1,000 miles in 5 days

I have been planning on riding the STP (Seattle to Portland) a 204 mile organized bike ride with Monica (one of my athletes) for about six months. At one point Jess and I were going to take the kids along and then drive along the coast to California, and show the kids the Redwoods, San Francisco LA. etc. making about a ten day road trip of it.

Well Gas prices have gotten so high that we decided to scratch that idea, and instead I decided to fly in ride the event and ride home. Luckily Cameron (another one of my athletes) decided to ride home with me. So we mapped it out and decided to ride it in five days, averaging about 200 miles a day.

Next we started thinking that this would make an epic charity ride, so after talking to the title sponsor of our team KJZZ/ The Fan, we decided to focus on the recent global food shortages.

In essence we will be peddling for food. The goal is to raise 25,000 lbs of rice. To put that into perspective, one person could survive a year off of 150 lbs of rice. so by raising 25,000 lbs we would be able to feed 166 adults for an entire year.

Knowing every mile I peddle, that I am feeding 15 people a days worth of food, is inspiring.

Right now we are still working out the details. We are trying to decide if we should donate the rice to local food banks, or send it to Africa. Wild Bill from Bajios has also suggested that we send it to the Bajio region of Mexico.

There will be a minimum of 5 riders riding right now the list is as follows:

Cameron Laskey

Jim Greene

Doug Sligting

Me

Doug is still a tentative and I am hoping to get Kevin Leake to commit as well.

For now I have bought my one way airline ticket, and am looking forward to spending 11 hours in the saddle a day for five days straight.

Savannah's hike across Utah lake

Yes that's right, hike across Utah Lake.

After Wood and I were not able to hike Timp on New Years day, due to avalanche danger we schemed up a new adventure. Hike Utah Lake.

After going home and reading up on it it turns out that it has been done before, and is safe if there has been a good cold streak, so we invited all our buddies for the adventure. 

Well turns out all our buddies thought we were crazy accept for Savanna and my  courageous nephew Chandler. So the four of us started keeping an eye on the weather. After we had a week of solid freezing temperatures we called up Utah Lake State park to get an idea of how thick the ice was. After getting the thumbs up we started our adventure. 

To start with we each packed a extra set of clothes, so that if one of us went down they could wear the other persons clothes. We packed plenty of water, food, and other emergency items. Including two ropes, one two tie all of on to and another for emergency.

We stared on the west side of the lake south of Saratoga, after getting through the bullrush we made it on the lake.

The first 400 yards were fairly sketchy, you could hear the ice rumbling in the distance, each step we took at a slow pace.

Once we got out closer to the center of the lake, the Ice was more solid and our pace picked up to a jog. We would see where the ice had been pushed together like fault lines and pushed up massive piles of ice.

There were also cracks in the ice where the ice had separated and new ice had formed. Most of These were very thick and stable.

Once we made it out near the middle of the lake it looked like we were in Antarctica or something, it was very cool looking off in the distance and just seeing ice and snow.

The East end of the lake was the sketchiest, you could hear the cracking louder, and see more of the rivers in the ice. There was one crack that we all crossed very carefully because you could see water without ice that was about 4 inches wide. 

Because we were late to help my mom move that day we had to do most of the hike a slow running pace, we gave the kids three breaks the longest being 10 minutes. 

This was a great trip and one that we will look forward to doing again.

Let the good times roll

Jess and I went out for a special mothers day date to the Zermatt resort a couple of weekends ago. We had a hoot of a good time. 

The first thing we did after hitting their great bakery was drive up to Park City and cruise main street. While we were walking around we rememberd being there about 14 years ago while we were both in high school (I think it was actualy during school hours). We were there as friends and one of the activities we did was take a spin in the dryer at the local laundry mat.

Well it turns out that same laundry mat is still there on mainstreet, so we decided to see if it still looked the same inside.

The good news is that they still had the same dryers,  the better news is that I still fit inside the dryer.

So any how after our spin in Park City Jess and I headed back to the Zeramatt for dinner. Boy was it good. We had the buffet and it was easily one of the top three dining experiences that we have had. Everything we ate was just delicious, and the deserts were to die for. I have never found a buffet that comes close to this in quality and taste, that The Roof, Belagio, and The Spice Market buffet in Vegas.

