The 2010 ATV Jamboree is held in Richfield, Utah every September. The perfect time for ATV riding. The leaves are just starting to change colors and the weather is finally cooling off a little. Actually any time is perfect for an ATV ride. “Any ride is a good ride,” my husband always tells me. You want to know who believes that… Sidekick Suki of course. She watches as we load the pink Polaris RZR on the trailer and she is absolutely positive that she is going for a ride that day. On this day she was correct. Sidekick Suki was going for a ride in “her” RZR. Suki believes that pretty pink RZR belongs to her. After all, she rides in the front with her face fur blowing in the wind. A ride across the yard or down the street is perfect for her. Just as long as the wheels are turning, she is happy. Suki lives by the rule that any ride is a good ride.
We started our ride at the trailhead for the Great Western Trail just off the Gooseberry exit on I-70 about 7 miles from Salina, Utah. Our first adventure was driving through a creek. (Is that pronounced creeeek or crick?) I am certain that Suki did not like driving through the water. I think she is afraid of water. At least when I tried to put her in the creek later in the day she kicked her feet to avoid touching the water. We drove and drove and drove for approximately 6 hours and 55 miles. The scenery was beautiful. The leaves were starting to change to red, yellow and orange. Over all Sidekick Suki enjoyed the adventure and so did I.
First Stop on Great Western Trail, Driving Through Creek Photo
Sidekick Suki Ready to Hit the Trail Photo
Oak Belt Trail with Beautiful Autumn Leaves
Sidekick Suki Relaxing in Polaris RZR Photo
Beautiful Fall Scenery Along the Trail
Sidekick Suki Taking a Dip in The Creek
Autumn ATV Trail
Polaris RZR on Great Western Trail Photo
Sidekick Suki Enjoying the Scenery
Sidekick Suki Enjoyed the Ride.. Check Out that Dirty Face
Just this week we were driving west on I-70 in Salina Canyon. I was noticing that the leaves are already starting to change. The leaves were beautiful with red and yellow and orange trees all over the mountain sides. I was getting a package ready to send to my daughter and I told my husband I really wanted to send her some leaves. (She is a preschool teacher and I thought she might like them for her class.)
Well, we were pulling our four wheeler on our way home from a job site and my husband said, “I will just drop you off with your pink Polaris RZR and you can “get in and go” on a leaf hunting journey.”
I said, “Really? You are going to send me off by myself?”
He said, “You can do it and I will send Suki with you to protect you.” Do you remember that Suki is my 8 pound brown and white Shih Tzu. If you are ever confronted by her, she may lick you to death. I felt safer already.
Trailhead - Great Western Trail
Kirk pulled off at the Gooseberry exit and unloaded the RZR at the trail head for the Great Western Trail. That would have been a great ride, but since it was just me and Suki we stuck to the frontage road. Suki and I just headed east as Kirk turned west onto I-70 toward Salina. I usually worry about Suki jumping out of the RZR, but she did great with her face in the wind she is super happy.
Railroad Tunnel on Frontage Road I-70
Polaris RZR in Old Railroad Tunnel
Suki and I drove for only about 3 miles until we drove through the old railroad tunnels. I think the tunnels are super cool, but I like things like that. I know there is no one in that RZR, but I couldn’t figure out how to take my own picture and Suki would not sit still for a photo opportunity.
Red Autumn Leaves
Sidekick Suki in Red Fall Leaves
We finally made it to the beautiful leaves and I gathered a few branches for my daughter. Suki was having fun chasing squirrels and grasshoppers, but I thought I could get her to hold still for just a moment in the leaves for some puppy pictures. The pictures aren’t perfect but there she is in the leaves. I think she was looking for more squirrels. What a beautiful place, even if it is a frontage road.
Get in and Go See Autumn Leaves
Orange and Gold Autumn Leaves
Time to head back home. You know, I can ride my wheeler all the way to my house from Salina Canyon and I did. I stopped and took a few pictures along the way. Over the years as we have driven along I-70 I have heard stories about the early settlers of Salina back in pioneer times and ancient times as well. My husband’s family has long been road contractors and as they were working on the I-70 interstate, they found old indian ruins. I have been told that there was a cave along the road up in the cliffs where they found these ruins. So on my journey I thought I would look for that cave. I took pictures of every cave I saw and when I got home I asked Kirk which cave these prehistoric indians lived in. Here it is:
Prehistoric Indian Cave on I-70
Pretty interesting, huh?
Suki Got Tired of the Ride and Jumped Out for a Run
After I found the caves I continued on my journey an somewhere along the way Suki got tired of riding. While driving along at the rapid speed of 15 miles per hour, all of a sudden Suki jumped off the four-wheeler and ran along side of me. She ran for a while, chasing squirrels and grasshoppers again. I sped ahead and watched as she ran as fast as she could to catch up. She needed her exercise after all. Finally she got tired of running and jumped back in to continue our ride home.
Frontage Road to Salina
Autumn Leaves Just Starting
We kept driving down the frontage road until we reached Salina and then continued on the back roads over to Redmond. As I unpacked I realized that the roads must have been dusty because Suki and I were gray with dirt. Baths and showers were definitely in order so we gathered up our leaves and treasures and headed in to clean up. Oh, and my package got mailed off to my daughter. She plans on sharing it with the class if they are good. This was definitely a fun adventure. Even though at first I was a little scared, I realized that I could do this by myself. As long as I had my guard dog Suki with me.
With all of the adventures we are going on and all of the pictures we are taking, certainly one of them had to be a great one, a keeper, the picture that captures the moment. Well my wonderful husband Kirk caught that very picture and it was right in our own backyard during the Eyes to the Sky Balloon Festival held annually in Salina, Utah.
A beautiful picture of a balloon floating low over Redmond Lake with a reflection on the water and mountains in the background. We decided to have that very picture made into a canvas print and WOW, BEAUTIFUL!! Canvas prints really make a picture more impressive. The canvas wraps around a frame and stands out as a beautiful piece of artwork.
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Well, we were not going to keep this to ourselves. When you have something so amazing, you should share it. So we took it over to the Sevier County Fair in Richfield, Utah for judging and guess what? Kirk won a BIG Blue Ribbon, not a little one, but a big one which means that he took second place overall in this category. Do I sound like the proud wife? Well I am.
I on the other hand entered a decadent chocolate cake in the chocolate contest and won nothing. (I had high hopes because last year I won first place with my chocolate chip cookies. Maybe it was too decadent for the fair? Note to self: less is more in the county fair :))
Back to the art show part of the fair: Here is a picture of the awesome photo with it’s spectacular blue ribbon. Congratulations Kirk on a wonderful presentation!
