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Monday, October 19, 2015

Mountain Bikes and Pumpkin Races


This weekend I was supposed to be hiking The Subway at Zion National Park.  You know, for an awesome travel adventure in southern Utah, for this amazing famous hike that I applied for a permit in a lottery system four months ago.  Well, mother nature had other plans.  Due to 90% chance of rain and flash flood warnings, the trip had to be canceled.  So after canceling our trip last minute, we had to do some improvising. Instead of hearing about a fun trip, you are going to hear about some local fun. 

Friday night we grabbed Olive and headed into the mountains with the bikes.  After a few days in Vegas I was excited to get into the wilderness, and get some cardio.  When the work days get longer, and the daylight gets shorter, the Bonneville Shoreline is the perfect place to escape the city lights and spend some time sweating in the sunshine.  My mountain bike and I have a love hate relationship.  I love being in the mountains, but I hate pedaling it up the mountains.  With some shin splints from running and hiking, I decided that biking was going to be my new workout.  






For someone who has run 2 marathons I am familiar with endurance (and enduring pain) but mountain biking was always a form of odd torture for me.  Getting myself up a mountain is hard enough. Why am I trying to do it on a bike?  For a while I would give it a try, and when the going got tough... I got off my bike, cursed, threatened to throw it off a cliff, and instead walked it up all the hard parts.  

Well, Friday evening was a little different, I powered up every single climb, as long and challenging as they were.  I'm not saying I'm in love with mountain biking, but it felt great.  A great workout in the mountains with what I think was the happiest dog in the universe.  Yes, she has to wear these silly booties because her pads get torn up on some of the trails, but the smile on this dogs face as shes keeping up with the bikes on the trails is priceless.  It is happiness on four black lab legs. 








 Friday nights spent in these hills with good company, heavy bikes and a happy dog is the best way to start the weekend.  Tired legs and some perseverance were the start of my weekend.  And I am going to give my mountain bike another shot at this rugged love story.




After a wonderful friday in the mountains, Saturday was spent at the park.  Sugarhouse park that is.  And not just any day in the park.  I packed up Olive, my running clothes, my camera and lunch and headed to the park to watch the pumpkin races. 


Adults hollowed out their home grown pumpkins weighing about 1,000 pounds and raced them across a segment of Sugarhouse Park Pond.  Oh, and they were in costume.  If watching Captain Crunch and Johnny Appleseed kayaking a giant pumpkin across a pond isn't your idea of fall fun, then I am not sure this blog is a good match for you.  




Johnny Appleseed, hot dogs, Captain Crunch, pirates and Big Bird were all in attendance.  Yes there were different heats and a grand finale. Yes some of the people tipped their pumpkins.  It was good clean Utah family fun.  







A weekend of mountain biking and pumpkin racing.  And Sunday it was back in the mountains for a hike.  Fall is a lovely time in Utah, and this was a perfect fall weekend in my books.

12 comments :

  1. I think Cedar Lake needs some pumpkin races...

    www.amateuratlarge.blogspot.com

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  2. first of all, cutest pup ever. second, so sorry about the change - but glad you are safe and weren't in a flood!
    your plan B was still great :)

    xo welltraveledwife.com

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    1. You are so right :) I should just be happy I made the safe decision! The "high" road if you will ;)

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  3. Those trails are gorgeous!!!! I would die to have those in Arizona and you have such a productive life!! You do so much and seem so healthy/ in shape, thanks for inspiring me :) Do you prefer biking or running? Like pretend you didn't have shin splints. HOLY COW THOSE PUMPKINS!!! They are huge! I didn't even know that was possible!!! That's SO COOL!
    xo, Candace | Lovely Little Rants

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    1. They are such gorgeous trails! It is called the Bonneville Shoreline Trail and it goes on for miles and miles! It is so great! Living in these mountains is such an inspiration to be healthy and active! And thank you!!! I prefer running 100 percent. I have run 2 marathons but I have learned that mixing it up is the best for injury prevention! So mountain biking is a great alternative and some seriously hard cardio!

      And yes on the pumpkins! SO funny had no idea either :) Thanks for stopping by!

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  4. Hahaha that's so cool and so unique! Definitely a thing that doesn't happen here in Belgium. Once again another fantastic post with the most beautiful photos Katie!

    N- Naomi in Wonderland

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    1. Thanks Naomi- Maybe you should start the pumpkin races in Belgium ;) Now THAT would be a post! HA!

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  5. Can I PLEASE watch pumpkins race across bodies of water? I am glad I am reading a blog that's a good match. ;) I am going to something called The Great Pumpkin Carve this weekend. So at least we get some pumpkin fun over here.

    I am dying to try mountain biking, but I always put it off because I want to do it on a "real" trail, not one I settle for just because it's right outside of Philly. But maybe that's a little silly. Ha!

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    1. Ha yes! Good match indeed!

      And yes, So silly! I would start as easy as can be. It is so hard at first and really takes a few (or a lot) of times to really decide you like it. That was how it was for me atleast! Such a different and tough workout.

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