Our second date was spent hiking and climbing up our most frequented hike. Its closer than most trails and a pretty moderate hike up to a beautiful waterfall on 29th St in Ogden, UT.  Since that date we have been up the trail many, many times. I even went up it by myself before! (That’s amazing because I’m terrible with directions.) Mike has been up even more times than I have, even by himself as well. One of the first times we went up after Mike returned from Iraq, there was a rattlesnake on the trail. And there are some great climbing spots along the way. One time when we climbed up, there was a guy with a tent at the very top. He said he didn’t see anyone coming up and he was up there to look out for cougars because he is a park ranger.

Waterfall Canyon

Rattlesnake on trail

Waterfall

View of valley

Hiking Waterfall canyon by myself (Paige)

First hike of 2010 by myself (Paige)

Climbing spot on the way up

Mike & Paige at sunset

sunset

Paige trying to jump down a boulder and yes, I fell & hurt myself pretty bad...all healed up now though :)


More hikes to come....

Birthday Wish

Getting older doesn’t feel any different, at least to me. I don’t know how other people feel about their birthdays and getting a year older, but I feel like I am still 18 or 16 or anything that is “younger”. Each birthday or even every time someone asks me how old I am it makes me step back and say “Really? I’m that old? Why do I feel like I’m still 17?” I was always on the young end of the crowd in any situation or job and always the youngest of siblings, but now I’m with the older age group. Before I graduated college, everyone looked at me and automatically assumed I was 16 or 18. Now that I have a degree I am automatically 22 or 23 by people’s standards. But really I’m even older than that.

I don’t feel any different. When I think about my job and how much responsibility I have, I think to myself, “I’m too young for this position! How can they think I can do this?” And then I remember that I am 25, not the 18 that I feel I am. Most people have kids when they are younger than me and I think that is the biggest responsibility anyone could ever have. I am thankful for my life and all that I have accomplished and learned so far in life but really I don’t feel beyond a teenager. It feels like I should still be at home and have Christmas with my sisters and parents, not their husbands and kids. I will never experience those moments ever again with just my sisters and parents though.

I am an adult. I’m a grownup. Nothing makes me think of my age more than when Mike discusses his age. He just turned 22…and I am turning 26 today. At first it bothered me because he wasn’t even 21 when we started dating. Now its not a factor because he doesn’t let it be. I have learned many things over my years, but I have not experienced everything I have wanted to or embraced the opportunities that have presented to me. I can’t get those experiences back but I can seize the opportunities from here on out.

When does your age catch up to you? When will my time of youth and bliss be over with? I think that is what scares me more than another number. I have only just begun to experience the full extent of my physical body and push it to extremes in running, working out, climbing, snowboarding, hiking, etc…when will I not be able to do those things anymore?

I am in the best physical condition of my life right now, better than I have ever been. I am told you are only as old as you feel. But when do you start to feel it? I have never heard my grandparents complain of age or anything physical. They always say they are young because they don’t feel old. I went with a hiking group when Mike was in Iraq and there was a 76-year-old that hiked with us. He was in the back of the line but he made it to the top when we were all there. Snowboarding is free for those over 80 and heavily discounted for those 60 and up. I just think to myself, I hope I can make it and still be that active. And I know being 26 is not old but I really feel like its going to catch up to me eventually.

Another thing about it being my birthday: I have never liked my birthday. I hate being the center of attention. My birthday always seems like more of an inconvenience than anything, especially being right in the middle of the holidays. Mike seems to like celebrating my birthday. It was really special last year getting a call from him in Iraq being very excited to wish me a happy birthday.  I do appreciate all acknowledgement and communication on this day, but I just wish I didn’t have to be the object of celebration. 

08-09 Winter Video

Snowboarding 12/8/10

Mike & Paige snowboarding

We have all grown up hearing “bundle up” and “stay out of the cold”, no matter if that cold is 50 degrees or minus 50 degrees. A mother or authority figure has told you at least once in your life those exact words.



(from left to right) Paige's board; Mike's current board; Mike's old board



So that is why I always feel like a rebel to authority when I go snowboarding. You are out in the cold for hours at a time in the freezing rigid cold, sometimes snowing or the wind blowing. Every single part of your skin is not always covered and you shiver at times because of the cold or toes and fingers go numb from the frigid temperature. It’s not normal to want to be in the cold and play in the snow as an adult…or is it?



Most people would think of those cold factors and not want to go. Even some who live in the Utah’s “Greatest Snow on Earth” refrain from embracing the funner things in life because of cold or the rare instances of getting seriously hurt. The truth is, more times am I hot than cold when I go, and contrary to popular belief, most don’t wear layer upon layer of clothes to go snowboarding. One day this week I wore a sports bra under my coat because it was so hot and I did not have a hat on my head. At least I looked more like a girl because people could see my hair.

We have gone snowboarding 3-4 times this week already. Yesterday, we experienced the most snow I have ever been in in my life. It was fresh powder, which was at least 6 inches or more deep. It makes snowboarding more difficult but more fun to fall in. I did great in the steep powder, but the flatter stuff made me take a face first dive a few times. For some reason in the soft fluffy stuff, my left arm was the brunt of the force of these falling times.

Paige & Sam

I just started snowboarding in 2010, last season. I had wanted to for awhile but had no one to go with. Finishing up school and Mike being in Iraq freed up some time to pursue this interest. My friend, Sam, taught me and we went at least once a week until the season closed, from the time I started at the end of January. Snowboarding is hard to learn, especially I have found for girls, and it is a slowly progressive sport. Of course you fall a lot at the beginning, but you still fall after, too. Usually you can catch yourself many more times than you fall as you get better. I, personally, almost fall at least 5 times before I fall once. Mike had gone a few times, but really got into it a lot more with his friend, Brown, in the 2008-2009 season. He even made a video of all the tricks he would do.

Mike and Brown

Mike

This season, even though it just started, I remembered the stuff I learned last season. With Mike’s inspiration, I have been able to do little jumps and even completed going across the box. He does the rails and bigger jumps and little things on the run down that are way more impressive. I have definitely improved this season because I can do the pole lift. Last season every time I tried I was unable to complete the pole lift where you hold on to a pole and it pulls you to the top of the mountain. I would have to hike up to the top of the mountain last year. This year we tried it. I was nervous. I watched the others ahead of me. I told the lift operator that I had never completed this successfully. I got on, stumbled, but was able to hold on. Nothing like last season when I would be violently thrown around and hit my head and hike up the rest of the way. Maybe successfully being able to get wakeboarding this summer helped, because that’s what it feels like. I’m pretty sure I am able to navigate a snowboard better this year.

Mike

Instantly, I fell in love with snowboarding and I crave to go frequently. I am definitely not the best or think that I am great, but I really enjoy going. Mike has been a boarder for a long time, so anything with a board, he dominates with no problem. He did admit that he definitely likes skate boarding the best, but he is amazing on the snowboard. Its much easier going and doing things that you both find fun together.