Place of my birth (day 1)

A conversation about places we had never visited one night turned into booking plane tickets and a hotel the next. Brian and I jumped on a plane last Thursday and headed to Portland. Now I can't completely say I have never been to Portland. I was actually born in Portland. My family lived in Lake Oswego until I was 4 when we moved to Utah. So technically I have been to Portland, but just not when I could remember.
The trip started out great with a great flight. We got bumped to FIRST CLASS. I have never flown first class. There is so much room in those chairs.

Here we are enjoying first class

Our first order of business in Portland...food. Breakfast was Crunchy French Toast and Salomon Hash at Mother's Bistro & Bar. Oh My Goodness! I could live on this and nothing else for the rest of my life. After breakfast we walked over to the Portlandia statue. Don't get confused with the TV show. The Portlandia statue is a huge copper statue that crouches down from atop the Michael Graves Portland Building. It was actually very beautiful.

Hello pretty lady

I think she is asking for a bite of their sandwich

And of course after breakfast we had to go to Powell Book store. Where we bought a few books including a travel book so we plan more trips.

As we walked the streets we discovered a really interesting feature about Portland. There are little cities of food carts. They were every few blocks and there would be an entire block of cart vendors.

Early in the morning so they weren't open yet.

We ended our first day in Portland with walk through the International Rose Test Garden, which came highly recommended. Too bad there were only a few blooms.

Rose Garden

Smelling the only blooms

Views of Portland 

Tall walls of foliage

Brian checking out the rose facts

Oh and did I mention that Brian has friends in Portland. We went to this really cool restaurant in an old high school; McMenamins. Day 1 was perfect.

Half way to 29

It was my half birthday this week and I didn't even celebrate...sad. But I guess that means it is time for a half way to 29, update on my 28 list post. So here goes.

Rockin' 28

1. Build a bike
2. Repair and refinish wardrobe
   The first step has been completed. The wardrobe has been moved to my parent's garage and my carpenter brother has assessed the repairs needed. 
3. Visit Canada
4. Visit Glacier National Park
5. Visit Banff National Park
6. Compete in 2 triathlons
   Done and Done. Check out details the Salem Tri and Camp Yuba Tri. I still find it entertaining that I got the exact same time.
7. Compete in 2 bike races
   Couldn't have done this goal with my trust bike buddy Joni. We did the MS 150 in Logan and the ULCER in Lehi.
8. Grow a garden
   One of my favorite goals thus far. I am really enjoying gardening. Things I have learned. I do much better with plants that grow above ground. Water is key to a good garden. Tomato plants will get out of control a lot. Check out my progress...from killing spiders to planting to eating.
9. Enter my photography into a competition
10. Read all the conference talks for April & October
    I just finished reading all the April Conference talks in prep for October. I re-learned so many great things. Love the words of the apostles and prophets. You should read them.
11. Visit the temple twice a month
    I love to see the temple and I go there every month. It is a blessing to have so many temples close to me. It is sad how busy I make my life that it sometimes is hard to make it to the temple, but I am so grateful for my goals that help me keep motivated when life gets busy. The temple brings a lot of peace when I am so busy.
12. Visit 4 new temples (previously never been to)
    My friend Marne and I went to the Jordan River temple a couple different times. Other temples on my list include Logan, St George and Provo.
13. Start scholarship fund
14. Sew one article of clothing
15. Learn to use a map and compass (left over from 27)
16. Hike Lone PeakDone and never doing it again. 
17. Hike Mt. Nebo
18. Read one book on Geology
19. Post at least twice a month on this lovely blog
    What do you think?
20. Go on 2 backpacking trips
21. Share the gospel
    Not always successful, but I try
22. Design a calendar of family and friend's birthdays
23. Go to Spiral JettyI didn't actually get to see much of it, but I did go. That has to count for something.
24. Float in the Great Salt Lake
25. Take at least one class in a subject I am interested in
26. Create at least 12 week-long meal plans
27. Learn 12 new recipes
    Here are 2 recipes I have tried. I also made tomato pesto this week and found a recipe for Tomato Bacon Pasta (can you tell my garden was a tomato factory).
28. Finish typing "Helen's" (aka Grandma Berger) life story

Lone Peak I curse your name

To your left, Provo. And to your right, SLC.

We are going all the way up there.

Last week my friend Tom and I hiked Lone Peak or at least we tried too. It probably wasn't a good idea for me to attempt a 6 mile climb over 5500 elevation feet gain without hiking more than a handful of times since May. Lesson learned. This was a slow painful hike and finally around noon I said..."I'm good. I think this is close enough." Yes, I didn't get to summit, but I think I am ok with that. I don't ever want to do that hike again. But knowing me, I probably will because despite the pain, it is one of the most beautiful hikes. You have spectacular views of Provo and Salt Lake valleys almost the entire hike. Lone Peak I shake my fist at you. I may be back again.
Oh and check it off my list...boo yeah!

My friend Tom was awesome and hiked with me.
This is when he was happy and not in pain.

Did I not tell you the views were amazing.

Tom while in the middle of singing an Aladdin song.

Oops Tom lost his head exploring the cave of wonders (sticking with a theme here).

Lunch time (that is the end of my lunch not the beginning by the way).

Tom graciously loaned me his glasses for the entire hike

Views of the Provo mountains

Cool tree root.

Oh Yeah! I am on a log.

Hail the conquering hero!

Love the rock in the area.

Skinny trees

We had cell service most of the hike...crazy.

Capitol Reef and Delicious Food

After Brian and my crazy adventure at Yuba Lake we decided to drive down to Capitol Reef National Park for some hiking. Niether of us had been there and it was only 2 hours away. Besides we heard of this great restaurant we had to try.

