Wasatch Mountain State Park

August 7, 2010 by rickety 3 Comments

I wanted to take my grandchildren camping so I made reservations for two campsites. I then invited the parents to go and before the day was out they were ready for the trip. So last weekend we went to Wasatch Mountain State Park. We camped overnight at Little Deer Creek Campground.

Here are a few of the photographs and videos taken by Steven, Jill, and Rick. Click on the images to enlarge. If you cannot see the videos, click here.

We unloaded and pitched the tents. We were only staying overnight but it seemed like we had food for a week. That’s Jill by the picnic table. The campsites were large, had running water, and some had shade. We had quite a view.

I brought plenty of wood for a fire to cook our hot-dogs.

Aurora was ready to eat…

…just about anything.

After we ate Bryson and Aurora put to good use the local materials that were lying around. Aurora used her truck to level the ground.

We had lots of adults to go around when the grandchildren needed to be held. Here is Sarah with Aurora.

Steven with Cassandra. Steven is the one on the right.

Derek with Bryson.

And me.

We retired to our tents while Jake slept out in the open.

In the morning, before breakfast, Derek took Bryson for a walk.

Jake is a handy guy to have around when you are hungry for some ham.

Sarah appears to be enjoying her breakfast.

Any left for me?

Before noon we broke camp and drove a few miles onto federal land to visit Cascade Springs in Uinta National Forest. The trail through Cascade Springs consists primarily of a raised boardwalk which crosses over a series of clear shallow pools. Calcite mineral deposits accumulated and formed terraces over which the water cascades.

Adelaide holds Cassandra, who didn’t really want to see running water just right now.

Jill loves the outdoors…

…while Cassandra has yet to make up her mind.

I do believe we will go camping again. There is no better way to spend the weekend than with family.

The water coming from the springs has made a long journey from limestone caverns deep within the earth. Forced through cracks and fissures, the water emerges here as “travertine”. The deposits have gradually accumulated to make the terraces for the pools at Cascade Springs. Approximately seven and one-half million gallons flow from the springs each day.

The Mueller Park Trail

July 23, 2010 by rickety 4 Comments

Today we hiked The Mueller Park Trail in Bountiful. It is a great walk that is mostly shaded all the way up. Much of the trail is gently sloped. From various locations there are good views of the Great Salt Lake and the valley far below.

The Mueller Park Trail is 13 miles round trip. The route begins at the Mueller Park Picnic Grounds in the east Bountiful foothills and ends at a small grassy clearing called Rudy’s Flat. We chose to turn around at Big Rock, called “Elephant Rock” by the locals, to make it a 7 mile round trip.

Mueller Park Trail can be busy on weekends and holidays. Its multi-use designation means it’s open to hikers, mountain bikers, and motorcycles. Today we were passed by numerous bikers.

Click on the images to enlarge. In the video Jill explains what we are doing.

Jill at the trailhead

Susan, Shauna, Jill, and Mike begin the ascent

We are headed for Big Rock

Here we are just above Big Rock

Taking a break on the bench above Big Rock to admire the view

JIll says, "I'll race you down!"

Goodbye folks, I'm glad you could join us on the Mueller Park Trail. Photo by Susan Ward

Meet Mormons at the new Mormon.org

July 17, 2010 by rickety 7 Comments

I wrote recently about the new Mormon.org and the inclusion of 1,000 profiles of Mormons. Each profile is a collection of stories and testimonies from Mormons. Profiles of members just like you and me. In my case it turns out that I do indeed have my profile for all to see in the “Meet Mormons” section. I looked through many of the profiles to see if I recognized anyone but they were all strangers to me.

My profile was not edited in any way and I was permitted to place a link to my blog and Facebook page with my profile.

The Mormon.org site is meant to introduce the Church to the world. Questions are answered, accurate information is given, and the opportunity is provided to learn more. The “Our People” page introduces its readers to Mormons who tell their own stories about how the Gospel of Jesus Christ has blessed their lives. “Our Values” highlights some of the cultural priorities of Mormons, such as strong families, service and good citizenship. Core doctrines that underpin Mormons beliefs are in the “Our Faith” section.

