Recreation – Page 15

Antelope Island Balloon Stampede

September 20, 2008 by rickety Leave a Comment

Today my wife and I drove the 21 miles to Antelope Island to watch balloons. However, a rickety wind of 18 knots dictated that no hot air balloons would launch. We were told the wind had to be 8 knots or lower before there is lift off. When we arrived there was only one balloon that had not been packed away. So we traveled further south to the Garr Ranch and then back to look at the visitors center. After lunch with the Wards we left the island. Maybe next year.

There are also some photographs at the official Antelope Balloons website.

There are plenty of bison on the island, around 600. The Davis County Causeway is a 7.25 mile earthen dike and roadway leading from the mainland to Antelope Island. The original causeway, constructed in 1969 by the State of Utah, was washed out frequently by heavy wave action in the early 70’s but was raised slightly and reopened each time. By 1985 the causeway was completely under water due to the relentless rise of the lake.
As the lake began to recede in the late 80’s the causeway reemerged. It was in poor condition and needed extensive work. Davis County officials together with State Parks personnel lobbied the Utah State Legislature in 1990 for funding to rebuild the causeway so that Antelope Island State Park could again be opened to the public. Eventually the legislature agreed to give the causeway to Davis County along with $4 million for rebuilding and repairs. Another $500,000 was appropriated in 1992 and the County rebuild the causeway in 1993 for a total cost of $5 million. Davis County charges a $2 per vehicle toll (included in your entrance fee) on the causeway to help pay for ongoing maintenance costs and to set aside a fund to deal with possible future damage should the lake rise again. For more information see Things To Do.

The Davis County Causeway as seen from Antelope Island.

We ate our picnic lunch in an enclosure at the Antelope Island beach. And yes it has sand, I seem to recall it was trucked in. Left to right: Rick, Connie, Jill, Melissa, Susan, Shauna, Kent, and Byron. It was disappointing to have missed the balloons but the food soon cured that. Maybe next year I will take a ride in one and get some really interesting photographs. Speaking of interesting photographs, check out these pioneer solar panels at the Garr Ranch.

Brigham City Peach Days

September 7, 2008 by rickety 5 Comments

Peach Days banner.
Jill, Sarah, and I traveled to Brigham City yesterday for Peach Days. We were joined by Kent, Susan, Connie, Mark, Byron, and Robert. Peach days takes place the weekend after Labor day weekend. Much of the main street in the city is closed off to cars, and the festival is celebrated by a parade, a car show, a carnival, and other activities including the famous “Scuba Burger” which many Peach Day goers enjoy. In the parade were rickety fire engines no longer in service, clowns, horse and carriages, bands, floats, beauty queens, Star Wars characters, bandits, old cars, farm equipment, unicyclers, and even pioneers pulling a handcart. I was having difficult with the sun shining into my camera so I crossed the street and put it behind me. During the parade some bandits fired their guns astride their horses which made a baby in the crowd cry. The parade lasted two hours, which is the longest parade I have ever watched.

After the parade we went to the vendor area on 2nd West and bought lunch. We sat under the shade on some chairs provided by Mark’s dad and ate our food. We walked around all the booths but didn’t buy anything. There sure were a lot of people, in places it was hard to get around. Some mothers had strollers as big as eighteen wheelers which in places slowed foot traffic to a crawl. These stroller owners will have to be wary of the UTA that will want a stroller congestion tax. I came across a tank that you could go inside. The Army was out in force and a tank or howitzer or whatever it was is a good draw to help with recruitment.

I was requested in the comments a few days ago to give out more of my opinion so I will comply. What did I think of Peach Days? The main attraction for me is the parade. Recently several parades I have attended have not had very many floats which to me is the heart of a parade. Peach Days was the same, not very many floats. It takes a lot of time and effort to put one together so that is not surprising. I know when my sons helped to build a mammoth they spent a great deal of time in the construction. I believe I contributed some spare wood for the frame — it takes a mammoth amount of wood to build a hairy elephant. The parade was too long — two hours — and people were leaving before the end. I like the marching bands and any floats. Also any military hardware and anything with horses.