It was super rainy, but it made for beautiful photos.

Ok. I will say one thing about Capitol Reef. It is a very overlooked National Park. Maybe it is because the landscape is very similar to Arches and Canyonlands and a bit more out of the way, but it was beautiful and very deserted. I loved it. I would like to go back another time and explore it more. We hiked 2 trails and didn't see a single person. Loved it.

Brian and the red rock

Nature inspires yoga

And with views like this you can get inspired a lot

Once we were fully famished (and we were hungry) we headed into Torrey for dinner at Cafe Diablo. Oh my was this place delicious. The food was go yummy and the presentation was so fun. I had to take photos of our meal. But of course you can expect the best from a place that was featured in "1,000 Places to See in the U.S.A. & Canada Before You Die." This place is legit.

We got 3 appetizers. I told you we were hungry.
Bottom left: Firecracker. Top left: Duck Mariach. Middle right: Rattlesnack Cakes

Brian's meal Twin Beef Tenderloin Steaks

My meal: Rubbed Atlantic Salmon

I would make that drive any day for the combination of great hiking in a beautiful location and dinner at one of my new favorite restaurants. Put these on your must visit list.

Not so campy Camp Yuba

Earlier this year I was overcome by the love for a good discount and signed up to do two triathlons (bulk discount). A couple weekends ago was the second of these tris, Camp Yuba organized by RaceTri. I was only slightly better prepared for this race. And I say only slightly because I did start training after the tri in June, but with some recent changes to my life (I got called to be the Relief Society President in my single's ward) I didn't work out for at least the month before the race. It wasn't a pretty race time, but I did at least as well as June. I got exactly the same time as the Salem tri...down to the second. Now that is talent.
I don't have any pictures of me racing at this event, but I do have an awesome story. Brian and I drove down to Gunnison Friday night to stay in a hotel so we wouldn't have to get up too early before the race. What we didn't know was that the side of the lake we were staying near was not the side the tri would be raced on. So after sleeping in longer than we planned we got in the car and drove to the lake where we discovered we were not on the correct side. We hurried to the other side of the lake, grabbed our race packets and got our numbers painted on our legs and arms and immediately after we put our bikes down the race horn was signaling the start of the race. Now that is one way to start a race. Not the most ideal situation, but we did it. And thus completes #6 of THE LIST. I promise I do do things outside this list.

Wake surfing

I love Utah. We can do everything here including surfing. A couple weeks ago my best friend Erika dragged me to Bear Lake with her friends. (I only say dragged because I was having one of those conflicts of too many fun things to do that weekend and only having one body to do them with.) It was a great weekend and I am so glad Erika invited me. I made some great friends.

We know how to relax

I drove up Thursday evening with Erika and her roommate, Abbie. Now I don't usually pack a lot of stuff. For example when I went to New Zealand the only make up I packed was eye-liner and mascara. It was a 2 week trip and I was ready most mornings within 30 minutes. I don't like to be high-maintenance. But if ever I was going to look high-maintenance it was the Bear Lake trip. I took my bike and all my riding gear, stuff for running, 2 swimming suits, 2 hats (I like hats), my camera with extra lenses (but this is really a must), stuff just in case we went hiking and more clothes than I would need. And we were only gone for 2 days. I didn't bike. I didn't run. But I did wear both swimming suits. And I did wear my running shorts, but not while running. Needless to say I over packed a little.

Christy getting up on the wake

Friday was the day for sun. The Matts with the boat were coming up later Friday evening so the rest of us lounged on the "private" beach (yes we are spoiled) and played games. I have to say I think we are genius; to keep ourselves cool we set up a table and chairs in the water to play games. Dinner Friday night consisted of over 75 kabobs we grilled up on the neighbors grill (sweet old man next door let us use his grill after ours almost exploded).

75 kabobs for about 6 of us...lay off me I'm starving

Chef Kody at work

Saturday we got on the water and it was beautiful. We were surprised that the lake wasn't cold which is very typical of Bear Lake and we were happy that there weren't a lot of boats either. We each took a turn trying to wake surf. It was awesome. Kody really showed us all how to do it.  Then Christy taught us the ways of wake boarding. She is a mad woman.

Me and my gal pal Erika...love her

Love that eyebrow 

Getting situated 

And she's up

Hardcore :)

Me, Christy and Rachel

Kody showing us how it is really done

I very much want to buy a boat, learn to drive it (including how to back it up) and get me a wake surf board and hit the lakes next summer. Go out and try it, you will fall in love.

Spiral Jetty...does this count

Trying my hand at a couple HDR images

Proof I was there...photo by Hoopes

I finally went to the Spiral Jetty a few weeks ago. It has been unofficially and officially on my list for the past several years. But I am not sure if I can I really count it as visiting it when the jetty was completely covered with water? I think there were three stones visible above the water. So I'm half counting it, with the hopes that I return, but with the understanding that this busy girl may not have time before the snow falls.

Another HDR image...thoughts?

At least you don't have to see the spiral jetty to take some cool photos. My awesome friend and camera buddy Hoopes came with for what we decided would be our photo field trip. We rented a couple extra lenses from Pictureline and set out. Be warned, it does take a long time to get there, so don't be like us and get there a little late. You will want time to plan out photos and set up shots. Another tip is to take a jug of clean water to wash off your feet after wandering around in the water. Trust me you will thank me.
Sorry I got lazy and I only edited the HDR images. I am just learning about HDR and so I am not really sure how to do it best. Hopefully, I will play around with this some more. I hope you enjoy the photos and if I happen to return before winter I will post some more photos.

I like this slight angle, but what do you think?

I think editing would make this awesome

Playing around. Neither one of us had done this before, but had seen it done

My photo buddy being masterful with the camera/car tripod