Leaf Peeping

Last week, I got a call from the weather channel asking about fall colors on the Manti-La Sal.  I know nothing about TV so I don’t know how this works?  Is there a programming segment where leaf peepers are encouraged to travel from state to state?  At any rate, I told the caller that, suprisingly, the aspen groves up high, along the ridges and mountain peaks, were mostly green, maybe only 5% of them showing fall color.  Down low, on the other hand, in some of the canyons, up to 50% of the trees were starting to change.  “Well,” he said, “how about we say 20 to 30 percent?”  “Yep,” I replied, “sounds good.”  This is TV after all.

VSO Statewide

Utah is a large state.  But that hasn't stopped VSO.  About the only city in Utah she hasn't visited since Saturday is Moab.  She started at the marathon in Logan, then went for a hike in Blacksmith Fork (above), then saw Hiatt at Red Butte (below), and then drove to Price.

From there she went to the Escalante Canyons Art Festival (below) and is on her way to St. George for an art show at Zions Bank.  To paraphrase Stegner, she is a consumer of transportation.

Big Smile at Mile 14; Finish on the Podium

EDO completed her first marathon today:  The Top of Utah, Logan City Marathon.  She was first in her age group and was recognized at the awards ceremony!  (Um, she was the only one in her age group so, as she pointed out, she was also last.)  She was 34th out of 152 finishers.  (About 190 started the race.)  She was 8th out of 56 female finishers.  Her time was 3:46.  None of this puts her in the category of an "elite" marathoner, but I was very impressed with her consistency.  She started the day at a 3:45 pace and finished the day at a 3:45 pace (give or take a minute).  When she crossed the line, she was not out of breath or red faced or bent over at the first aid station.  Instead, she was standing around, talking, joking with her friends, and planning to go hiking and camping later.  Business as usual for a super-fit distance athlete.

PV Run-Ride

Today we started with a Parowan Valley Run-Ride.  We got out just before sunrise and made a 10 mile loop.  EDO likes to run to Paragonah, back over I-15, and then home past the truck stop at the northern Parowan exit.  I rode a rented bike that I didn't like very much:  Too little space between the handlebars and the seat.  We made it in a little over an hour.

Filter of Gold

VSO has been driving GC1 this week and has had some intermittent trouble.  At low RPMs, maneuvering around a parking lot, the truck has been shutting off.  She guessed it might be the fuel filter and, having nothing else to go on, I agreed to change it.  After all, the last time we had a new fuel filter in GC1 was on January 13, 2009, so it is probably due for replacement.  At that time, the filter cost $7.41.  This time, it cost nearly four times as much:  $26.51!  Evidently, despite its dull appearance, the new filter is made of gold.  We'll see if that solves the issue.