Spring is in the Air!

For those of you who hate winter it is time for you to celebrate, because Spring is in the air! Put away that winter jacket, snow boots and all of your snow gear, and get ready for some warmer weather!

I absolutely love Springtime because there are so many things that you can do outside that you haven't been able to do all winter long. So I have decided that I would put a list together of things that I think you should each go do to celebrate spring and the coming of summer!

1. Get a group together and play kickball in the park - we did this last week for FHE and it was so much fun to be able to run around WITHOUT a jacket, mittens and a hat! When it gets warmer it is really fun to play water kickball, but I think it is too cold right now.

2. Take a drive up Provo Canyon - with all of the snow melting it is absolutely beautiful up the Canyon!

3. Hike Bridal Veil Falls - this is a must everyone! It's my favorite thing to do in Provo and you can even make into a really fun date!

4. Have a picnic in the park - this doesn't need to be anything elaborate, but grab some sandwiches, a blanket, someone you can talk to and head anywhere you can sit on the grass!

5. Run outside - it's time to pull out your running shoes! This is the perfect time to run outside because it isn't too hot and it isn't too cold!

6. Go for a bike ride - if you don't have a bike then you can rent one or try something daring and rent a tandem bike!

7. Water fight - I may be a 5 year old but I still love to get in water fights! Just go get some water balloons or a squirt gun and go crazy! (I recommend doing this when the sun is out!)

8. Climbing trees - if you have never climbed a tree at Kwanis Park then you need to get off the computer right now and go! The trees there are perfect for climbing.

9. Play a game of horse - who doesn't love a little friendly competition that reminds you of middle school!

10. Go on a nature tour - with Spring comes beautiful flowers, so go for a walk or drive and observe the beautiful world all around you!

Spring is here and summer is coming, so it is time to get outside and have some fun! Regardless of what you do just have fun and remember there is an adventure waiting for you, so go find it!

Festival of Colors

Are you looking for something out of the ordinary to do this weekend? I have that very thing for you to do: FESTIVAL of COLORS!
Once a year the Krishna Temple in Spanish Fork, has the Festival of Colors for Holi. The Festival is this Saturday and the throwing of the colors with be at noon and at four!

I went last year and it was one of the funnest things I have done in Provo! I strongly recommend that you all go, because it is unlike anything else you can do in Provo and it only happens once a year!!!
Festival of Colors is fun because at noon and four they will be throwing colors. What happens is after the bonfire everyone literally just throws colored powder/chalk at each other. You end up in a cloud of colors and you are covered from head to toe in every color imaginable. (Word to the wise: be careful breathing when the colors are being thrown because you will intake a lot of powder, but it isn't harmful!)

It costs two dollars to buy a bag of colored powder, or it is 5 dollars to buy three bags of powder. You don't even need to necessarily buy any of the powder/chalk because there is so much in the air, but I think it is more fun if you participate in throwing it!

Festival of Colors is such a fun thing to do and it is something you have to experience while in Provo! I will be there on Saturday and I will let you know how it goes! Hopefully it will be an adventure :)!

Here is a link for directions to the Temple and more information http://www.utahvalley.org/events/details.aspx?ID=1247

Bridal Veil Falls

My very favorite place to go in Provo is Bridal Veil Falls! I have been waiting all winter to go up there and hike to the falls. Sadly, there is too much snow up there right now. I went up yesterday and I wouldn't recommend hiking to the falls because it is really cold and there is a lot of snow. Give it a few weeks though and it will be the perfect hike!

To get to Bridal Veil Falls you drive up Provo Canyon for about ten minutes and it's on the right side. The reason Bridal Veil is so great, is that it is an easy hike and it is absolutely beautiful. It takes about 10-15 minutes to hike up to the middle of the waterfall. Here you can cross the stream and feel the mist of the falls!

Most people only hike up to the first part of the falls, but you are able to hike up to the upper falls or the very top of the falls. I have never been to the top but I am planning on doing it as soon as the weather will permit! I will let you know how it goes!

