Sundance or Bust

Living at 7000ft is an adventure in itself. In the winter, snow is both a blessing and a curse. Instead of skiing on Sunday, we opted for a snow removal workout. It hadn't stormed since Thursday so we didn't have to worry about the driveway. Instead we attacked the deck, windows, and roof. We were successful on the first two, but the roof is going to require professionals.

Peak and Patio Roof are holding strong

We tried to coax the patio into sliding with our rope saw

Three basement windows in three stages of coverage

An hour later, all three windows clear... until the next storm or roof slide

Now that our daily workout was complete, we changed for a trip to Salt Lake City. We almost turned around when we saw the inversion over the valley. What a difference 3000ft and a mountain range can make, both for the lungs and mind. My desire to watch women's basketball kept us moving forward and though it didn't matter, we held our breath when first entering the wall of muck. The Utes upset the ranked Cal Bears making up for their loss to Stanford on Friday. We couldn't wait to get back to blue skies and fresh air as soon as the game was over.

Those aren't pretty clouds, that's Salt Lake City inversion

While we were navigating the snow and inversion, my parents were driving from Montana for their two weeks of Sundance. We got a picture and email update once they reached Tremonton for the night. It turns out they were 20 miles north of Idaho Falls when a truck passed them and kicked up something that impacted the side window. It sounded like an explosion or as Mom puts it "like that time the deer ran into us in Southern Utah". (That photo was the 11/25/15 Wildlife Wednesday)

It was very cold and the window hadn't completely shattered, so Dad kept driving. They turned up the heat, put on more jackets, and listened as the window slowly disintegrated. Even though they were on I-15 and approaching a fairly large city, it was Sunday and in Eastern Idaho that means nothing is open except for Walmart. Dad went in for supplies, MacGyver style, while Mom picked up glass in 10F. A little art foam and duct tape later, they were back on the road with barely a whistle as a companion. They should have written "Sundance or Bust" on the foam.

My parents arrived safely and were able to get the window replaced this afternoon. They are now in full Sundance mode and currently at their first movie. This afternoon they checked in, got their 2017 coats, and for the first time in seven years, their lodging assignment. They usually stay in our basement, but we are still in remodel mode and barely managing on our own. We will miss having them here, playing Scrabble when our paths cross, and hearing about the festival buzz.

Dad to the rescue 

Before meeting my parents yesterday, I spent the day skiing thanks to Martin Luther King Jr and my friend Penny (aka the Powder Hunter). We had the best time exploring the Canyons side of Park City and looking for leftover powder off of every lift. Usually tucked away in the trees, we found a stash or two that kept us giggling all day. After five hours with no stops, we called it a day after our best run on Devil's Friend. We missed the guys, but had a blast chatting and making sure we covered as much of the mountain as possible.

Grande Bowl after navigating the rock band

Penny working the aspens and powder on Devil's Friend