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!!