Gooseberry & Guacamole

After a quick morning of painting a baby nursery I took the rest of the day off to head up to Zion to go camping with my new friend Tony and a bunch of his friends.

When we got to the campsite Tony, his two buddies Brad and

Glen and I drove up to a trail called Guacamole on the west side of

Springdale to go mountain biking.

I had no idea what real mountain biking is all about. What I have been doing around home is like a walk in the park compared to what we were up to this weekend.

Luckily the guys were really patient with me and taught me a lot about how to use my gears and shifting my weight back to go down the steep rocks. I love it! I'm hooked!

Friday's ride was more fun for me because it was less technical than the trail we did Saturday. We did Gooseberry Mesa Saturday and when I told Laurie where we rode she was pretty amazed. She said in the biking magazine she subscribes to, Gooseberry is one of the top ten most difficult trails in the nation. Wow. I think I carried my bike more than I rode it! But I had a blast trying to ride and now I can say I've been there. I already want to go back.
This is my knee. It looks pretty doesn't it? I don't know what I'm doing wrong but I hit my knee on my bike ALL time!

Saturday night we went to see Peter Breinholt perform at Tuacahn.

I gave a talk today in church. I think it went alright. {You know how you really can't remember anything once it is over?} But I wasn't near as nervous as I've been in the past, mostly I was excited for the challenge and trying to get across the information I had studied. I think having to talk so much the last couple of years has helped me find a process that works for me to get over the nerves of getting up there. Doing what I will call the 'wet run' before seems to help. If I read my talk out a couple of times the day of I can get out some loose tears so I can be in more control when it counts. Mom and Dad called me at just the right time this morning so I practiced it on them. They are a good audience with helpful hints. I got to a part where I said 'Taking the sacrament should not be a passive experience.' Dad pipes up, That's important! Highlight it! So I did. He passed a long a couple great quotes that I also used. It's so good to have a seminary wizard on hand! And Mom, I gave you credit for my tears, blaming heredity.