The Glories of Utah (Part I)

I realize that to many of you it will seem crazy and absurd to you that I would post a blog concerning the many joys and glories of living in Utah. Considering I was always the kid that would have given anything to escape this so called "barren wasteland" such a blog is ludicrous. I had a whole list of reasons: Some reasonable, some unreasonable, and some personal. Eventually I would grow out of that phase and would realize the Mecca for outdoor fun that Utah was and that I was not taking advantage of its goodness.

Over the years I have found ways to leave my hometown and my home state for “greener grass”. Some experiences turned out positive and others not so positive. I could go on about the memories I created and the friendships that will last beyond my departure, not to mention the trouble I got into. However, the point I want to stress is that I always came back to my Utah home. Not always happily and not always purposefully; regardless of the attitude soul, body, and mind always made it back. And now, in retrospect, I cannot, for the life of me, recall a dull, uneventful, pointless, meaningless, boring Utah summer. If nothing else I have that simple fact to hold on to as I consider the offerings of this great state.
Growing up in Utah, and namely in Utah County, I rarely found myself more than an half hour away from open mountainous land. American Fork Canyon just laid to the southeast and Provo Canyon to the southeast. Not to mention for a quick trip to trouble and fun friends and I just had to head five minutes east, up the foothills into Dry Canyon. Many days and nights were spent in these mountains and canyons. American Fork Canyon, above Tibblefork Reservoir, held one of our (or at least mine) favorite camping spots right along a river. Provo River was the site of some memorable tubing trips as well as some great catches for a trout dinner. Before it was developed, the hills just east of my home held some of our favorite “diggin’” routes. Many a night friends and I would, in attempt to woo the ladies, end up in any one of those canyons, and a handful of others, with a fire, some marshmallows and Starbursts, and of course the ostentatious guitar. And that’s not all: Just a short drive west from my childhood home brought us to the cesspool we call Utah Lake, which is far worse than the fictional Lake Springfield which produces three eyed fish and the like. Regardless of the toxic waste that embodies Utah Lake I found myself not only boating in the cesspool but also wading through its stench at a feeble attempt to spear fish and swimming in the lake as I assuredly swallowed a gulp or two (which actually explains my super human powers…). Of course this is only a brief synopsis of the joys that filled my early life; brief and within close proximity of my childhood home. And of course I can’t go on to describe the trouble my friends and I got in to (there may be some sensitive parents that catch wind!), and there is no chance I will confess the identity of the friend that started that forest fire…

I thank the Good Lord I wasn’t born five to ten years later when television and video games began to dominate the lives of the young. Granted, the phase was beginning but it never completely captivated my friends and me. We always had enough options or if all else failed we created our own fun with the resources we had, of which, as I just said, we had enough options. A fine little cycle we had. When boredom sunk in or variety was sought we could occasionally find ourselves at Seven Peaks Waterpark—Utah’s largest Waterpark (I’ll be expecting my free season pass in the mail Seven Peaks!), Classic Skating in Orem, University Mall, Scera Shell, or one of the nearby public pools. All in all, rarely did we have to resort to mindless video games and TV watching to keep ourselves entertained. Sure it happened now and then, but for the majority of the time we found ourselves out and about enjoying one of the 300+ sunny summer days Utah offers every year.

*I originally planned for this to be one blog and then I got carried away. I soon realized that I wanted to write so much more than originally planned. And truly, to give Utah the respect and admiration it deserves it will require two or more parts. Furthermore, this blog has seemed to take a chronological approach, therefore, as the memories become more and more recent more vivid detail will surely be included. I hope to, in the near future, collect pictures to include in the proceeding blogs of the series as well as to add to this blog. In the meanwhile bear with me and the emptiness of my page. Finally, if you have a particular memory that you fell I have or may leave out please comment so or email me and I will appreciate the reminder of such fond memories. Thanks for reading!