Biking and Pioneer Day

Christian is back from Mt. Rainier and even better... he shaved his beard! So much joy to be had! Since his return from the icy grasp of Rainier we've been doing a lot of biking and celebrating.

We've biked the Wasatch Crest trail twice and just Yesterday biked what Christian calls the Timpanookie loop. Our friends Steve and Julie (yay another Julie!) are avid bikers and It's been fun to hit the trails with them. Our first biking adventure along the Wasatch Crest Trail starts up by Brighton near Guardsman pass and ends back down in Park City. The first big climb is appropriately named puke hill because many bikers who make it to the top at almost 10,000 feet have to puke from overexertion. Luckily that did not hold true for any of us.

This trail is one of my favorites mainly because it's mostly downhill, but also because the scenery is really pretty. It's like riding through the Ewok forest and the Sound of Music meadows all at the same time.

I crashed once when a muddy rut sucked me in and spit me out sideways. I got a bit muddy and a little scrapped up but it was all in good fun.

At the end of it all we stopped by Squatters for some amazing burgers. In total we biked just under 27 miles with an elevation gain of about 2500ft.

Our second adventure was much shorter but was still infinitely better than a Kathy Smith's Body Basics workout. It was a 10 mile loop with a total of 1900ft of elevation gain. It starts at the Timpanookie trail head for hiking Mt. Timpanogos. We biked through some amazing wildflower fields with spectacular views of Timp in the background.

We also came across an oddity along the trail that seemed evident of some local Pioneer Day drunkenness. At first it was just a downed tree blocking the trail but then we noticed some beer cans strewn along the trail and if you followed the beer can trail it led you to a car that had careened off the road and smashed into the trees. Seriously people... don't drink and drive... especially on a poorly lit mountain road with 180 degree switchback turns.

Christian and Steve investigating the crash.

Utah celebrates Pioneer Day on the 24th of July and we interpreted that to mean have a party with lots of Pie! Steph came over to help bake pies while Christian BBQ'd some burgers for us. Bret even stopped by with his creepy chester-stache for a slice along with some of our friends.

Steph crumbled the butter into the pie dough and I rolled it out for the lattice top. I ask you what's more Pioneer-ish than fresh homemade apple pie?

The finished products. The strawberry pie was Christian's favorite. but I thought both were equally Yummy!

Steph looks so pretty. Seriously she wouldn't hold still and smile for a single picture. This was the best I could get. Perhaps having this posted on the Internet for all to see will prompt a more picturesque smile in the future?

Happy Pioneer Day!

Sorry to those of you outside of Utah who still had to work.