I went for a walk up the street late tonight as I often do for some fresh air and to mull things over. The trees are in bloom, filling the night air with their deliciously sweet scents. I could almost…
First Day of Autumn
I walked outside this morning and enjoyed the refreshing sensations of the first day of autumn. The sky was filled with high, dark clouds spreading an even, muted, shadowless light; a stiff breeze tousled my hair; and a few rain…
Whitney
Day before yesterday I decided I should drive to California and climb Mount Whitney. Immediately. Whitney is 14,500′ tall and the highest point in the US outside of Alaska. A significant portion of book three of my Christmas fiction trilogy…
Man vs Mountain
The thing I learned a long time ago about climbing big mountains is that it’s not always fun while you’re doing it. It’s not until later, perhaps from the highway below driving away, when all the suffering from cold and…
Christmas Novels
Well, it’s all finished. I finished writing The Perfect Gift. I laid out the book interiors in InDesign. I designed the covers. I sent them to the printer. Now it’s time to get the word out. If you have a…
Moab Fall Training Camp 2009
For the past several years, I’ve taken the motorcycle to Moab with my SST (search and rescue singletrack team) buddies and spent two or three days riding the endless slickrock and other trails in the area. Every year’s a little different…
Goodbye, TICA
Today was my last day as a National Park Ranger at Timpanogos Cave, and it was a good one. I had four good tour groups who seemed to enjoy their tour and appreciate the wonders (a totally busy day means…
Pirate Gold
I forgot to post a link to this video I made of my nieces and nephews at Bear Lake this summer. Don’t expect a masterpiece – it was shot pretty quickly because there was too much sailing and eating and…
Lower Passage
When 14 year old cousins James Gough and Frank Johnson discovered Timpanogos Cave in 1913, they didn’t travel along the upper passage where tours go today. That area was very narrow and has been excavated to make it roomy enough…
Farewell, Mill Hollow
For my day off today, I spent six hours riding the trails above the Alpine Loop with Curtis and Olin. It felt so great to spend another perfect late-summer day outside! Being outdoors seems to lubricate the heart and the…