Sunday, June 30, 2013

Discovering Ogden and Beyond!

Mornings in Ogden find me out walking the lovely, quaint sidewalks in the cool air rushing off the side of the mountains above.  I have yet to find anything I don't love about this town.                                                                                                                                 As I walk around the parks and streets, I feel like I am in a scene from Mayberry RFD!  Oh, don't get me wrong, this is a very progressive town when it comes to utilization of resources, public transportation and healthy living.  However, it feels safe, quiet and peaceful in a way I haven't seen in many towns over many years.                                                                
Pioneer Days begins here July 29th, and we are looking forward to the many Rodeo's and outdoor activities which will take place during this celebratory time of year in Ogden.
The beautiful painted horses have appeared all over town since we have been here.  They are each individually painted and themed!  Most are standing, but a few are rearing their heads to the sky like this beautiful one!                                                                  
  Every theme and color are represented in these horses.  They are "sponsored" and painted by many different individuals.

 Patriotism and sense of Community still seem to be important here.  People don't throw their trash on the ground, and there are lovely flowers and gardens and brick sidewalks everywhere.  There are amazing paved and unpaved trails, and tons of people here ride bicycles all over town.  We are in love!

Yesterday, Melanie and the girls took me to Olympic Park in Park City, Utah.  The drive over was incredible itself as we drove through the majestic mountain passes.  When we arrived at Olympic Park, we were astounded to find ski jumping going on on the slopes on a type of artificial surface!  It was incredible to watch the people soar through the air and land safely thousands of feet down the course!  The guide told us this is the second safest Olympic sport!  Hard to believe as we watched them soar down the slopes.

This is a fabulous place to visit.  There is an Olympic Museum and there are athletes training.  There are also activities for families to try out!  The girls were so brave, I was amazed!  I was "talked into" crossing off three more items on my Bucket List yesterday!
I had never ridden a ski lift (believe me, I didn't used to be able to even climb a ladder because of my fear of heights), or gone on an Alpine Slide or taken a Zip Line down thousands of feet on the side of a mountain!  Wow!  It was really a rush!

 Ashlyn showed me up, however, when she at 11-years-old rode the EXTREME Zip Line!  Fifty miles an hour down from the very top of the mountain!  YOWEEE!!!  I took the "regular" Zip Line which only went twenty-five miles per hour, but that was plenty for me...Extreme Zip next time maybe!

Liv and Ash both did this incredible rope course which took them quite a long time in 95 degree heat!  They were amazing.  At the end of the rope course there was a short zip line.  Liv is so light that she got half way down the line and got "stuck."  There she was with her twiggy little legs dangling and kicking!  They went and got a pole to get her sliding again!  What a giggle we had over that one.  She needed to weigh about 5 pounds more before she could get up the speed to get to the end of the run! TeeHee!

Another really neat thing they had going was this "jump" into a pool.  As you can see, there are various levels of skill...there was even one to the far right for beginners to try.  It was breathtaking watching the experienced jumpers do twists, flips, turns etc. high in the air and land into a "bubble rush" created to cushion their entry into the water!  It was a beautiful, clear day, and although the temperature was 95 it didn't feel opressively hot. 

If you look closely, you can see one of them beginning a flip over the pool below.  They actually hold a show on Sunday afternoons where groups of these "flying" skiers perform over the pool as spectators watch in awe!
The mountain views out here are incredible, and no picture we take can actually do justice to the beauty of the country out here.  We are anxious to explore Utah from the Canyons to the Mesas to rushing rivers and reservoirs and lakes.  Lots to explore and lots to do on this side of the Mississippi!  We are excited about all the possibilities.

I am looking at bicycles now, as literally everyone here rides them everywhere.  There are great places to ride including some amazing paved trails. 

I'm planning on starting off slowly, as it has been many years since I last rode a bike, and I really am not interested in breaking any bones!  (I've already checked out the helmets too!)

There are such nice small restaurants and shops lining 25th street where we are currently staying, that I would like to stay in the same general area.  I can walk to literally everything here!  Driving would be kept to a minimum and only for long distance trips. 

The people here are extraordinarily friendly and helpful and have such positive attitudes.  We are really enjoying just everything there is to enjoy about this neat town!  And by the way, the food here is amazing too!  We have had everything from Sushi to Salad so far, and nothing has disappointed!  There are all kinds of local activities every day, and most of them are FREE.  Even the ones which do have a cost, are priced so fairly that a large family can attend without breaking the budget.  Amazing.

So, come on out and see us!  Check out what living in the West means.  We are feeling extremely blessed to have this opportunity, and want to relish every single moment of it!


I'll be talking to you more about this wonderful place soon! 

PEACE, LOVE and JOY from Utah!

Linda

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