Owl Arch aka: 7 mile arch

Saturday May 24th, We left home around 7am. Drove to the Valley of Fire turn off and drove another 10 miles on dirt road. Out by buffington pockets. Dale, Kristen, Ronnie, Dennis and I hiked to Owl Arch 7 miles round trip. It was 50 degrees when we started. On Monday the high was 110 degrees.

These rock formations were really neet to look at.

It reminded me of the Askan art of the Inuites.

Rock art painted by Native American's who once lived in this area.
I don't know why it is called owl arch.
Ron tried to climb to the arch but wasn't able to make it all the way in his hiking boots.

It rained then was sunny. It rained and then was sunny. It rained and then was sunny.

At least there were clouds in our pictures.

Rubiks Cube in7 easy steps

I happend to pick up a rubik's cube that someone left at the ward campout. I have really never tried to solve the puzzle. So like any good amerature I looked on line to get the directions to solve "The Rubik's Cube" puzzle. Even with the directions it took 3 days about 15 hours. I did it. I started on our way home from the campout got up Sunday morning tried again went to church came back and started again. Was up until 12:00 pm got up Monday morning at 9:00 am didn't get dressed was in my bathrobe till 4:30 when at last I solved it!!!! I will now throw it away and never look at it again.

Trivia about Rubik's Cube

The fastest time recorded to solve: 9.18 seconds by Edouard Cambon of France 2008

The youngest person to solve Rubik's Cube 4 years 6 months and 10 days old time to solve 1minute 28.06 seconds. (boy don't I feel stupid)

The most expensive Rubik's Cube 1.5 million dollars in 1995 it had 22.5 karats of amethyst 34 karats of rubies, 34 karats of emeralds and set in 18 karat gold

My Bucket List things I want to do before I kick the Bucket

Not in any particular order

*1. See the Northern Lights / Check
2. Travel to Denmark
3. Travel to Italy, Venice, Rome, Pizia
4. Catch a Steelhead Trout by myself.
5. Be my perfect weight again
6. Find Sarah Barden's Family
7. Have a picture published in National Geographic
8. Win a photo contest.
9. Have all my grandchildren know me.
10. Go to Disney World
11. See the statue of Liberty
12. See Mount Rushmore
13. See a Glacier Calf
14. See a polar bear in the wild
15. See Monument Valley
16. See Arches National Park
17. Travel to Africa on photo safari
*18. Visit Washington DC monuments and Arlinton National Cemetary / Check
19. Hike to Havasupi
20. Travel to Australia and swim the Great Barrier Reef
21. Travel to New Zeland
22. Visit all the National Parks
23. Witness the migration of the Monarch Butterfly to Mexico
24. See the Carabou Migration in Alaska
25. Go on at least one Mission for the church
26. Swim with the stingless Jelly Fish
*27. Hike to the Peak at Mt. Charleston / Check

Tagged by Nelli 6 random things about me.

1. I love the Desert! I don't like being cold.

I Especially love the desert in the spring. Life is so fragile here and life seems to hang on no matter where God places it. I love it when I see the new grass on the desert it is one of my favorite moments.

The desert is beautiful you just have to look in places you aren't use to seeing beauty.

2. I love to fish.

I don't like to eat fish. My fish have to taste like chicken. I am learning to fly fish. Yep that's me in waders. I have been deep sea fishing 3 times in my life and of the 3 times I went, I got sea sick 3 times. I did however manage to fish one of the times when we were in Puerta Viarta, Mexico inbetween being sick and I caught a Yellow Tail Tuna. I have given up deep sea fishing. Stream fishing is my favorite. 3. I love Mountains!!!!! I love Red Rock and the Escarpment. Give me the wide open spaces of the West. I need to be able to see more than 50 feet in front of me. I went to visit Art in North Carolina, trees, trees, trees, everywhere trees. I was clostrophobic and couldn't wait to get back to the west where you can see forever.

This is the background of our last family picture. I really love hiking all the trails in Red Rock Conservation Area. This is from Pine Creek 4. I love to hike.

This was Dennis' birthday present to me.

Hiking the Peak at Mt. Charleston for my 50th birthday. This hike is considered a very difficult hike because there is no water on the mountain and you have to carry all your own water. We left at 6 am and got back at 6 pm. One of the longest days in my life. But I am so happy to have checked that one off my list. On one of our pre hikes we got caught in a lightning storm out in the open at the saddle. Lightning was hitting the ground 25 feet away from us. We could see it hit the ground. We could only lay as flat as we could and pray. Then it started to hail. After 15 minutes of hail and 3 inches stacked up around us Dennis determined we needed to get off the mountain. We literally ran down the mountain. I was hypothermic by the time we reached the truck. I want to hike Havasupi in October. I need to start training.

5. My nickname given to me by my brothers was Clem or Clum which ever would make me madder. I loved to watch Clem Cadiddle Hopper (a character of Red Skelton) So they would call me Clem or Clum and then watch me cry. When I would cry they would make fun of me and say "Youkon King" (and make wolf howling sounds) That would make me madder and cry harder. I had very awnry brothers. I still love watching Red Skelton re runs. He has some of the best patomimes ever.

6. I hate to cook. That doesn't mean I can't cook it just means I don't like to. I asked Dennis would you rather have a wife who can cook but doesn't want to, or a wife who can't cook and who does. He had to think about that for a few minutes. I would rather have someone else cook, and do the dishes thank-you. I like to eat out. My favorite food is Asian. (Chinese, Tai, Japanese, Phillipine,)

Well there it is 6 random things about me you probablly already knew. I didn't add that I love to take picture cause everyone already knows that about me. Oh Green is my favorite color and 2 is my favorite number.

Dennis and the 4th year hike

You may have wondered why Dennis wasn't at Michelle's supprise birthday party. This is why. The 4th year hike. Dennis has always stayed at the back so the slowest girl doesn't get left behind. This year was no exception. I think that there is as Sacrament Meeting talk in there somewhere. They hiked the North Loop trail toward the Peak. Too much snow this time of year to hike to the top.
This is Rain Tree. It is a Bristle Cone Pine. It is estimated to be about 3000 years old. The oldest living tree in the Spring Mountain Range. The Sunset was Incredible
Packing up in the morning.... Then clouds start to swirl and churn. Look out.

A freek snow storm hits. It lasts about 20 minutes and then is over. That was lucky.

It's all down hill from here.

We love to hike. We took the Achievement day girls hiking last weekend to Pine Creek at Red Rock. The flowers are blooming and it is so beautiful.

Michelle' SUPPRISE!!! You're 30, Party

Danielle and I went to Flagstaff on Friday to supprise Michelle for her 30th birthday. Alvin had set it up with her friends to go out to dinner with them. We parked down the street after setting up. It was a twlight party, decorated in red and black and apples. Barry and Sharon came from Joseph City and many of Michelle and Alvin's friends came.

Do you think she was supprised? I should have had the camera on sports action mode.

Alvin I am so proud of you. She had no Idea.

I was really concerned she was going to pee her pants.

Seesters, as Nelli would put it.Lots and Lots of Food

Michelle, is a Twlight MOM

Danielle, teaches everyone how to play greed.

Grandma took Danica, Emy and Alvin Swimming the next day.

Ella is 2 1/2 and still has no hair but still a cutie.