Fit and Fast

Another reason I love where we live: there are all kinds of outdoor sports/fitness events going on. Today it was the first stage of the Tour of Utah professional cycling race ... 3 laps, each one starting in Ogden, going up over North Ogden divide, circling around Pineview Reservoir and then down Ogden Canyon... a total of 116 miles with a nearly 3000' climb to an elevation of 6200' each lap.

The riders were crazy fast... and crazy fit, of course.

This is the downhill side of the Divide...

We missed the first lap by only minutes, but caught the next one. The first rider to come off the pass on Lap 2... he was flying, as were all the riders behind him...

A few spectators, of course...

 (The one with the camera is my favorite spectator!)

The big climb on the third and final lap ... but first, a little tease from a Lamborghini that says "WIN ME" on the hood...

...and then riding solo, the first rider to come up the hill...

 ... he made it look so easy...

 ... and, by the way, he (Jesse Anthony) won the first stage...congrats to him!

And after him, they just kept on coming...some smiling, some showing the strain of the heat and steep ride, but all pressing onward and upward.

He seemed happy... but, of course, he took the easy way up the hill. 

Here were a couple of unofficial riders... working hard for the money... Frankly, you couldn't pay me enough to do that ride. I've driven it enough times in a car to know how steep it really is.

It might only be 200 meters to the top of the hill, as the sign says, but that would be 200 meters too many for me... just look at it!!

But he, like so many before him, just kept on pedaling...

Now, here's a true easy rider...look Ma, no hands...and this, while still climbing up that last 200 meters...show off!! 

 Smart guy...I'm all for staying cool.

And then, finally, the sign that the last rider had passed...

 ...time to head home... 

What a great event! Congrats to every single one of the approximately 120 riders who rode and finished Stage 1! You are all amazing in my book!!!

Click here to view the whole unedited batch of photos I shot.

The Value of Hard Work

Remember my whine about weeds a few weeks ago? There's an endless supply here. Some of them are pretty with flowers and totally harmless... Others, well...not so much. My favorites to hate are the ones that produce stickers of various sorts and sizes, stickers that all need to be removed from the dogs. 

 

Thanks to Ryan who came up for a couple of days to work. Notice the black "boot". He broke his ankle playing rugby in the All-American tournament. It hasn't stopped him from working hard. 

 Treating it just like a rugby scrum!

Good-bye weeds.

Ryan:1, Weeds:0.

I'm glad that Luke also recognizes the value of hard work. It was great to read his first email from the Missionary Training Center and hear his excitement for the hard work that is facing him.

These are great young men. 

Closed Doors

 I've been thinking about the power of words... the power to tear down and hurt and destroy... or the power to lift up. Some people seem surprised that when they open their mouths doors slam shut. Is it really so hard to just think for a brief second before speaking? It is better to be thoughtful and live a life free from regrets. I think the words of James in the New Testament express it well...

James 3 
My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.

For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not inword, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.

Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.

Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!

And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:

But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.

Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?

Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.

Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meeknessof wisdom.

But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glorynot, and lie not against the truth.

This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

It's not always easy, and I'm not always successful, but I try to choose my words carefully...or even more important, perhaps, to choose to keep my words to myself. A life of regrets is a hard price to pay. I prefer a life of peace. 

Sunday Morning Visitors

Another gorgeous summer morning in the mountains. Apparently these youngsters thought it was a good morning for an early stroll.

So as not to scare them off, I had to shoot through the closed window...sometimes you just take what you can get, and do so gratefully. They were really cute...four spotted fawns and one doe (that we could see). Perhaps this is what they were seeking for breakfast...