Cache Gran Fondo, etc.

Yesterday Alicia and Mike rode as a pair, and I rode with two neighbors plus a son-in-law of one of them.  It was the Cache Gran Fondo, a 105 mile ride up over Weston Canyon pass to Malad and back around the mountains into Cache valley.  Since it was 3.1 miles to the start at Logan Regional Hospital (for which it was a fund-raiser), and another mile or so home from the finish (downtown Logan), and since we rode from our homes to the start and from the finish home, I'm saying I rode about 109 miles yesterday!  In two weeks we have another "century," the Ride Around the Wellsvilles (or RAW as it's known) which is actually only a 96 miler.  Here are some Fondo shots and other items thus far in July:

 OK, so Jared didn't participate in the Gran Fondo, but he did start getting into biking.  Here he's showing his new Jersey and gloves.

 

Here is our group buckling up our helmets and getting ready for the 6:30 a.m. start from the hospital.  That's me on the left, out front is Jake Christensen (son-in-law of Mark), behind Jake you can barely see Mark Firth (our former bishop for whom I was a counselor), and to the right is Eric Eliason, first counselor in our current bishopric. We were later joined by 16 yr. old Brian Olsen (next door neighbor), Cory McBride (friend in Mendon), and Joshua McBride (son of Cory). This made a large enough team to be able to rotate some "pulling."  This shot does not show the large number of actual riders.  We pulled this and the next shot from the complimentary photos posted on-line after the ride.

 Here's another complimentary shot.  This shows Mike (Alicia's boyfriend in the white jersey) with Alicia about to hydrate some more.

 Leisa Firth caught Mark at the finish line.  I was next to him to the left in the photo.

 Leisa also snapped this shot of us on the podium/award stand where all finishers could have their photos taken.  That's Eric, me, Jake, and Mark.

Today we got to take the "girls" to church with us.  They were so cute Gayle had to take some shots.
This one's a little more serious but still cute.

June Primary Girls Activity Day - water day at Hyrum dam

 Kodak moments from a recent water activity for the Primary Girls that Gayle works with.  Mindi Schiffman is her co-leader and her family has the boat.
 
 Horsing around on the trampoline at the Schiffmans' house prior to leaving.
 
 Getting ready to put the boat in the water at Hyrum Dam state beach.
 
 About to launch.
 
 A view of the beautiful Hyrum Dam reservoir and surroundings.

Ready for an adventure?

 And off we go! 
 

 Are we having fun yet?

 In the boat and waiting for someone to come in out of the water.  There were 10 in the boat when all were aboard.

 Lunch break.

 Yum. 

 Stopped at the cove for some fun in the mud.

A super fun day was had by all.

Fourth of July and Avril's ear tube surgery

It's early in July, but I don't want to get so far behind again.  So here are some pictures:

Flipping pancakes for the Logan 8th ward annual 4th of July breakfast.

 Arleen had her hair cut the other day.  Here she enjoys fine dining with McKel and Alicia under the pavilion.

 Mike helped Avril work on her breakfast in front of the American flag.

 Some of our group.

 Papa and Nana.
 New treatment for shoes!  I spilled some grease on one of my relatively new boat shoes while cooking at the 4th of July breakfast.  So later in the day I just sprayed all of both shoes with PAM so they would be completely covered in oil and about the same color!  Notice the tan lines on my ankles from bike riding/running in the sun.

 Just today (Friday, July 5th) Avril had her second bi-lateral ear tube surgery to help her with fluid drainage to prevent hearing loss and infection.  Afterward Jesse fed her a popsicle while Ali caught the drops.

Alicia giving Avril motherly affection and care.

More June photos

Lots happened in June, so here are some photos from various activities not covered under major events.

 Avril showing off a hair bun.

 McKel with her hair pulled back too.

 Having fun in the sprinkler on our front yard.

 Brit holding a cat on a visit to our neighborhood.

 Petting Packer, the shaggy dog down the street.

 Our peonies finally bloom.

 Bath time can be fun.

 Spencer Lee on his missionary farewell Sunday, after the talk, and his dad Robert (my brother).

 Adrian and family at the farewell.

George, Steph, David, and Lizzy.

 Edison had a good time too.

 Jared, Ali, and Parker.

 Trish and mom.

The younger kin chatting.

 Steve and Susan recently came for a visit.  Here are Susan and Gayle.

The three bros.

Disneyland with the girls 2013

 We drove Ali and girls down to Anaheim for 3 days of Disneyland and California Adventure Park.  On the first day, the first ride, we hit the good old-fashioned carousel.

 Avril riding next to her mom.

 Papa watched McKel on this one.

 You can't do Disneyland with little girls and not do princess stuff.  McKel is enjoying a dried mango while they wait for a "Tangled" enactment.

 Many dried mangoes were consumed on this trip!

 Rapunzel and the thief turned good-guy posed with reluctant girls for some photos.

 Later we sat at the beginning of main street to see the Mickey Mouse parade from the perfect spot!

 This float featured Rapunzel and Snow White and other leading Disney ladies.

 The tea cups are just as popular as they were in 1956, when Disneyland first opened.  I was surprised at how much the girls liked spinning around.

 We even went into the whale like Pinocchio.

 Dumbo was as fun as ever.  Although this pose is in a stationary Dumbo on the ground.

 And Fantasmic was an awesome show of lights, lasers, sprays, actors, boats, etc.  We saw fireworks too.

 We stayed at the Fairfield Inn right across Harbor Blvd. from Disneyland, which was very convenient.  We were able to come back to the room mid-afternoon so the girls could nap while I jogged in Anaheim.

 Our main mode of transportation was a double stroller for the girls.  Here is one of the park's work horses.

 The Disney characters were ubiquitous.

 I dropped this dumbbell and am trying to pick it up!

 One of Avril's favorite treats now.

 Minnie had the girls over for a chat and photo op.

 Even the hotel room was a fun change from the daily home routine.

Ali and Avril.

My face probably reflects how tiring it is taking little kids to Disneyland.

 Tom Sawyer still has an island in the park and you still use the raft to get there.

 "Caves" on Tom's island.  The girls enjoyed exploring.  Here they follow me into an opening.

 On our last morning of the stay we went to the outdoor pool and the girls had a blast in the water.

 Then we went over to the Santa Monica pier so they could see the ocean.  This was on the pier.

 Ali and I take the girls into the water to chase waves back and forth.

 They both loved the beach and water.  It was about 75 degrees and with a marine layer of fog just above us, but only a few miles inland the temperatures were already soaring.  We stayed in North Las Vegas that night and the next morning as we packed the car it was over 100 degrees already.

 Just before leaving I showed Avril about the sand crabs and we spent several minutes digging up a bunch of them.  She liked letting them crawl on her hands.