Sunday, September 13, 2015

Labor Day Weekend 2015


I went up to "my mountains" during Labor Day weekend just week ago.  I did a mountain bike ride on a trail just on the other side of the mountains near Pete's Hole called Josephite Point Trail.  I remember biking on this trail with my brothers during the summer of 1998 a little before I left on my mission.


I was really impressed with this trail compared to 17 years ago.  The Forest Service improved it a lot and made it much better.


So I really enjoyed riding it even though there a few walk-a-bike areas but hey, the views were awesome and I could ride pretty much 95% of it.  It is a primitive trail but really good.


A bridge they built like this year.  Really nice.  If I remember it right, 17 years ago, I couldn't ride this section and a hill by Mary's Lake.  So this year, they built switchbacks on that steep part by Mary's Lake.  It is so much better now, I could ride it!


The trail is also getting some love.  It's being ridden and walked on more since it's a non-motorized trail.  Not a lot but way better than it was 17 years ago.


Mary's Lake.  There were also some cows.  All I saw was a few cows and 2 herders on horses so if you want to go on a bike ride all by yourself and not see a soul.  This is the trail for you!  Because it is in the middle of nowhere.


Nice primitive singletrack.  It really needs more bikers, hikers, and horse riders.  And this would be a great out-and-back trail that consists 14 miles with 1,900 feet of climbing!  And an amazing high alpine feel to it.



On the trail, are a few lakes, and one of them is Acamedy Mill Reservoir.  My brothers and I used to hike a mile from Pete's Hole to do some fishing on this lake.  We've had some fun times.


On the way back home, I did a little more driving to see the top of Horseshoe Mountain.


The view was worth it!  I was trying to "spend a little more time in the mountains".


The day before my Josephite Point bike ride.  I did a 4 mile hike in Ephraim Canyon on Jimmy's Fork ATV Trail to look for a "Ted Bundy" tree.


The hike was pretty and I took my dog, Duke.



After about 5 to 10 minutes of searching when I got to this area, I found the name on a tree.  Somebody around here told me about it but he didn't remember the date.  Ted Bundy was in jail in 1986 so I assume it was somebody else that wrote it.  Or the date could be for the name below it?  I just don't know.


And imagine that?  My name I wrote on this tree 15 years ago is 60 feet away from the Ted Bundy tree!  Holy Cow!  Well, I saw pretty much everybody else's names on the trees in this area from all over town.  I used to ride my bike on this trail 15 years ago a lot and I figured I'd write my name on a tree but I didn't know about the Ted Bundy tree.  Well, it was an adventure.