Hike #2-Mt. Naomi

Friday, 9/26, Ben, Joseph and I took off up the canyon. William wanted to come but he had his Homecoming Dance and Date. I got back from work and grabbed some meat at Walmart. Mom helped us with our foil dinners and we packed the car. We decided it wasn't the best time for back packing because Joseph didn't have his pack (at Grandma's in Perry, UT) and we hadn't had the time to really plan it out together. So this time it was car camping and that turned out to be an adventure of its own. Logan canyon is pretty cool for a lot of reasons. One, is that the walls of the canyon are covered in rock climbing spots. We packed the climbing gear and started by finding an empty wall. We pulled off the highway and started climbing. It was a fun climb. Ben got up once to set our anchor and then when coming down discovered the rope was 5-10 feet short! So he had to go up again with the longer rope. It was a good climb for him even. Joseph and I both did pretty well. I'm getting better the more I climb and I love it. I think swimming has strengthened my upper body. We were climbing until it was dark and then we headed off to make camp.

The other reason Logan Canyon is cool is because there are very few camping restrictions. I called the ranger and there were only two small spots that had a fire ban and you can pull off and camp anywhere. So we went up Right Fork Canyon Rd and 

found a spot we liked. It was right near a 

creek and it wasn't until the morning when we realized just how beautiful a spot it was. We had the most amazing foil dinners (thanks to mom) and then we decided to watch a move in the car. Yup, this is car camping at its 

very best! We can plug in a converter that allows us to run my computer and then we plug the sound into the car stereo and we have surround 

sound! Pretty sweet. But there was a problem. The back window on the Expedition wasn't closing and so the interior lights wouldn't go off. We worried about it at first, thinking we might drain the battery but then we decided that dad runs his sleep machine off the car all night, it should be able to handle this right? Well with about 30 minutes left in 'Italian Job' the car lights began turning on and off. I checked the gage and sure enough, we had drained the battery. We tried to start the car and nothing. We quickly turned off the movie, rigged the 

back window so the lights would go off 

and then did the only thing we could do...we went to bed. I had a fitful sleep worrying about how we were going to get the car to start in the morning. We were in the middle of nowhere and better yet, the car was parked in such a way to make it very difficult for another car to get close enough to help. I had dreams all night about different solutions and it was never helpful. In the morning I woke up to Ben starting the car and said a prayer of thanks. 

I then finally slept for a few minutes before we had to get up and make breakfast and break camp.

Next we were off to Tony Grove and the trail head for Naomi Peak. It is 3.3 miles to the top with just under a 2000 feet elevation gain. It was a pretty good hike. The boys are in much better shape than I and would have scrabbled up the 

mountain were it not for my need of occasional rest and water. We got up in 2 hours and back down in just over an hour. The views were beautiful but we discovered something about being from the NW. 

As beautiful as the grays and browns may be, it is hard to find beauty in them when you are used to continual green. But there was some amazing color up there this time of year and that was fun to capture. 

We made it back down without incident and we were hungry! Mom had met us up at Tony Grove but we were ready to be off 

down the canyon to get home. I'm sure the hike barely phased the boys but I paid for it on Sunday with a little soreness. I'm sure it didn't help that I had ran every day last week. 

Anyway, it was a great first big hike. I'm excited to get out into that wilderness and experience more of it! Be expecting more of this! And when winter comes it will just change to snow shoeing and cross country skiing! I'm excited, can you tell?

From the top Logan is right behind Ben's head :) Look hard and you can see it!

View of Mt. Magog from the top of Naomi

You can see Tony Grove Lake in the right hand corner. 

The Old Tabernacle

Last Tuesday, 9/23 we went and visited the Logan Tabernacle. It is a beautiful building and full of heritage. Its fun to get to know this place. There is history here and it always feels good to be connected with history. We also went downstairs which houses a big family history library. I'm hoping to get to know that place pretty well for my new calling as Family History and Temple Co-coordinator. 

We live across the street from the Logan Cemetery and that has become one of my favorite places. I'll try and post pictures later. I always forget to bring my camera when I go there!

Where the Savior Walked

Since I got back from Jerusalem in June, my mind has been constantly taken back to the Holy Land. I have revisited sights in my mind over and over again and it has been wonderful. I, like many of my classmates, wrote the dates we visited different sites in my scriptures and hymnbook. It has been wonderful to be taken back at the sight of a simple notation. 

