The Lehi 34th Ward Pioneer Trek

June 6th-9th, 2012

       I've been in Utah for almost a week now, and it's already time to travel again.  My Aunt and Uncle invited me to go on a 28 mile pioneer handcart Trek with them and part of the Utah 34th Ward.  The hardest trial for me on this trek was overcoming the extreme weather in Utah.  Near the middle of the day, the weather was extremely dry and hot.  Some days it reached temperatures of about 87 degrees.  At night, however it was the complete opposite with bone-chilling 45 degree air blowing in around eight O'clock.  We roughed it like the pioneers that came before us did on their journeys across America. After everyone was settled, we huddled around a fire, told some good pioneering stories, and went to bed in our warm sleeping bags.

 Getting packed for the long journey ahead of us

 This was the "family" I was in for the trek, the Watsons' family.

 This is the Weddics' and Robbins' family

 The Ibarras

The Robbins'

    You'd be surprised at how a delicious array of food can cure all kinds of minor problems.  I couldn't imagine eating just flour like some of the real handcart pioneers did on their march out West.  Some Indians back then would run off all of the pioneers' cows and take other food supplies with them in their raids.  Fortunately, we didn't see any on our journey through Northern Utah.  All we had to look out for were the thousands of badger holes, and a cattle crossing every now and then.  Yep, we finished our journey with full bellies, sore and aching feet, hands and backs, but, most importantly, a better understanding of the trials that the pioneers overcame on their 1,200 mile journey to Utah. 

Adventure Running

In order to get ready for becoming a collegiate athlete for UVU, I've spent a lot of this Summer coming up with new places to run.  I'm at 90 miles this week, and going up to 100 miles next week.  That's about 16 miles a day!  It's my last year of running, though, so I gotta make it count.  Most of these pictures are from places around Eagle Mountain.  I got a small case of the shin splints on Monday, so I'm running on the dirt for the next two weeks.

Tuesday, Day 1

 That mountain behind me looks tall enough.

 This is the peak of that mountain.  I found some deer antlers near the peak, so I grabbed them.  

Wednesday, Day 2

This picture has the Eagle Mountain amphitheater in the background.  

Footlocker XC West Regionals

It's been another fantastic year for the Westlake Cross Country Club!  We just finished up our season with fantastic times at the FLCC 2013 race. I came in 22nd with a time of 17:06.  Alyssa Pickering came in the top 60 in the Junior Girls 5K.  Brayden came in 3rd with a time of 16:55 for Westlake.

Conquering the Monte Cristo and Cascade peaks

This is the top of Monte` Cristo.  Look at that view!

Tony and I found a cave on our way up to to the top. It looks like a house, but I don't think anyone made it.  

That "house" was very hard to climb onto.  It's a good thing me and Tony are experts.  

The wind started blowing really hard.  

That's why my eyes are closed.

I tried to pet a cow, but it ran away.  :(

The rock wanted to crush me!  

This was Tony's pose.  I think it looks like he's taking a crap.  

This picture was taken from the top of Cascade.  It's a sheer cliff drop at the top.  The tip, where I'm standing, is just as steep as that cliff over there.  Tony said that I ought to bobsled down that, but I think I'm good.  

These ladybugs were all over the top of the mountain.  I smashed some of them with rocks.  

This picture was taken next to UVU.

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Check back this Saturday for more.

Running the Jordan River Trail

This is what it's like when you run in Utah.  It's cold and there's tons of snow.  I'm definitely not in Florida anymore.