The rest of Peach Days I don’t care for. There is nothing in the booths I am interested in except the food. It is just glorified shopping. It was enjoyable to see others having fun so it is worth the trip for that. The young people were especially enjoying the carnival. It was great to be out in the sunshine with my family.

Peach Days Carnival

Rick by the tank

Jill enjoys her food in the shade

Utah Temples Tour Details

September 2, 2008 by rickety 2 Comments

First Day

Before I begin I will mention that we won’t be traveling in any of the rickety old cars you see on this page. The first day we get to sleep in our own beds. We start and end in Kaysville. This will work for those of you who just want a day trip. We drive north 18 miles to take in a session at the Ogden Temple. North again for 47 miles to the Logan Temple. Then it is back south for 76 miles to the Bountiful Temple. Back home with a drive of 14 miles. That adds to a total of three sessions and 155 miles. The drive time is approximately 3 hours and 17 minutes.

Second Day

We start off in Kaysville driving 20 miles to get an early session at the Salt Lake Temple. Another 20 miles takes us to the Jordan River Temple. In the same city is the site of the Oquirrh Mountains Temple just 3 miles away. Just a 13 mile drive takes us to the site of the Draper Temple. South for 14 miles delivers us to the Mount Timpanogos Temple. After we are finished at Mount Timpanogos it is a leisurely drive to the Provo Marriott where we will stay the night. For the day the total miles is 85 taking about 2 hours 23 minutes. Three sessions will have be completed and a look at two temples under construction.

Third Day

You could walk the three miles from the Marriott to the Provo Temple for the first session of the day. After a session we go east 153 miles to the Vernal Temple. We are not done yet as we drive the 272 miles to the Monticello Temple. Once the session is complete we stay over at the Days Inn just a mile away. Total for the day is three sessions and 429 miles that will take 8 hours and 3 minutes.

Fourth Day

We are in for a lot of driving today to pick up the last two temples. The St. George Temple is 392 miles away so we start early. You can take a nap on the way but no snoring. After St. George our last stop is the Manti Temple for a drive of 213 miles. Soon we can head home with 143 miles before us. This leg would add two more sessions and 749 miles. Total driving time for today would add up to 11 hours 32 minutes.

When?

Two people who have signed up are attending the University of Utah. So it looks like we will go sometime during Fall break (Monday 13th October to Sunday 19th October). The four days will be 13th to 16th of that week. An alternative would be to do day 1 on Saturday 11th and days 2, 3, and 4 on 13th, 14th, and 15th. Or we can come up with another date. Incidentally the times for each day is the drive times only. I would allow 2 1/2 hours for each temple visit. 90 minutes for the session and another hour for changing and wait times and outside photography. Jake reminded me that we would need time to eat. It will be good to have one or two hungry RMs along!

Utah Temples Tour

Labor Day Breakfast

September 1, 2008 by rickety Leave a Comment

Breakfast

This morning Jill and I ate out. The Kaysville 14th Ward’s annual Labor Day Breakfast was in progress. There was only one menu but was it ever good. Bacon, ham, eggs, hash browns, milk, orange juice, and pancakes. It was raining so we ate in the cultural hall of the chapel. The cooking proceeded outside with two rickety canopies as a shield against the rain. The planned car wash was canceled because of the weather but the carnival items proceeded inside. There was cotton candy and animals made out of balloons, you’ve seen them, the long skinny kind. There were various games the children could play and win prizes. Jill and I just visited with friends for quite awhile. Our children, Paul, Jake, and Daniel appeared with Andrew for breakfast. Andrew got Paul out of bed and drug them all here to eat. In past years I have helped cook the breakfast but this year I took the day off.

The rest of you enjoy your Labor Day — it’s back to work tomorrow!