What do you think about having personal stories about your faith online? Do you have your profile on Mormon.org? If so, post the link so we can read your story.

Update

It turns out that there is one person I know on Meet Mormons: Marc Lee

City Creek Canyon Trail

July 10, 2010 by rickety 1 Comment

Yesterday found us walking along City Creek Canyon Trail. City Creek was the first water source used by the Mormon Pioneers settling the Salt Lake Valley in 1847. In the early years water flowed through ditches for irrigating gardens. Residents hand dipped water for their culinary and domestic needs. In 1866, City Creek was first diverted into a municipally-owned, piped water distribution system to provide fire protection and culinary water supply to city residents.

The maximum recorded flow in City Creek during the floods of 1983 was 322 cubic feet per second, which resulted in considerable debris flows, flooding and damage through downtown Salt Lake City as State Street was converted into a temporary “river” after debris clogged the city’s storm drain pipes.

We walked up the road 2.5 miles and back again. So not many photographs (click to enlarge). The first two shots about sum it up:

Going up. Shauna, Jill, Susan, and Mike.

Coming down. Susan, Shauna, and Jill.

Mike carried on when we turned back. However, we did find a concrete staircase built in the middle of the wilderness by a lost civilization.

We stopped for lunch.

We sent Shauna out over a rotting log to find the trail but there was none.

The girls found a geocache by a big tree stump.

I love it when the directions say, "You will find it by the tree down by the river"

Mike went on to Area 26, about a 10 mile round trip.

The View From The Living Room

July 9, 2010 by rickety 6 Comments

View From The Living Room

On Monday, for a view of the Salt Lake Valley, we hiked to The Living Room. We relaxed in sandstone chairs with armrests. There were even coffee tables we parked our feet on.

The hike takes about two hours (it took us longer). It is considered easy (it isn’t). Trail length is 2.3 miles (seemed like 5 miles).

Here are some photographs of our hike. Click on the images to enlarge.

My nieces Shauna and Connie on the trail

Mark photographing the view

My brother Mike works his way to the top

Mark, Connie, and Shauna ahead of us across the canyon.

Susan and Jill behind us

Shauna in the living room

Mike captures the living room view

Mark and Connie eat a snack in the kitchen

Jill wonders what happened to the television

A beautiful view

Susan and Shauna did some geocaching

The mandatory group photograph

Left to right: Jill, Rick, Kent, Connie, Mark, Susan, Melissa, and Shauna.

Jill on her way down

Father’s Day Comes Early

May 22, 2010 by rickety 2 Comments

Paul and Jake install the first plywood sheet for the garage shelves

This year Father’s Day came early. No, I’ve not moved to Romania, Tonga, or Germany (they all celebrate Father’s Day in May). It is just that Paul and Jake decided to move up Father’s Day a whole month. I needed help installing shelves in my garage so Paul and Jake decided to give me an early Father’s Day present by helping me all day.

Jake helps to secure the center post

Last week Paul and I had made our 23 foot beam out of nine 2×4’s, glued and screwed together. We also constructed the needed supports at opposite ends of the garage. Today Jake joined us to install a 4×4 center post for support. We went shopping for plywood for the shelves. Home Depot cut the panels for us 3 foot wide.

Rick installing the 2x4 shelf support

While the boys were attaching the first panel, I was installing 2×4’s as supports for the shelves. We are making this up as we go along and we ran into a problem later on. The damaged sheetrock happened when I removed the old shelving.

Jake cuts away some of the beam so the door will open

The idea behind this particular garage shelf is that it is above head height. It is 23 feet long and three feet wide but not quite high enough so that the door will open all the way. Oops. Jake cut away half an inch of one of the 2×4’s in the beam to allow the door to open.

Storing all the Christmas trimmings

The Christmas trimmings had to be relocated to the garage when new attic insulation was installed. I didn’t want a lot of boxes (there really are a lot of boxes) compressing the insulation. Hence the need for new storage. I would like to compress all these trimmings into one small box but that is another story.

The car top carrier fits just right

One thing I did plan for was for the car top carrier. It is not used very often so storing it up out of the way was my plan. I will mention here that building the shelves didn’t take up all of the day. So Paul and Jake continued working by cleaning up the whole garage, which needed it.