We got home the next morning just in time for church, the girls were very happy with the gifts we brought them (shampoo, soap, hair net, and other hotel swag).

As a Man Thinketh

I just finished reading, As a Man Thinketh, by James Allen. It was very impressing, to see that life is completely just and fair. We are the makers of our selfs, our current situation is a result of our past thoughts. Here are a few quotes:

The soul attracts that which it secretly harbors; that which it loves, and also that which it fears. It reaches the height of its cherished aspirations. It falls to the level of its unchastened desires - and circumstances are the means by which the soul receives its own.

Circumstance does not make the man; it reveals him to himself No such conditions can exist as descending into vice and its attendant sufferings apart from vicious inclinations, or ascending into virtue and its pure happiness without the continued cultivation of virtuous aspirations; and man, therefore, as the lord and master of thought, is the maker of himself the shaper and author of environment.

Men do not attract that which they _want,_ but that which they _are._ Their whims, fancies, and ambitions are thwarted at every step, but their inmost thoughts and desires are fed with their own food, be it foul or clean. The "divinity that shapes our ends" is in ourselves; it is our very self.

Man is buffeted by circumstances so long as he believes himself to be the creature of outside conditions, but when he realizes that he is a creative power, and that he may command the hidden soil and seeds of his being out of which circumstances grow, he then becomes the rightful master of himself.

Every man is where he is by the law of his being; the thoughts which he has built into his character have brought him there, and in the arrangement of his life there is no element of chance, but all is the result of a law which cannot err. This is just as true of those who feel "out of harmony" with their surroundings as of those who are contented with them.

As a being of Power, Intelligence, and Love, and the lord of his own thoughts, man holds the key to every situation, and contains within himself that transforming and regenerative agency by which he may make himself what he wills.

"Your circumstances may be uncongenial, but they shall not long remain so if you but perceive an Ideal and strive to reach it. You cannot travel within and stand still without….Whatever your present environment may be, you will fall, remain, or rise with your thoughts, your Vision, your Ideal. You will become as small as your controlling desire; as great as your dominant aspiration."

In all human affairs there are efforts, and there are results. The strength of the effort is the measure of the result. Change is not. Gifts, powers, material, intellectual, and spiritual possessions are the fruits of effort. They are thoughts completed, objectives accomplished, visions realized. The vision that you glorify in your mind, the ideal that you enthrone in your heart -- this you will build your life by; this you will become.   

A man only begins to be a man when he ceases to whine and revile, and commences to search for the hidden justice which regulates his life. And as he adapts his mind to that regulating factor, he ceases to accuse others as the cause of his condition, and builds himself up in strong and noble thoughts; ceases to kick against circumstances, but begins to use them as aids to his more rapid progress, and as a means of discovering the hidden powers and possibilities within himself.

Tempest-tossed souls, wherever ye may be, under whatsoever conditions ye may live, know this - in the ocean of life the isles of Blessedness are smiling, and the sunny shore of your ideal awaits your coming. Keep your hand firmly upon the helm of thought. In the bark of your soul reclines the commanding Master; He does but sleep; wake Him. Self-control is strength; Right Thought is mastery; Calmness is power. Say unto your heart, “Peace, be still!”

As I said this is a great book, very worth reading it is a short read but it helps us realize that we are agents unto ourselves, that God has given us agency and made us free to choose liberty and eternal life, or captivity and death, happiness and success, or sadness and failure.

Just as Joseph who was sold into Egypt chose to make greatness of every situation he was placed in whether it was as a slave or prisoner. We to can become as successful or failing as we choose to be.

We are the offspring of God, the same seeds of creation and power that exist within our Father exist within us. If we focus our faith, and have an eye single to his glory there is nothing that we can't achieve.

Wood's new baby, Cadence

Scott, the Wood, Preston finally did it, (or at least stood by looking confused) he became a daddy. 

Yesterday Morning at 10:00  Kari had a cesarian section and Cadence was brought into the lone and dreary world. I think I would be feeling lone and dreary to if Scott was my dad. 

Actually I think Cadence is very lucky to have such a great dad. Scott is so fun and loving, I am sure she will have a hard time, not becoming a little cyclist, (it is in both mom and dads genes)

Heck they named the poor girl after the sport, she does not have a chance.