Utah Temples Tour

August 30, 2008 by rickety 14 Comments

Utah has eleven temples with two more under construction. I am planning a road trip to visit all the Utah temples, including those under construction. By the time I get going perhaps the temples being built will be finished. I am considering going through a session at each temple, except of course those under construction.

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Cove Fort

August 28, 2008 by rickety 2 Comments

Ira Hinckley's Coalville cabin relocated to Cove Fort shown as two stitched photographs

While in southern Utah, Jill and I visited the Utah Shakespearean Festival, Mountain Meadow Monument, and Old Iron Town. On our way home we visited Cove Fort. Click on the images to enlarge.

Cove Fort

Cove Fort is located on Cove Creek a mile northeast of the I-15 and I-70 junction in Millard County, Utah. It was founded on 29 April 1867 by Ira Hinckley at the request of Brigham Young. Ira Nathaniel Hinckley is the paternal grandfather of Gordon B. Hinckley. Other workmen were called to the site, including Ira’s brother, Arza Erastus Hinckley. The fort is made of volcanic rock and dark limestone, rather than the wood used in many mid-19th century western forts. Lumber, mostly cedar and pine, was used for the roof, twelve interior rooms, six on the north and six on the south, and the massive doors at the east and west ends of the fort. The fort is 100 feet square, 18.5 feet tall, 4 feet thick at the footings, and 2.5 feet thick at the top.

The site for Cove Fort was selected by Brigham Young because of its location approximately half way between Fillmore, then the capitol of the Utah Territory, and the nearest city, Beaver. It is the only fort built by the Latter-day Saints in the 19th century that still stands.

Safe Shelter

Jill by the north wall of Cove Fort

It provided a way station for people traveling the Mormon Corridor. The abandonment of Fort Willden in 1865 left travelers without shelter from hostile Indians during the Black Hawk War or from severe weather conditions. In addition, it was also necessary to afford safety to carriers of the U.S. mail, operators of the Deseret Telegraph, agents of the stagecoach line, and freighters.

A town would have been constructed at the Cove Fort site, but the water supply was inadequate to support a sizable population. Another key factor in the selection of the site was the prior existence of a wooden-palisade fort, Willden Fort, which provided shelter and safety for the work crews who constructed Cove Fort. Willden Fort was erected by the Charles William Willden family in 1860.

Cove Fort Interior

The fort has two sets of large wooden doors at the east and west ends, originally filled with sand to stop bullets, and contains twelve interior rooms. The six rooms along the south wall were used for business, domestic, and social activities. The last three rooms along the north side of the fort served as a private residence for the Hinckley family.

Hinckley family residence

Postal express riders delivered and picked up mail collected at the fort from nearby residents, ranches, and miners. One mail carrier, William Anderson, would leave Fillmore at 6:00 a.m. on Monday and arrive in Cedar City Wednesday evening near 6:00 p.m. He would average 47 miles a day.

As a daily stop for two stagecoach lines as well as many other travelers, Cove Fort was heavily used for many years, often housing and feeding up to 75 people at a time. In addition to providing a place to rest, a blacksmith/farrier resided at the fort who shod horses and oxen, and also repaired wagon wheels. With its telegraph office and as a Pony Express stop, it also acted as a regional communications hub.

Selling Cove Fort

In the early 1890s, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints determined that the fort was no longer required and leased it out, selling it outright on 21 August 1919 to William Henry Kesler, who had leased the land since 1903. In 1988 the Hinckley family purchased the fort and donated it back to the church. On 9 May 1992* LDS general authority Gordon B. Hinckley dedicated the newly restored fort.

Ira Hinckley with one of his wives

What has been done is a great and significant thing from the point of view of the Church, the state, and the nation. Once forts were found in abundance across this great land. Now there are very few left. Cove Fort is the only one of the pioneer Church forts which still stands in its entirety.
President Hinckley, First Counselor in the First Presidency, at the dedication.

