Adam's Eagle Kiva

Adam was approached by Bob Potter, principal at Sugar Elementary, about making a "kiva" for one of the kindergarten classes. These are sets of moveable units with a couple of stairs on them, that can be put together in a corner of the room, so a teacher can talk to a few of the kids at a time. We had nothing to go on, other than some photos Jason Rose and I took of existing ones.

I drew up a set of plans on the computer, based on the photos, and Adam and I spent some quality time together at the shop at school, slicing parts from 4'x8' sheets of OSB on the big panel saw. I forget the brand, but it is very similar to this. It has a rip fence, and a cross-cut fence, and the table slides past the blade. So you just put the piece on the table, and cut, cut, cut. I can't imagine doing this on any other saw.

Here is one of the end pieces, showing the two steps. We glued and screwed 1"x2" on the edges, so we could screw the treads and risers to that.

One unit, almost done. The extra 1x2 is for a shelf. Then we put on the top tread to finish it.

Almost done with one.

Last screws on the first one.

The corner unit was a bit trickier to do. Here's the guts.

All finished with the wood.

What, you don't remember what we talked about yesterday?

Carpeted and delivered to Bob at Sugar.

We did have Holden d'Evengnee and Jason Rose help us too, but I didn't get photos. The biggest help was Jann, getting us to do it.

Hanging Canyon - Lake of the Crags

So, we haven't had enough hiking this summer, and decided to go to Lake of the Crags. It is a brutal hike of about 8 miles with 3000 ft elevation gain. Beautiful beyond description.

We started in the String Lake parking lot.

Hiked past the fishing rock, almost to the Cascade Canyon trail.

And then started going up.

Mt Owen?, with protuberance.

See the patch of sky on the left? We are headed up there. Doesn't look too steep in the photo.

We were constantly stepping up and over.

Finally, we got to Rams Head Lake, and stopped for lunch. Adam, at peace.

Jack, preparing to eat his Ritz lunch.

Light lunch..

Then, one last hike up and over the dam that makes Lake of the Crags. I think the big peak there is Rock of Ages.

Soaking the feet. It was an exhausting hike up. We are at about 9600 ft here.

Adam and Jack, thinking about something.

I had to take a little rest.

Rocks for skipping.

I don't think Jack was tired.

On the way back down, scrambling over the rocks.

Rams Head again.

Looking out over the Gros Ventre range. Smoky.

This doesn't really convey how steep it was. This is not a maintained trail, and it is very precarious in places.

Half way down to Jenny Lake again.

Come visit us and we'll do it again.

One Last Fifty Miler

Ian/Jack had his 50-miler last week, and of course Jann said I must go. It is really a lovely hike, but there is a lot of bushwhacking, and elevation change. The last day is particularly brutal. I said to Daniel Dewey, whose route this is, that it's like bashing yourself in the thumb with a particularly lovely hammer.

We started out in Paris Canyon, above Paris, ID, near Bear Lake. Ten kids, four old men, and a young pup wanting to relive his youth.

On the second day, one of the kids got sick for a few hours, so Dewey had to be manly. We all offered to "share the load," but he was the dude.

I was a little off-put by the fact that the kids preferred sitting (and throwing things) in the dirt to sitting anything having to do with grass.

On the third night, our home teacher, singing cowboy, and BYUI religious instruction dude, Curtis Castillow drove eight hours round trip just to give us a musical spiritual thought, and pat his boy Cutler on the head.

The fourth day, we played at White Pine Lake for a couple of hours, before ending up at Tony Grove.

White Pine is a lovely cirque lake between the crags Gog and Magog. Nice and scenic.

They all ended up like turtles, sunning themselves on a log.

My most flattering self portrait ever.

Last day, after passing under Mt Elmer, and before pounding down and down Green Canyon above Logan. It seemed never to end.

But eventually it did, and we all invaded Five Guys and ate "Mmm... Burgers..." and fries drenched in fry sauce. And Coke, for the drive back home.

I came away from this one practically unscathed. Jack and I day packed it, since there was a truck in camp every night with out tent and food. This is my third hike along this same route. First time, with Sam, we carried all our weight. These last two times, with Adam and Jack we wimped out. Makes the hiking much more enjoyable.