This past weekend we decided to go to Utah! We (more like I) really wanted to meet baby R a lot sooner than over the July 4th weekend! So we went and we had a blast, but we also had some ups and downs. We planned on Friday to run a creek over by Orangeville, Utah. It was called straight creek canyon and it was low water, but runnable. So Friday we got to straight creek canyon at 12 and then we waited for Donny for another 2 and 1/2 hours! It was long, but he had some car problems so no worries. We finally got on the river and started down. The route was beautiful and the water was so clear and blue! It came out of the Joe's Reservoir which was stunning. Unfortunately, I fell out 3 times because there were so many rocks and if we did hit a rock (which was a lot) it was not slick. Instead it was like sand paper and since I was in the front it just threw me out of the kayak. So the third time it happend I had had enough and I got out and walked along the road the last mile (more liked jogged so I could keep up with Colby and Donny). We did get some fun video of me falling out! Colby did fall out once a really rocky rapid and the whole kayak seemed to flip. Colby and Donny finished and since I was out of the kayak it was a lot easier for Colby to control and he did great the whole time especially on the big rapids which I am so thankful I was not in the kayak! But despite falling out it was still fun and Donny and Alyssa gave me the videos of it so scroll down if you want to see. We did not have good footage of the second time when Colby and I both fell out, but we have the first and the third time that I fell out. now I will say that the third time was really weird because before we started going down we got stuck on a rock right at the top so that did not help us in the least. Thanks Donny for bringing the gear and the cameras!
Now we get to the craziest part of the trip! After the river we packed up the cars to go to Payson. Donny wanted to try a new way, but we decided that we did not have enough gas to go his way. So we went a different way that the map showed us, but when we split Donny took the map because it was his. So we thought driving to Ephraim would be the quickest for us and it looked like it too on the map so off we went! We hit a dirt road really quick and I started to become anxious because we still did not have a lot of gas. After driving for about an hour and seeing no one, but the deep forest we came to a clearing and a ridge. We thought for sure we could go over the ridge and hopefully see a city on the other side, but to my dismay we hit snow that blocked the road!! It blocked the road for about 50 yards and then it was clear the rest of the way! By this time I was freaking out! I did not want to be stranded with hardly any food and no gas for my weekend getaway. And we had no cell service and no one knew we were there!! It was a terrible feeling! We saw a sign that said Ephraim's tunnel that went around the snow so we followed this very muddy road and it only led us to a steep hill that big four-wheel trucks get up or down depending which way you were coming from. I decided to get out of the car at this point to walk up the hill to see if we could see anything on the other side. But once I reached the top it was just more hills and trees for as far as I could see. It was another pit fall feeling. My stomach sank and I ran down the hill depressed. But right when I lost hope I heard this horn. I turned around and looked up the hill and a truck pulling a camping trailer and car trailing behind was there. I could not believe this tender mercy of the Lord. He really was watching over us. After talking to the family for a bit and they being very kind and giving us a enough gas to get back from where we came from I was so grateful! We also learned that Ephraim from that point was still another hour away and that they were trying to reach Joe's Reservoir the place where we came from. I still think it was a gracious tender mercy of the Lord for our paths to cross right at the exact moment we needed it. I wish I could tell this story out loud with everyone with me because my words are not doing it justice. But anyways, we then both went our separate ways and we finally made it to Payson around 11:30pm. It was a lot later than I had wanted, but better than spending the night in the forest with nothing and not knowing when we would leave.
That was the crazy down part of the weekend, but it got a lot better when I finally met baby R! He is so sweet and good. He is very patient, calm and observant. He likes to look around and he looked a lot at our faces he is just so cute! I know Donny likes to hold him a lot too and I am thankful he let me hog baby R for a couple of days.
The next day, Saturday, Colby did some school stuff at BYU and I ran some errands. Then we met up and went to seven peaks. It was so much fun! It seemed like there were lots of people and there were, but the lines were not horrible and the rides were so worth it. We soaked up the sun without getting sunburns and had a snow cone afterwards. It was a good day.
Nice helmet MyKel! Safety first ;) Very cool story of getting saved and not stranded too. Ha ha, Colby, looks like you are trying to copy Tyson's picture styles! Very nice!
Nice helmet MyKel! Safety first ;) Very cool story of getting saved and not stranded too. Ha ha, Colby, looks like you are trying to copy Tyson's picture styles! Very nice!
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