The Bear

About 14 years ago a "friend" needed a ride to her family cabin for the weekend. She was really fun, and I really liked her. But I was just free transportation. But in return I got two amazing trips to the Utah mountains. Once in the summer. Once in the winter. Both trips opened a world for me of outdoor passion ... That remained mostly dormant until we bought our cabin. (The exception to this is our yearly trip down the Provo river in a rubber raft, of course.) On that summer trip to cabin I remember a few things. First, I learned how to cook onions and how to load a dinner. As if my driving were not enough. But I actually loved cooking and cleaning with the mother of the house on those trips. She was old and wise. Second, I remember listening to lots of Dixie Chicks "wide open spaces" and "cowboy take me away." Ah, the late 90s. Priceless outdoor awesomeness. Finally, I remember "the bear." The bear was the name of the hardest hike near this cabin. I had never hiked. They took me anyway. The hike was long and hard and actually included large parts that were so steep, we were on our hands and knees basically rock climbing. I made it to the top, and I was in heaven. The next day we went on a flat hike with switch backs. I hated it. But I never forgot how much I loves the bear -- with it's cliffs and climbing. It was a go at your own pace, challenges yourself and enjoy the view hike. For a long time in dreamed of hiking it again. But apparently my "friend" got a car.

So, now we are in one of the rock and ice climbing capitols of the country, and my loved on the bear is stirred in me, and I am ready for this exploration. Yesterday Tim did his first rock climb, and we bought me my first harness -- happy Mother's Day to me. So we are gearing up -- literally, there is lots of gear -- and getting ready to climb all summer. The packs here have mountains that are bolted for sport climbing. Basically this whole town is a free rock climbing gym. Pretty cool!