I am sure she will learn to be prim and proper from her mother, but I also think she will have a tom boy side from her dad. Add in a great sense of humor and she will be a perfect combination.

Kari was looking pretty good when I saw her especially for having just undergone a major surgery.

I know she will be sad that she lost the belly, My sources say that she liked being pregnant for the extra weight training that came along with it, not to mention the benefits on your complexion.

Scott did not look so good, I think the whole experience put him a bit over the edge, he will need a few days of catching up on his sleep. 

Those women will never understand how hard pregnancy is on a man.  

Oh yea, the only mistake they made was that they missspelled the babys name they spelled it Kadence instead of Cadence.

Welcome to the club!

Building Zion

Yesterday  I was reading Mosiah 18 and was very impressed by what Alma taught as he tried to build his little Zion community of 400 people. 

21 And he commanded them that there should be no ^acontention one with another, but that they should look forward with ^bone eye, having one faith and one baptism, having their hearts ^cknit together in unity and in love one towards another.

I have also been impressed at the temple lately at home much Satan wants and tries to use enmity to create contention and fighting amongst us, As President Benson says in his talk about pride:

The central feature of pride is enmity—enmity toward God and enmity toward our fellowmen. Enmity means “hatred toward, hostility to, or a state of opposition.” It is the power by which Satan wishes to reign over us.

This element of enmity or contention is in exact oposition to the Lords plan, and command to be "one"

After settling a little squabble with my girls last night I decided to look up some scriptures on contention to see just what the Lord says about it, as well as what he has to say about unity.

Here is what I found:

Contention:

• 3 Nephi 11:29 For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of ^acontention is not of me, but is of the ^bdevil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another.
  
• Mosiah 2:32 But, O my people, beware lest there shall arise ^acontentions among you, and ye ^blist to ^cobey the evil spirit
  
• Mosiah 18:21 There should be no ^acontention one with another, but that they should look forward with ^bone eye, having one faith and one baptism, having their hearts ^cknit together in unity and in love one towards another.
• D&C 95:10 Nevertheless, my servants sinned a very grievous sin; and ^acontentions arose in the ^bschool of the prophets; which was very grievous unto me, saith your Lord; therefore I sent them forth to be chastened.
• 4 Nephi 1 15 And it came to pass that there was no ^acontention in the land, because of the ^blove of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people.     
• 4 Nephi 1:2,13,15,18, Contention is mentioned four times in this one chapter that deals with the only true Zion society in the Book of Mormon.

Unity/Love:

•   Moses 7:18 And the Lord called his people ^aZion, because they were of ^bone heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them.

• Mosiah 4:15,26 ... Teach them to love and serve one another, administring to the poor, visiting the sick
• D&C 38:27 Be one and if ye are not one ye are not mine
• Mosiah 18:8-9 Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are ^adesirous to come into the ^bfold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light; Yea, and are ^awilling to mourn with those that ^bmourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort

• Mosiah 18:21 ... look forward with ^bone eye, having one faith and one baptism, having their hearts ^cknit together in unity and in love one towards another.
• 4 Nephi 1:15 And it came to pass that there was no ^acontention in the land, because of the ^blove of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people. (Zion)
• 1 Cor. 1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no ^adivisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same ^bmind and in the same judgment.
• 1 Peter 3:  8 Finally, be ye all of ^aone mind, having ^bcompassion one of another, love as ^cbrethren, be ^dpitiful

It is apparent that contention comes from the Devil and that when we are contentious or feeling anger, we are in his service. Could it be that the feelings of anger come from the adversaries spitits entering our bodies?

There can be no mistake, anger and contention come from the adversary who would have us elevate ourselves above others in order to diminish them.

When one enters the World room in the SLC temple they realize that Satan rules this earth with blood and horror. Gone are Gods ways where the lion and the lamb lie down together, we are now in a world of fear, intimidation, anger, the law of the jungle rules, we must watch our backs. 

However, we are to have no part in Satans kingdom, we are to reject his ways and seek only to build the kingdom. 

We must live the exact opposite of what the adversary or the world expects. (D&C 95:13, D&C 53:2, D&C 127:11, D&C 133:5)

So if we are to forsake the world, come out from among the world, and have no part with the world, what are we to do? 

We must build Zion

I believe the first step in building zion is to learn to love our fellow men, starting in our family, wards, stake, community country and world.

