See You in December

We decided to splurge last night and had an excellent Italian meal at Giodotti's. Kyle had Osso Buco and Jackson had duck confit. I guess we're raising our kid and nephew well as they enjoy the finer meals in life.

This morning we enjoyed a nice hike mainly downhill using Daley Trail and taking the bus up to the mid-mountain area by Empire Lodge. It was a beautiful and easy walk through the trees and next to Poison Creek. I know that doesn't sound very beautiful, but now that the mining days are done, it certainly is.

We ended up getting a free tank of gas from Enterprise rental car due to a snafu at check-in last week. So we decided to treat ourselves to one last Dead Dead Man's Boots, a specialty cocktail at the High West Distillery that just opened in the Salt Lake City airport. I try to make these at home once in a while, but it just doesn't taste the same. It includes tequila, Rendezvous rye whiskey, simple syrup, lime juice, and it is topped with a bit of ginger beer. Until December, Park City....see you again soon!

The Fair and The Farm

Last night we joined the locals at the Summit County Fair demolition derby. The families in attendence were stereotypical country boys with their wives in jeans, full makeup, and curled hair accompanied by their five blond kids all under age 10...no exaggeration.  A talented country/rock band played background music while we enjoyed fried chicken, spiral potato chips, and fresh lemonade. We joined the crowd in the bleachers at 7 pm  and sang the national anthem with the elementary students. The Summit County queen and court waved to the crowd and they circled through the mud track in their pickup truck.  After an obligatory time stalling singalong, the derby was on!

After a dusty and loud evening yesterday, we had a low key morning today at the McPolin Historic Site. An icon of Park City, the farm and barn have been the site of a few weddings and many photos. The four of us walked along some of the trails, mooed back at the cows, and played with other people's pups. The weather was sunny and breezy. We retreated back to the condo for lunch and chilled for the rest of the afternoon.

The City and the Country

We've experienced the best of the city and the country over the last couple of days.  Our major hike of the trip started at the top of Guardsmen's Pass. We parked the car, lathered on the sunscreen, and began an uphill scramble over a rocky ridge. Within 5 minutes, I was winded and took a break to catch my breath. One of many. 

The view of the lakes was worth the discomfort.  The boys agreed.  There was supposed to be a gentler, looped trail to one of the lakes that would eventually bring us back to the car.  Gentler was a relative term. After only 3 hours of hiking, I was having the dry heaves. We found the lake right before we ran out of water.  Whew.

Chris and I felt we all deserved a nice dinner out to celebrate the great day hiking. Two of us showered and we headed to Main Street. The kids went for chicken wings at DaVonza's and the adults headed across the street to High West, where we toasted to a beautiful day. The evening was cool and after dinner, we joined locals' night at the Kimball Art Festival.

The next morning we slept in a bit and headed into the city for our favorite outdoor store. Wing Nutz for lunch did not disappoint and we filled up the afternoon with a visit to the Leonardo. We were pleasantly surprised to meet a Lego Master Builder along with the fun flight and sound exhibits. Kyle even got a virtual haircut.

Return to Park City

Due to a prohibitively expensive Hawaii trip last year, we missed Park City in the summer of 2017.  I was lucky to snag a better deal on flights this year, so here we are.
There is something about driving from the Salt Lake City airport through Parley's Canyon that automatically clears my head. The mountain air? The gorgeous red rock views? The altitude?  Regardless, I always feel better out here than in Florida.
Chris found a fun activity to surprise Jackson and Kyle about 30 minutes' drive from the condo. We brought a picnic and spread out at the Provo River. Afterward, we brought them river rafting!
We rented a 4 person raft and got a 60 second lesson on paddling and safety.  Not a problem.  So we were off on a 6 mile journey through light rapids. Chris and Kyle sat in the back of the boat and Jackson and I were up front.
Within the first 10 minutes or so, I noticed a retiree on a rope swing along the river's edge. Interesting. As a South Florida native, I was mildly suspicious. What was the guy doing?  Amusingly, the guy dropped candy into the raft ahead of us like they were at a Mardi Gras parade. No flashing necessary.
OK...our turn. My perception was off, and it seemed like he was going to swing right into my head. So I did what seemed appropriate...I ducked. And Jackson--in a see saw motion from the weight shift--fell right into the 47 degree river while simultaneously yelling an annoyed "Mom!"
Intellectually, I knew the water was waist deep along most parts of the river and he could stand up. But the water was flowing rather briskly. Even though we were all wearing life jackets, I didn't want him to separate from the boat. So he and I held on to each other until he struggled to hoist himself back onto the boat. Ugh. Mother of the Year Award. Cold, wet son. Glad the weather was warm.
A couple of miles downstream, we approached a bridge we were warned not to go under with the boat. The two of us on one side were responsible for leading the boat to shore and helping drag it to the side. As karma would have it, as soon as I attempted to get out and stand, I too fell out of the boat. Brrrr....of course the 3 of them thought this was hilarious.
Side note: the next day, we were told that 2 weeks ago, a kayaker died under the same bridge. When we walked the boat onto the other side of the bridge area, we noticed several deflated rafts stuck in the bridge pilings, and the river was running swiftly under there. Jeesh.

Another beautiful day, we hiked to Bridal Veil Falls. Glad we wore our boots, even though there were a number of people climbing in flip flops, including many kids under 5 or 6!

Last night, we enjoyed a concert by Elektric Voodoo, a rock/funk band started by a former member of Grace Potter, a band I was familiar with. Chris and I plopped in lawn chairs and allowed Jackson and Kyle some free range time without us. The giant Jenga set and beanbag toss kept them busy. So far, it's been a glorious trip. The best part? Needing a sweater in the evening and having the windows open!!