The Church also transported Ira Hinckley’s Coalville, Utah cabin to the site, constructed a visitor center, and reopened the fort as a historic site.

It is our hope that Cove Fort will serve as a modern way station—not as a shelter from physical fatigue or protection from the elements. Rather, we hope it will serve as a spiritual way station where we can be reminded of the faith of our forefathers, where we can refresh our sense of sacrifice and obedience and our dedication to duty, where we can be reminded of the values of work, provident living, self-sufficiency, and family unity.
Elder Stephen D. Nadauld of the Seventy, at the dedication

* I read of two dates for the dedication: 9 May 1992 and 21 May 1994. If you know which of these is correct, please communicate through a comment.

Old Iron Town State Park

August 24, 2008 by rickety 4 Comments

On our way back from Mountain Meadow Monument Jill and I stopped by Old Iron Town State Park. There is a sign located along highway 56 about 20 miles west of Cedar City. At the sign we turned south and traveled on a gravel road for approximately five miles to the ruins. The park is free and open year round during daylight hours. It appears that Old Iron Town is also referred to as Iron City and Little Pinto. I will just call it Iron Town.

Earlier Iron Works

Lack of iron was a major concern to pioneers who began settling in Utah in 1847. When iron deposits were discovered in southern Utah, Mormon leader Brigham Young called for volunteers to colonize the Iron Mission area. A site near Coal Creek, now Cedar City, was selected in November 1851 for the iron works but the foundry was eventually closed in 1858.

Iron Town

Iron Town, founded by Ebenezer Hanks, was Iron County’s second attempt at mining iron. The town had an iron furnace with a 2,500 pound capacity and was operated from June 1868 to 1877. There was a brick schoolhouse, machine shop, blacksmith shop, pattern shop, molding shop, erastra (grinding device), and two charcoal kilns. By 1871 a post office, boarding house, butcher shop, and general store were added. While Iron Town seemed prosperous at the time, it only operated for nine years, closing because of the lack of sufficient transportation to Northern Utah for the iron ore and the money panic of 1874.

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Utah Shakespearean: Othello

August 22, 2008 by rickety Leave a Comment

Previously we attended Cyrano de Bergerac and The Two Gentleman of Verona.

The Play

Our last play at the festival is William Shakespeare’s Othello. The play is a tragedy based on the short story Moor of Venice by Cinthio, written around 1603. The work revolves around four central characters: Othello (Jonathan Earl Peck), his wife Desdemona (Lindsey Wochley), his lieutenant Cassio (Justin Matthew Gordon), and his trusted advisor Iago (James Newcomb). Desdemona is secretly married to the black general Othello, which upsets Roderigo, a rich gentleman. Iago is upset with Othello for promoting the younger Cassio over him. When Roderigo tells Desdemona’s father, Brabantio, that she is married, Brabantio is upset with Othello. And so it goes until it reaches a tragic climax. Because of its varied themes — racism, love, jealousy and betrayal — the play remains relevant to the present day.

The Actors

Jonathan Earl Peck has played on Broadway in A Lion in Winter; Abduction from the Seraglio; and The Color of Justice. Off Broadway Shakespearean roles have been Julius Caesar; The Merchant of Venice; Othello; Richard III; A Midsummer Night’s Dream; and Hamlet. In television and film he has played in Cadillac Records; Law and Order; The West Wing; The Devil’s Own; American Deams; Here and Now; One Life to Live; Loving; Freedom Road; King; Devil Girl; and Someone Else’s America.

Lindsey Wochley has played in A Christmas Carol as Belle and The Merry Wives of Windsor as Anne Page. Her Hartt School productions include Measure for Measure (Isabella), Pericles (Marina), Hay Fever (Sorel), Three Sisters (Natalya), Picnic (Madge), The Laramie Project (Romaine Patterson), Scapin (Nerine), and the world premieres of Film Noir (Jessica) and Deflowering Waldo (Sissy).