We must pattern our homes after Zion, forsake fighting and contention. and build a home of security, love, confidence, patience, faith and hope.

We must not seek to intimidate or to be isolated from our fellow man but to help him feel loved, cared for and valued.

These feelings should extend to actions of giving to the poor (Mosiah 4: 15-26), visiting the sick and looking to help and lift another.

I hope that I can become a Zion person by seeing others as the Savior sees his children, and by showing those feelings to them, through a kind smile as well as actions.

Zions camping trip

Our family took a little vacation to Zions National park last week, and boy did we have a ball. We found a sweet spot inside the park that was right next to the river. The girls had a grand time swimming in the river, chasing lizards and hiking. 

We hiked Emerald Pools on Friday, which was pretty easy but a good warm up.

On Saturday we Hiked Angels Landing which was really cool. The girls loved Wallys Wiggles, especially since they were the only kids there and they got a lot of attention for doing such a big hike and taking on the danger of the wiggles.

The more the girls got compliments the faster they went. 

The nights were cool and we all slept well, especially on our full bellies. We ate some great food while we were camping, I am sure I gained a few lbs even with all the hiking.

Family

Our family consists of Mom, Savannah, Shiloh, and Lisa.

Savannah is eight years old, she is a real trooper, she can be seen hiking mountains, digging out snow caves, climbing fences, whittling with her pocket knife, playing with her lizard, (possibly with dolls at the same time) reading, riding her bike, or playing with her sisters.

She is a tom boy in the true sense of the word, and boy dad could not be more proud of her. The greatest thing of all is that she loves to do what is right. She is one of the most spiritual little girls I am aware of, she was baptized this past December and bot does she carry a light about her, she would not harm a flee. In fact I never worry when she is with friends about her making right decisions.

Shiloh is five years old, and she is our little joker, she was born with a naturally crude sense of humor that makes mom blush in church on a regular basis. She is very affectionate and loves to cuddle up to mom, dad, Savannah or Lisa.

She loves her primary teachers and can be found visiting at their homes or helping them wash their cars. She is very friendly and loves to make friends. Lately she has been on this little kick where any time we ask her to do something she says "yes mam, or yes sir"

She is a true Joy.

Lisa, wow what do I say about Lisa, she is our 46 year old 5 year old. The most notable thing about Lisa is her sweet innocence. She is as pure as the driven snow, I am sure that one day when I see her in all of her eternal glory that I will fall at her feet and beg forgiveness for not being a better brother to her. Lisa is a homebody, She loves to clean house. Yes that is right she likes cleaning house, when we get fed up with her and decide to punish her, we tell her "No dishes for a week" that will pretty much break her heart.

She loves schedules, every day at 4:00 it is snack time, even if she just finished a huge buffet type lunch at 3:30. She does not like getting out of her routines. She can also be a stubborn ox at times. But the spirit she brings into our home and the things she teaches the girls are invaluable.

That is it, we hope to adopt some day, we have tried to start the process with LDS Social services but have not sealed the deal yet.

My sexy wife

Jessica is about the coolest lady I have ever known. when I was 18 years old I wrote a description of all the traits that I wanted in a wife. I did not think I would ever find a girl that would fit everything that I wanted in my wife but I did. Jessica and I actually met in High school, at the time she was a bit of a burn out, and I was a few quarters short of a dollar, so even though we hung out all the time we never dated, I guess my pecks were not quite big enough for her.

Anyhow after my mission she had joined the church and I had cleaned up my act. and our friendship turned to love and marriage. True to our style we were married in December and she was pregnant in February. Nothing like sealing the deal with a kid right? well Along came Savannah then Shiloh. Unfortunately jessica does not do pregnancy well, she was bed ridden most of her pregnancies, so if we have another it will be through adoption.

So Jess is awesome, she loves her girls and is a great mom, she has even tackeled the homeschooling thing which has been one of the biggest blessings in our home. Jessica is also an avid work out junkie, both in the gym and on the bike. She loves to read, and write as well.

The greatest thing about Jess is that she is not stuck on herself, she knows how to have fun, be silly and love others. 

What more could a guy ask for?

Catching up with civilization

Well,

I figure if my wife has begun blogging I can do it as well. If nothing else it sounds like a fun way to document all my thoughts and activities.

Lets see how it goes