Pioneer Names, 'Hole in the Rock' Pioneers, Pioneer Park

Those who have read my other southern Utah posts are probably tired of red rock pictures by now. I won't promise, but this might be the last post showing all the neat rock formations. We went back to Snow Canyon and did some walking/hiking/climbing along some of the trails. The first picture below shows a kid rock climbing next to some pioneer names which were supposedly written in the red rock with axle grease during the latter part of the 1800's. (Click to enlarge). I am hesitant to believe the names are really as they were when they were written. Following that picture there are a few more taken on our Snow Canyon visit.

Like several members of our family and some of our friends, we recently read the book, "The Undaunted," by Gerald Lund. It was a long tale (fiction based on fact) about the 'Hole in the Rock' pioneers. While we were hiking we often commented on what it might have been like to go through the area with wagons and no trail to follow. Sometimes we lost the trail for a while as it crossed rocky outcroppings. Other times we would sink into deep sand which slowed our progress. Sometimes our ascent or descent seemed a little treacherous. Anyway, I took pictures of our own 'Hole in the Rock' pioneers. Ha-ha!

Every time we pass Pioneer Park in St. George it makes me nervous that so many people appear to be standing right on the edge of the red cliffs high above the ground. We wonder how many people fall or are injured there each year. We decided to walk around and explore the crevasses and unique formations. We talked to a young couple on spring break from USU who were rock climbing and rapelling. The remaining four pictures were taken in Pioneer Park.

A bridge from one big rock to another

View of Saint George Temple

A few tidbits

After spending about a month in the hospital ANDREW finally made it home. We were saddened to hear that Andrew's 29 year old sister, BECKY, who previously had her colon removed, has cancer spots on her liver and in her pelvis. ROSS had back surgery. Happy birthday to LANDON who turned seven years old! COURTNEY had her name in the paper for being on the South Cache Honor Roll. COURTNEY and ASHLEY were in dance competitions in Pocatello last weekend. ASHLYN got an award for being the top Kindergarten student at Odyssey Charter School. If everything works out, REED and I will be working at the Smith Farm and Sacred Grove during the Hill Cumorah Pageant in July. TY and JODI spoke in their sacrament meeting on Sunday. It was their 'farewell' prior to moving to Oklahoma City. They are renting a home close to the temple. Their ward meetinghouse shares a parking lot with the temple. The JOHNSONS' ward was split. They go to a different building now and meetings are from 2:30 - 5:30 p.m.

Today's Red Rock Adventures

Trailhead parking lot

A couple of times we have passed 'The Biggest Loser' facility here in Southern Utah. Today Gary and Suzanne took us on a hike. When we arrived in the parking lot, The Biggest Loser van was there. Evidently the clients at the resort are brought to this location to hike/exercise. We were really hoping to run into them. We were on the trails for nearly 2 1/2 hours but never saw them. They must have used a different route than we did. Suzanne is one of the biggest losers I know. Since last April she has lost nearly 100 lbs.

Reed

I think that is Ivins in the distance


Gary and his white zinc oxide lips

I wanted to push this boulder over the edge. It is hard to tell in the picture, but the drop would be a couple hundred feet.

Suzanne

Cute little horned toad

(center of picture, click to enlarge)

After the hike Felters took us to 'Pirates Island' for an 'all we could eat' salad bar and pizza. It was a neat place. The grandkids would love it. (Because it was dark inside the restaurant, the pictures didn't turn out very well).

Beautiful day - Perfect temperatures - Picturesque hike

Good friends - Great day

St. George Getaway

We thought we would find sunny skies and warm temperatures in St. George. Some days have been cold and rainy...even a little snow has fallen. Some water pipes froze here on the resort property. Even when the sun comes out it there is still a bitter wind blowing. We have holed up inside reading books by the gas log fireplace to stay warm. We didn't bring our 4-wheelers because we didn't want them to sit out on the open trailer during the storms. The temperatures are finally warming up nicely and now we wish we had our ATVs. A few days ago we went for a ride to Logandale, Nevada, see fellow missionary, Elder Vaughn Evans, who is now Bishop Evans. His wife, Susan, was not at home. We had a good time visiting, checking out their new 5th wheel trailer, and seeing their garden which produces year-round. The tomatoes didn't even have walls of water around them. They have recently been dining on home grown asparagus and swiss chard. On the way back from Logandale I took these pictures:

Snow Canyon pictures:

We are staying in unit #321 in building 'D.' I not only lived the first 20 years of my life at 321 East Center in Logan, but many times when we check into hotel we end up in room '321.'