One of the new tool holders

Jill contributed to the early Father’s Day by buying me three Rubbermaid FastTrack tool holders. The idea is that the attachments can be moved around as needed. I was planning on building my own but then I would have been in the garage until midnight.

The completed shelf, full already

This is the best Father’s Day present that a Dad could receive. Instead of a gift that I already have or do not really need, I get to be with my boys all day constructing something that I do not have and really want.

Happy Father’s Day,

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Aurora and Grandpa

April 17, 2010 by rickety 2 Comments

My wife shot this brilliant sequence of photographs of my granddaughter Aurora. Now we have proof that we have a hooliganess in the family.

Click on the photographs to enlarge.

Aurora, here play with this plastic toy

No grandpa, I want to play with those

Grandpa, you play with the plastic toy...

...and I will play with these glasses.

Grandpa, what's this piece for?

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Reno Nevada Temple

March 27, 2010 by rickety 4 Comments

We visited the Reno Nevada Temple on Day Four of our California Temple Trip. In the morning we were at the Oakland Temple and in afternoon we visited the Sacramento Temple. While we were in the temple darkness fell and allowed for a few night shots. We stayed overnight in Reno and traveled home the next day.

Click on the images to enlarge.

The Reno Nevada Temple is the 81st operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The first temple in Nevada was built in Las Vegas in 1989. The Reno Nevada temple was dedicated in 2000. It serves over 25,000 Latter-day Saints in the area.

Over the years, figures of the angel Moroni have become more robust as sculptors have added muscle tone and bulk to the figure. While sculpting his version of Moroni, Karl Quilter used human models to help him accurately shape muscles and correctly depict a body standing atop a ball. (New Era)

The groundbreaking services were held on July 24, 1999. After completion but before it was dedicated, the temple was opened to the public. President Thomas S. Monson, First Counselor in the First Presidency of the Church, dedicated the Reno Nevada Temple on April 23, 2000.

The Reno Nevada Temple has a total floor area of 10,700 sq ft, two ordinance rooms, and two sealing rooms.

Jake and Rick outside the Reno Temple

Photos by Rickety. Text from Wikipedia.

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Sacramento California Temple

March 27, 2010 by rickety Leave a Comment

We visited the Sacramento California Temple on Day Four of our California Temple Trip. In the morning we were at the Oakland Temple and late afternoon we traveled to the Reno Temple. The darkening clouds at Sacramento invoked the reassurance of the temple being a refuge from the storm (and made for some fine photographs).

Click on the images to enlarge.

Jake and Rick outside the Sacramento Temple

The First Presidency of the Church announced on April 21, 2001 that a temple would be built in the Sacramento area. This temple is the seventh built by the Church in California, more than any state except Utah. The Sacramento California Temple serves a growing membership which totals approximately 80,000 in the area.

Plans for building the temple were met with little resistance by the surrounding communities and government bodies. Many were glad for the building of the temple in the area because it would improve the land, and bring visitors and money into the area. There was some concern about the height of the temple spire and the Church agreed to lower it twenty feet.

On August 22, 2004 a site dedication and groundbreaking ceremony were held. Church President Gordon B. Hinckley presided at the ceremony and gave the site dedication prayer. Other prominent Church members from the area also attended the groundbreaking and site dedication, including Congressman John Doolittle.

The site for the temple, located in Rancho Cordova, includes 46 acres and overlooks the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The temple grounds were designed to fit in with the surrounding landscape. The temple design is slightly larger than most of the temples currently under construction. The temple has a total of 19,500 square feet, two ordinance rooms, and four sealing rooms.

Note the lightning rod on Moroni's head

At many of the temples we visited Jake took photographs of the flowers. He will probably post the best of them once he gets his homework done.

An open house was held July 29-August 26, 2006, to allow the public to tour the temple prior to its dedication.

The Sacramento California Temple was dedicated on September 3, 2006, by President Hinckley. The dedication was given in four sessions to allow all those who would like to attend the opportunity to participate. The night before the dedication, a cultural celebration was performed at the ARCO Arena.

Photos by Rickety. Text from Wikipedia.

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