DAY 68: Two Close Calls & A Ski Lift!!! WhoooHooo.....

DAY 68:  Alpine Loop Scenic Byway - September 5, 2010

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Ahhhhhhh........what a B*E*A*U*T*I*F*U*L day!!

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We headed out on the trike this morning to visit the Uinta National Forest and Mt. Timpanogos (what's with the names of stuff around here...??) south of Salt Lake City with a cool 65 degrees...slight breeze...and full tank of gas!

We're kissing.....can you tell???

Now, I can tell you all about how pretty it was; how breathtaking the mountains were....blah blah blah....but what I REALLY want to tell you about is the ski lift we rode on!!!!!  Oh ya, there was a ski resort up here called Sundance and let...me...tell...you, Liz was dancing in the sun at Sundance!!!  I "finally" got to go up on a ski lift!!

I thought this was the COOLEST part.....Chuck still moaning..

Some of you may remember last year while we were in Colorado, we rode the trike 3 1/2 VERY LONG HOURS up to Aspen.....As soon as we drove into town, I saw the ski lift.  I told Chuck, "We've just GOT to ride the ski lift...I can get great pictures going up and then down and I've never been on a ski lift".  I was so excited I could hardly stand myself...... So while Chuck scadoodled off to find a bathroom, I went to get tickets for the ski lift.  First thing I noticed while approaching the ticket counter was I didn't appear to be "dressed" like everyone else.....I looked like a motorcycle homeless person compared to everyone there (I'm not even going to describe what my helmet hair looked like).  Then I got to the counter and the ticket lady appeared........and this quite possibly was my imagination......she appeared to be saying with her eyes, "Hey chick, who are you and what makes you think you can afford to go up on MY lift?"........Now, I've been known to exert a little paranoia sometimes, so don't take my insecurities as gospel, but I quickly learned that I couldn't afford to go up on HER lift.  She wanted $50 PER PERSON to go up on HER lift in JUNE!  I just said "No Way Jose" to snooty lift lady......

They stamped my hand and everything!!!

Anyway, back to my story of today......

Chuck hanging on for dear life & being very still....

I was ecstatic when I learned they only wanted $10 per person today to take the lift up (& that included coming back down too!) and couldn't get my wallet out quick enough.  So, as soon as Chuck got out of the bathroom (again), we headed for the slopes......slopes of grass that is!  Oh WOW, it was incredible.......I didn't even lose my shoes on the way up!!!  I did learn one thing, though.  I found out Chuck might, just might, have a problem with heights.   He seemed a bit nervous, moaned a bit when it made a different noise or a sudden jerk or when I tried to lift the bar holding us in halfway up.......hummmm.....how is it I never knew this about him before???

Ya, like they have to tell us this.....

Anyway, FUN FUN FUN!!

I probably should have listened to this sign..

Oh ya, we only had TWO close calls today ......One was while we were on a 1 1/2 lane road heading up the mountain....rounded a blind tight curve......only to find a car in my lane passing two bicyclists..... As I slammed on the brakes and headed for the ditch....wait, did I say ditch??  I meant CLIFF......I feel Chuck lunging forward which lunged me forward which made the cliff situation a little more certain.  Anyway, that motorcycle course I took and almost flunked two years ago must have paid off, cause I was able to correct and get back on the road just as I started praying "Our Father, which art in Heaven"......whew.....

Before close call.....all smiles!!

The second close call was seriously MY fault as I was busy taking pictures while driving down the twisty, winding road and pert near missed my turn.......It's all good, though........and it makes for an interesting day to tell you about! (Don't worry, Ant Ellie....I'll be more careful...I promise!)

And that, my friends, is another day in the life of Chuck and Liz......