Pineview Dam

Once each summer the Braunberger’s get together and go boating at Pineview and we tag along. We all scrunch into one campsite at Anderson Cove and work on our sunburns playing in the water and lying on the beach. I really like the camp spot we had this year which was right next to the lake.

The kids had fun with their cousins and extended family being pulled behind the boat in the water tube. On the other hand I never stepped foot on the boat this year. I like boating and water skiing sort of; I just had a different agenda then everyone else. While the kids played I rode my bikes to my heart’s content.

Tuesday I buzzed up to Green River, WY to check out the trails Wade is always bragging about and the bike park they built up there. I really enjoyed riding but I will tell ya the higher altitude was kicking my tail end! Before I left I enjoyed a nice lunch with Wade and his lovely wife Carolyn.



Thursday I pedaled my rode bike around Pineview and then for kicks and giggles up to the top of Trappers just so I could come screaming back down that hill. I pushed past my previous speed record of like 38 mph to 42.5 mph. I think I am content with that speed and most likely won’t push that fast again. Visions of bike malfunctions at that rate of acceleration kept flashing through my head.


On Friday Spencer, Keenan and I piled our bikes into the back of Kerry’s truck, dropped my car off at the bottom of Wheeler’s. Kerry took us to the overflow parking at Snowbasin and dropped us off. This was Keenan’s first mountain bike ride and my only opportunity to ride one of my favorite Northern Utah trails this summer. The plan was to ride up to Cold Water Canyon Overlook, back down through Ice Box Canyon, to the bottom of Wheeler Canyon.

After saying good-bye to Kerry we headed out of the parking lot towards Maples campground. Before the gate Keenan asked me if pedaling the bike should be impossible. His rear brake was pinching the rim so hard he could hardly pedal. A bolt was missing and the cables were not properly adjusted. Try as hard as I could there was no fixing the bike with what I had on hand.

We called Kerry and made him bring up Sarah’s bike.
It took a while for Kerry to make it back, needless to say we were very THANKFUL he brought the bike to us. I had so much fun with those boys. It was slow going up but I promised Keenan the view was worth the effort.

Keenan celebrated conquering the mountain and we all ate a small lunch at the top before starting back down.

Now I have skied with both these boys many a times and they are little speed demons. In fact the last time I was with them I struggled to keep up and I am no slow poke on skis. I just knew this was going to be a great downhill ride. Spencer took off like a bolt of lightning. Keenan, well….. hmmm….. his speed was that of a Sunday stroll through frozen molasses. I am pretty sure I could have beaten him down the hill running. LOL!!! He had no interest in speed on the mountain bike and I had no intention of leaving him behind. So we meandered like a lazy stream with nothing better to do but bubble and gurgle along in the summer sun.

(Disclaimer this is awful video but kinda funny! I was riding one handed trying to film)

He was very apprehensive of the rock gardens, Spencer and I showed him many times how you pick your line and roll through them. He watched, smiled and walked. Before we hit the top of Ice Box he asked. How much longer is this? You could tell he was tired, but ever the good sport! It took us quite a while to make it all the way down.

I stayed with my nephew the entire way. Sometimes I would wait a bit while he rode a head and then catch up as fast as I could or occasionally ride up ahead of him so I could turn around and get a picture of him coming down. Just like I use to do when all the kids were little and we skied together. I didn’t think much of what I was doing because that is what I have always done with the kids. When the ride was over and I was loading the bikes back on the car. Keenan came up to me and said thank you that was fun. I smiled back at him, then next words out of his mouth, “I watch you Aunt Chere’… you are a strong women.”, made me stop. He said this at the exact moment I was lifting a bike on to the rack. My reply was “oh these bikes aren’t that heavy.” “No, when you ride your bike. What you do. You’re a strong women.” What do you say to that?

I smiled and said thanks and hold those words dear to my heart.

Atlanta, GA

At the end of July I headed out of roasty toasty St. George, dropped the kids off at Grandma Kathy’s and caught a flight to Atlanta, Georgia! The ASCLS  National Convention was being held at the World Congress Center and Omni Hotel.  

View of Atlanta from the Omni Hotel.

Walking over to the World Congress center I ran into Micky and Vinnie from American Chopper. They were there with Paul Jr. unveiling a custom built bike for Cepheid. 

Met up with Van Aston and his family for dinner and a Braves game.

On Saturday for kicks and grins because I really think I am addicted to the sport I rented a 29'er and headed to Woodstock, GA to ride Blankets Creek approximately 20 miles of single track cut into the woods next to Lake Alltoona. The parking lot was JAM packed when I arrived. I was surprised! It was really hard to find a place to rent a bike so I assumed it wasn’t as popular activity like it is in Utah. Oh no mountain biking is alive and rocking in the South! 

Just out of the parking lot and down the connector trail I came across a guide pole that pointed to Fruita, CO.

For the first ride I chose the Dwelling Loop, 4.2 miles rated intermediate. Previous to this bike ride I have only ridden two mountain bikes my original Specialized Hardtail and my baby Ethan (Specialized Safire). Initially, I liked the 29'er (Trek, hardtail) I found the trail to be well suited for the bigger tires it was smooth and flowy, like a roller coaster. The bike rolled right over large roots with barley any effort.  I struggled with the heat and humidity, at one point I had to stop.... and I don’t know.... I guess cool down I seriously about passed out. But there is no cooling off in that heat and humidity which was near 100%! 

After Dwelling I played around for a split second on the wall ride. I wish I knew how to corner better or that I had my bike which I am more comfortable riding. I really wanted to play around here but was a little intimidated by the thing. 

The intermediate ride only left me craving more I wanted to see what an advanced trail had to offer. Next I rode the South Loop 4.5 miles of sweet single track. It was very different riding you could not see the forest for all the trees! It is nothing like riding here in Utah, were often the trail opens up to beautiful vistas. You catch glimpses of Lake Alltoona here and there it wasn’t until I walked down off the bike trail did I realize how big Lake Alltoona is. 

On the South Loop ride, I was desperately wishing for my bike! The 29'er was harder to navigate through tight corners and over jagged rocks. Plus the components on the bike were not as nice as I am use to and it really seemed to start bothering me on this second ride. I took a hard tumble and left some skin and blood mixed into the red southern soil.   

SORBA has done a great job with this park. The trails range from beginner to advanced so it is a great place for families or to start the noob rider on.  I think the best part was that the trails are directional Sun, Mon, Wed and Fri are clockwise. Tue, Thu, Sat are counter clockwise unless you are hiking or running they must go the opposite direction AND bikes have the right of way at all times. SWEET!!!! You never run into a downhiller and you never scare the shit out of a runner with earbuds in. It was like a bike Utopia! I was pretty tired after South Loop and packed the bike back into the car. As soon as I was in the car the gates of heaven opened and it DOWNPOURED! So see I wasn’t fibbing when I said the humidity was near 100%. If I had not quit when I did, I would have been drenched. Wait a minute….. I was drenched, as the sweat NEVER evaporates in that kind of humidity. Seriously disgusting!  It may be as hot as Hadees in St. George and you still sweat buckets of water but at least you dry out quick unlike in Atlanta where is stays with all day.  I left feeling satisfied and wishing I could ride the trail again on Sunday.