I have also been reading Gerald N. Lund's series Kingdom and the Crown. I love his style of writing and his dedication to historical accuracy. Where story telling is required for the flow of the novel, he explains history in the chapter notes. It has been amazing to revisit the scripture stories through these novels.

Anyway, I begin reading them in Provo, checking them out from the BYU library. I finished the second book when I was visiting family in CA and died of anticipation waiting to get back to the library to check out the 3rd book. Finally, I checked it out and was only 50 or so pages into the book when I moved up to Logan and had to leave the book behind with instructions for my sister to return it to the library. The Friday after I got to Logan I found myself at the Institute Building once again seeking the book! Checking in with the Librarian I became eligible for check outs and eagerly took the book home. I spent the next week of late nights working through the book. 

I finished last Wednesday late at night. I just want to say that again I know my Savior lives. I didn't need to visit Bethlehem, Galilee, the Garden tomb or read these books to know it, but the Spirit I have felt witnesses to me that He lives and did what He says He did. I am so grateful for that knowledge. So take a moment, open your New Testament, or check out a book, and let your mind take you to the Holy Land and the places the Savior walked.

Logan Temple

Don't you just love how the temple draws your eye? This is one thing I just love about Logan. The temple is beautifully situated on the top of a little hill and thus can be seen sticking out above the trees from locations all over Logan. This is a shot from my favorite vantage point so far. Make sure you plan some time to go to the temple this next week!

Hike #1

It finally happened! After living here a week I finally took off up the canyon for a hike this past Wednesday. On Sunday I had been up the road about a mile to just enjoy the scenery but this time I was going to be a part of it and explore! Mom and I both took off in the afternoon and the weather was perfect! It was a short hike since we didn't have a lot of time but it was just the taste I needed to be totally hooked! I have since been studying several hiking guides on the area and have already mapped out several hikes for the near future. I'm so excited to be living right at the mouth of this beautiful canyon. I hope you enjoy the pictures!

The fearless hikers!

This is what you see just as you enter the canyon

At the start of our hike

Can you find the ducks!? I wasn't fast enough to zoom in and really get them. Oh well.

Kinda wish I was fishin'! That's going to be something else I take up while I'm here. Supposedly Logan area has some of the best fishing in the nation!

I thought i was computer literate...

Okay, so I've just spent almost an hour trying to get this blog to look decent and it isn't working. I have much yet to learn about blogging I guess but hey, that's what this is for! Expect more editing in the future. As I begin these chronicles I must thank all who have influenced me to this point and especially my dear friend, who's own blog has inspired me to strike out on this digital adventure! I hope to post lots of pictures and fun stories about the going ons in Logan. Lets hope mine is half as interesting as hers! :) 

So, I moved up to Logan last Wednesday and not a lot has happened since then. Wednesday nights I have my rehearsals for the American Festival Chorus. 

Our conductor is Dr. Craig Jessop, previous conductor for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir! It is amazing to work with him and I am really lucky to have a choir again so soon. Those of you who know me know I can't go long with out a choir. 

It has been really fun to be back with family and to have my only little room. Enjoy your own special tour of my little hovel!
 

Through a series of events, we are temporarily living on the first floor of an on-campus freshman dorm! 

That has already proven to be an adventure as we are next door to the rec room can hear the freshman soundtrack at all hours of the day! However we are still the proud residents of San Juan Hall which is uniquely fitting seeing as we are from the North West. We live on a 9-hole golf course. 

Frisbee golf, that is. But its still fun to claim living on a golf course. I'm sure I'll only get that once in my life! 

Lastly we are in the center of Aggieville. Logan is the home of Utah State University and the Aggies. 

Half of my wardrobe has been eliminated since being seen in BYU gear is rather dangerous. I am learning to be careful in my disclosure of past education and residence. I've discovered it is better to simply say "my family is from Washington" rather than, "I just moved here from Provo, UT." 

Sunday I attended my new ward and it was a hard thing to be the outsider. I have found some sense of identity for the last three years in my BYU ward and I was always the one to welcome and get to know the new people. 

Now I find that I am a "new people" and I lack an insider to show me the ropes. I'm sure I will make friends quickly however, and hope to have a calling soon. So that's the news from Cache Valley. I hope to be going on some hikes this week when I'm not looking for a job so expect some beautiful pictures soon!