#173: Monument Valley (page 720; Listed as Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park in 2nd Ed, pg 708)

The Three Sisters

What better way to see John Wayne Country (where many old westerns were filmed) than by horseback?

Info:  Cost to enter the park:  $20/vehicle.  There is a 17 mile unpaved VERY rocky dirt road that you can travel on your own for free.  Beyond that, you must hire a Navajo tour guide for everything.  Horse rides vary depending on number of people in your party and length of time.  It cost us ~$60/person for our hour long ride.

Verdict:  Yes.  It was absolutely beautiful!  We learned a lot and LOVED being surrounded in such beauty and natural wonders!

#103: Bryce Canyon National Park (Page 718)

August 1990: This picture says it all. UNBELIEVABLE! Absolutely breathtakingly GORGEOUS!

When I was 14, my family drove from Chicago to California. We stopped by Bryce Canyon in Utah on our way to California. My older sister (behind me), my younger sister (not pictured) and my brother (in front of me) and I all got to ride horses to the rim of the Canyon. It was Awesome!

Verdict: As is my verdict with most National Parks (Yosemite, Yellowstone, etc), the answer is Yes. Go see it, hike it, horseback ride it, experience it!

#90: Zion National Park (Page722; Listed as Zion and Bryce National Parks in 2nd Ed, pg 883)

Fall 1997: One of the best parts about going to college in Utah was the abundance of gorgeous scenery and National Parks within driving distance. A group of us (including my sister on the far left) went camping in Zion National Park one weekend.

Again... pre-digital camera, but can you get an idea of this unbelievable scenery? Gorgeous!

Zion National Park is a 229-square-mile covered in gorgeous sandstone cliffs. There are tons of hikes and each one is worth the effort.

Verdict: Yes! The scenery is something that has to be scene in person. There are many gorgeous photographs on postcards of this beautiful National Park... yet none of them do it justice once you see it in person!

#89: Mormon Tabernacle Choir (Page 722; Listed as Temple Square in the 2nd Ed, pg 883)

1995: This is my pamphlet I saved from when my roommate Kelli and I attended General Conference in the Tabernacle on Temple Square and heard the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

This picture was taken on a separate occassion. Because I lived in Provo for four years, I have been to Temple Square, home of the famous Tabernacle and Mormon Tabernacle Choir, more times than I can count. I'm so glad we were able to see the "Mo-Tab" in the original Tabernacle because now General Conference is held in the near-by Conference Center which is much, much larger than the origianl Tabernacle. But it is so fun to hear them in the original, acoustic Tabernacle.
Verdict: Yes. A visit to Temple Square is beautiful, interesting and entertaining (assuming you get a concert in while you're there!) no matter what religion you are!

Note: The 2nd Edition lists this "Temple Square" which is a much better listing.  Temple Square encompasses so much and is definitely a must-do when visiting the Salt Lake area.  So, I like that the 2nd edition doesn't isolate the entire Temple Square experience to just seeing the Choir.

#88: Park City and the Wasatch Range (page 721; Listed as Skiing the Wasatch Range in the 2nd Ed, pg 882)

Feb. 2002: I was lucky enough to be able to go to the SLC Winter Olympics in 2002 and even luckier that I had family and friends living in the area! My college roommate, Kelli (shown here with me) was staying in Park City during the Olympics because her parents owned a home there. Park City is known for skiing and boasts 3 ski resorts: Deer Valley, Park City Mountain and The Canyons. Deer Valley even has a ski-in/ski-out lodge (Stein Erikson Lodge).

Verdict: Yes. Park City and the environs (including Sundance, founded by Robert Redford) is absolutely worth seeing. Absolutely picturesque during all seasons. Fun to ski during the Winter, but a blast to bike-ride during the summer, hike during the Fall and drive and walk through in the Spring.

Note:  In the 2nd Edition, this is specifically listed as "Skiing the Wasatch Range."  At some point, I'll have to dig up skiing pics, which I hope I have somewhere.  I definitely skied the Wasatch as I went to college here (BYU) from 1994-1998! But of course, that was all pre-cell phone so most ski excursions went un-documented! And truthfully, I think the 2nd Edition has a more pertinent listing in terms of doing this before you die because skiing is ultimately what this area is known for. 

#87: Moab and Red Rock Country (Page 719, 2nd Ed pg 881)

I lived in Utah from 1994-1998 and I was fortuante to be able to visit Moab several times during those 4 years. But my first time was in the Spring of 1996. Here is a gorgeous shot of Delicate Arch, the most famous arch in Arches National Park.
Hiking with my friend Kelli

Another scenic view with my friend, Dave. Obviously, this is another posting of pre-digital photography! I've been camping twice in this area and even signed up to run a 1/2 marathon here (unfortuantely, I got injured and wasn't able to run, but I still spent the weekend there supporting my friends that were running).

Verdict: Absolutely. This is one of the most stunning National Parks. The whole area is breathtakinly beautiful. I would love to go back and do mountain biking, rafting or kayaking in this area.

#1: Olympics!

As I have been watching the Olympics over the past couple of weeks, I have reflected on the incredible experience I had attending the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City.  And then it hit me.... this is definitely an experience everyone should have at least once in their life!  And because the Olympics occurs every 2 years and travels from country to country, it is an experience that is available to many.  At the time I attended the SLC games, I was living in Las Vegas, so it was just a 5-6 hour drive away.  I couldn't pass it up!  And I'm so glad I didn't!  Here is a copy of the 3 tickets I was able to get a hold of (note:  tickets are hard to come by and very expensive!).  I was able to attend 2 medal ceremonies (at the SLC games, they awarded the medals at night, along with a concert - a different group performed every night) and an ice hocky game.  Fabulous fun!  The feeling in the air is incredible - one of patriotism, love of country, inspiration, pride.  It is just so cool to be surrounded by the world's greatest athletes. 

This is clearly pre-digital age, but here I am in front of the banner - proof I was actually there :)