Boating at Mona Reservoir

Saturday morning Tim and I got up super early and met my brother Jarin for a quick bike ride. We left Santaquin and rode out to Nephi, then back to Mona Reservoir for our reward. It was a perfect day for boating: calm water, sunshine, great family, and nothing to do but play.

As you can see, Jami and Jesse were having a really tough day.

Can you see the resemblance?

It's hard work to do this much relaxing.

Josh worked hard to catch a dead fish.

More Four Wheeling Fun

Friday we took a quick four wheeler ride up Santaquin Canyon.
Miles was my riding buddy.
Clearly my arms weren't quite long enough for a great self portrait.

Sean and Tad did a little racing,

I'm not sure who the ultimate winner was, but
They both seemed to be having a lot of fun.

Oprah Burgers and Fruit Pizza

My brother Sean and the kids, Josh, Jesse and Tad have been here for the last week which means lots of family time, lots of fun. Thursday everyone came to our house for a BBQ, we were just missing Craig, Hailey and baby Roman. Several years ago my mom made Oprah burgers for us - she watched a show where Oprah said this recipe was her favorite. We all teased her about the burgers until we tasted them. The ingredients are distinct, but the combination is delicious. Tim's grilling abilities made them spectacular. Seriously, check out the recipe and give it a try, you will not be disappointed.

Have you ever seen a hat this great?
The moustache detaches for a sweet look.

Jami made fruit pizza.
She was a little shy so Josh agreed to showcase the goods.
Man I love fruit pizza, especially when made by someone else.

Jesse had to work hard to get Everest to pose.
As always, Gavin knows how to work a crowd and the camera.
He gives you his best pose,
Then immediately wants to see the picture.

Four Wheels Are Better Than Two Sometimes

Last weekend we upped the ante with our ride, we added a run at the end. Tim and I and my brother are doing a triathlon at the end of July and we decided we better get our legs used to the shock of getting of the bike and running. It would probably have felt a lot better if we had started a little earlier. By the time we got around to the running it was blazing and miserable. We got it done though, 40 mile ride, 3.5 mile run.

Friday night we went four wheeling up Mona Pole Canyon.

It is not the type of place to hike or run, definitely not appropriate for a push bike, but perfect for four wheelers. We went with my parents and friends Eran and Hannah and their daughter Sydney. About a mile or so into the canyon it hit me, the smell...it's indescribable, but it is the smell of summer, of a canyon, pretty much the smell of heaven. We had a fabulous time, no major mishaps and only a little dust in the eyes and hair.

Mom and Dad

Sydney

A perfect spot to stop for dinner.

The mountain air is inspiring.

Black Sand Beach

One of our best days on Maui was when we drove the Road to Hanna. This is truly a "joy in the journey" type of trip. Hanna itself is a bit of a letdown, but the sights along the way are amazing. One of the stops is at the black sand beach. Apparently this is considered to be much newer land so the sand is not as refined.

I hope B's bottle of black sand didn't end up in the bottom of his backpack.
It's weird, it looks like mud but brush off like regular sand.

The jelly fish and rough waves

Kept us out of the water.

The lava tubes.Perfect spot for a self portrait.
The power of the sea in this area was awesome.

The blow holes.

Bubba Gumps Shrimp Co.

You can fry it, grill it, broil it, bake it, put it in tacos, serve it with pasta, etc. etc.

One of the first mornings we were on Maui I went for a run and passed Bubba Gumps Shrimp Co. and thought it would be a fun place for dinner. It sits out on the water and even though we couldn't see much at night, you could still hear the waves and smell the sea air.

It really wan't that late, but playing in the waves all day can wear you out.

We loved this bench.

Life is like a box of chocolates,

That night we definitely picked a good one.

Haleakala

From Wikipedia:Haleakala, or the East Maui Volcano is a massive shield volcano that forms more than 75% of the island of Maui. In Hawaiian folklore, the top of the volcano was the home of the grandmother of the demigod Maui. She helped him in his quest to capture and slow the sun and lengthen the day. One of the activities on most peoples "musts of Maui" is to see the sunrise on Haleakala. Last time we were there we didn't think it was worth the effort, but have regretted not going, so this time it was at the top of Tim's list. The morning we were there the sun rose at 5:45 a.m. Early, but even earlier when you find out that it is about a 2 1/2 hour drive to the top. Basically you go from sea level to 10,000 feet on a very windy road. If you have done the math, that means we got up at 2:30 a.m. to have this adventure. When we arrived at 4:45 a.m. the parking lot was already half full, we weren't the only ones with this crazy idea. And was it worth it? Absolutely.

We had been warned, but it was cold - like gloves and a hat cold.

Definitely not what you expect when you think of Hawaii.

When we arrived it was completely black,
I couldn't believe how quickly the sky began to change.

At 10,000 feet, you are actually above the cloud line,

That is the magic of the sunrise,
To see the sun come up and over the clouds.

Right as it was about to burst over the cloud line,

A guy from the national park started a Hawaiian chant,
It was a welcoming of the sunrise
And one of the coolest things I have ever heard.

The chant along with the sun it self was seriously breathtaking.
It actually made me quite emotional.
(Good thing it was still pretty dark)

Once the sun was up, most people took off for home (and a nap)
We hiked around a bit and checked out the other views.

I spent the rest of the week quizzing everyone
To see if they could pronounce the name.
Lots of funny versions.
Whether you can pronounce it or not,
If you ever go to Maui, seriously, don't miss it.