Justin Matthew Gordon has appeared previously at the Festival in Coriolanus, Lend Me a Tenor: The Musical. His Shakespearean roles in other theaters have been in Twelfth Night; Richard II; Richard III; A Midsummer Night’s Dream; and Hamlet. He has appeared in We Were Soldiers and What’s Bugging Seth.

James Newcomb has appeared previously at the Festival in Coriolanus and King Lear. In other theaters his Shakespearean roles include Richard III, Oberon, Puck, Bolingbroke, Laertes, Touchstone, Feste, Dogberry, Benedick, Romeo, Grumio, Tranio, Cabiban, and Thersites.

The Theater

The Adams Shakespearean Theatre is patterned after drawings and research of sixteenth century Tudor stages. Experts say it is one of a few theaters that probably comes close to the design of the Globe Theatre in which Shakespeare’s plays were originally produced. It is so authentic that the British Broadcasting Company filmed part of its Shakespeare series there.

It is named for Grace Adams Tanner, a major benefactor of the Festival, and her parents, Thomas D. and Luella R. Adams. It seats 819, plus 66 gallery-bench or standing-room seats. I was told by theater staff that when the new theater is opened this old theater will be torn down. It would be too costly to retrofit a movable roof that can be opened and closed depending on the weather.

Back Home

We had not seen Othello before and for us it dragged a little during the first half. It livened up after the intermission and though the ending was tragic there was a lot to ponder about why it had to be that way. It seems that one person with a lot of lies can really deceive a great many people. I noticed in the plays we attended that there were several empty seats. I wonder if ticket sales are down slightly. Anyway, we enjoyed the show.

Jill and I visited some other interesting places on our trip to southern Utah and I will probably be blogging about those shortly.

Utah Shakespearean Festival: The Two Gentlemen of Verona

August 21, 2008 by rickety 3 Comments

This is our second day at the Utah Shakespearean Festival. Yesterday we saw Cyrano de Bergerac. Today we attended a matinée of The Two Gentleman of Verona. We enjoyed the play and the dog appeared to be the biggest hit with the audience. We will be watching Othello this evening and I will probably report on the play tomorrow. We are enjoying the uncrowdedness of Cedar City and the clear skies. It is pleasant to walk around the campus with so many shade trees to cool our way.

The Play

The Two Gentleman of Verona is a free-spirited and engaging comedy. For anyone who has ever been in love, this youthful indulgence is replete with love-smitten (and confused) men, cunning (and disguised) beautiful maidens, and the most likable canine ever to grace the stage. Valentine (Justin Matthew Gordon) and Proteus (Matt Burke), the two gents in question, prove that Romeo is not the only lad in Verona to feel the raptures of love!

The Actors

Matt Burke is also playing Tranio in The Taming of the Shrew. Previously at the festival he had roles in Twelfth Night, Coriolanus, King Lear, Love’s Labour’s Lost, and Doctor Faustus. He will be featured in the upcoming HBO movie Recount.

Justin Matthew Gordon is also playing Cassio in Othello. Previously at the festival he had a role in Coriolanus, Lend Me a Tenor: The Musical. He appeared in the movies: We Were Soldiers and What’s Bugging Seth.

The Theater

We watched the play in The Auditorium, completely renovated in 2004. It is the venue for matinées and kept us cool and in the shade on the hot summer afternoon. It is also used for performances that are “rained in” from the Adams Shakespearean Theatre. Fortunately the weather was clear yesterday for Cyrano de Bergerac. The theater seats 853. The Auditorium is nowhere near the same as being outdoors in the Adams Shakespearean Theatre. However, the acting was just as excellent and we enjoyed our first taste of Shakespeare this year.

First Day

Second Day

Third Day

Fourth Day

When?

Related Posts

Breakfast

Cove Fort

Safe Shelter

Cove Fort Interior

Selling Cove Fort

Earlier Iron Works

Iron Town

The Play

The Actors

The Theater

Back Home

The Play

The Actors

The Theater