These are the views from our deck:

Chuck-A-Rama again, more missionary couples-

The Parkinsons

The Felters

Eating Out

Tonight we sort of had a mini Heber Valley Camp 'missionary reunion' at Chuck-A-Rama here in St. George. There were seven couples. We didn't know two of the couples as they didn't serve at the same time we did. We missed the Mowers, Felters and Claytons, all of whom live in St. George in the winter but couldn't be there tonight. We have some other 'favorite' missionary couples we would have liked to have seen as well. We had a good time reminiscing and eating. The other day we had lunch with Brent and Diane and dinner with Gary and Suzanne.

The Rawlinsons

The Carters

The McArthurs



The Glaziers

Our main social outlet is eating out. Not long ago there was an article in the newspaper about a couple of women who decided to meet and eat at a different restaurant each week. They didn't go to fast food or regular restaurant chains because they could do that on their own or had already experienced that kind of food. We thought that sounded interesting. The past little while we have eaten at a few eating establishments (some independent, some chains - and from Logan to Mesquite) that we hadn't tried before: Smokin' Blues Barbeque, Sil's, The Egg 'n' I, Rumba Island Grill, Sun River Club House, In 'n' Out Burgers, The Golden Jade, Pounders, Jimmy Johns, Pirate Island, Fargos, Casa Blanca Buffet and Yah-Poo! Recent repeats have been: Applebee's, Chuck-A-Rama, Texas Roadhouse, Sizzler, Olive Garden, Pancho and Lefty's, Fredrico's Pizza, Red Lobster, The Italian Place, Old Grist Mill, Bajios and some less notable places such as KFC, Del Taco, Arctic Circle, Carl's Jr., Subway, McDonald's, Taco Bell, Wendy's, Arby's, Burger King and Taco Time. At least with the big growth spurt south of the 'Y' in Logan, we do have a number of options close to us. We might as well close our kitchen.

Well, Andrew WAS home...

...but is back in the hospital. Andrew was sick and not doing well so he checked into the American Fork Hospital on Friday, March 5th. At least he is only a couple of minutes from home instead of a half hour away. After running a bunch of tests, Andrew was given a blood transfusion. His dad drove up from Arizona to be with him while Robin tends to the needs of the girls. Reed and I stopped in to see Andrew on Sunday on our way to St. George. He looked good, his spirits were high and he seemed quite well...very encouraging. The treatments he received must have perked him up. He ended up being able to go home. Unfortunately, that was very short-lived. Receiving total nourishment by port is a time-consuming effort and is very disruptive to sleep. This affects both Robin and Andrew. Due to these problems and others, Andrew is back in the hospital. Robin said he doesn't really want to go back home until he is eating normally.

Andrew is home

Andrew was released from the hospital in the late afternoon on Friday the 26th after spending 22 days there. We returned home that night. I wish we lived a little closer so we could drop in and help a little each day to alleviate some of the strain on Robin. We hated to 'abandon' them with so much going on. Thankfully, Robin and Andrew live in a very caring and helpful ward. Somehow we managed to cause Aubrey to gain a pound a week while she was under our care. At her 9 month check she was almost 23 pounds! She gained weight while her dad has lost between 30 and 40 pounds. Home health care is going in to assist with Andrew and Robin is using her nursing skills once again. Andrew still has a long road to a complete recovery. After his open abdomen closes in a couple of months he will have chemotherapy for two months or so. Once he gets his strength back after that, he will go back into surgery. We hope he will heal well, feel well, gain strength and be buoyed by the knowledge that so many are thinking of and praying for him.