If you are looking for a fun and easy hike, I would definitely recommend Bridal Veil Falls! Just remember there is an adventure waiting for you, so go find it!

The Rex Lee Run

This Saturday is BYU's Rex Lee 5k run! This is a great way to get outside and run for a good cause! The Rex Lee Run is a run to find a cure for cancer, so not only will you be getting good exercise but you will also be participating in an event to help others and find a cure for cancer.

The run is on Saturday at 9:00 for the 10k and 9:15 for the 5k. It costs 15 dollars for the 5k and 20 dollars for the 10k as long as you register before the day of race. If you register the day of race it will be an additional 5 dollars. In order to save 5 dollars, register online or at the wilk any day before Saturday!

Here is a map of where the run is

I encourage all of you to get out there and run the race! It should be fun to do and it is for a really good cause!

SNOW!!!

Are you looking for something inexpensive to do? Do you like to have fun? Do you like to get out of Provo?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then I have the perfect thing for you: playing in the snow! This past weekend my friends and I went up to the canyon with our sleds to find an adventure and it was so fun!


You can go anywhere up the Canyon, but we went up past Sundance on the Alpine Loop and parked once we got to the parking lot at the end of the road. This is a great place to go play in the snow because it is easy to get to, the snow is deep (and fun!), and there are other people there so it is safe, but it is not overpopulated. I absolutely love going up there because it is so beautiful and it is a great place to escape to!

If you walk around and towards the mountain you can easily find a place to go sledding. I personally have never been good at following the same path everyone else is on, so my friend and I made our own path. If you don't like getting snowy and wet, I wouldn't recommend this because I fell into numerous holes and ended up waist deep in snow a few times, but I personally loved it!

There are so many great places to go up the canyon to play in the snow and go sledding! Just make sure you know what you are doing, where you are and dress for the snow, because I got really wet in jeans! I can't wait to go back up the canyon to play in the snow and I strongly recommend that you go before Spring comes. Just remember, there is an adventure waiting for you, so go find it!

Soldier Hollow!!!

Soldier Hollow Tubing Hill is the perfect place for a winter adventure! If you like sledding, like the snow, or like having fun then you will LOVE tubing at Soldier Hollow and it is relatively close to Provo.

Soldier Hollow has three sledding runs that are 1,200 feet of pure joy! Not only that but they have a lift service that tows you up the hill on your tube. You really don’t have to do anything except hold on, have fun and try to go as fast as possible!

I was able to go to Soldier Hollow with my ward a couple years back and it was such a great ward activity! It is easy to go with a lot of people because the runs can accommodate people and it is a fun way to get to know people! I would recommend going to Soldier Hollow for a date, ward activity or just a fun thing for your friends to do. As long as you dress warm, everyone will love it!

The tubing hill is open Monday thru Friday from noon to 8 and Saturday from 10-8. It costs 19 dollars per person, for 2 hours. You are also able to get group rates depending on the amount of people going. For more information go to http://www.soldierhollow.com/tubing.php.

Soldier Hollow is the perfect place to go for a fun day out of Provo and in the snow. There is always an adventure waiting for you, so go find it!

I love walking!!!

The easiest thing to do outside in Provo is to go for a walk. There are a million places to walk, things to see and people to visit. I personally like to walk to all of the various parks around Provo or just walk around in gerneral. It is easy to walk around Provo and it is really good for you! Since it has been so warm outside the last few weeks, you really should step outside and get some fresh air by walking somewhere.

How to be fit.com gives 8 reasons why you should walk, which are

1.You'll get fitter
2. You'll lose weight
3. It's simple
4. It's sociable
5. You'll be less stressed
6.It's flexible
7. Everyone can do it
8. You will develop exceptional muscle tone
To read more about these check out http://www.howtobefit.com/eight-reasons-to-walk.htm

Along with these reasons, I love to walk around Provo because you can be active, experience the fresh air, socialize with your friends and it is also a great way to get to know the area and understand directions. Just make sure not to walk around when the air quality is bad and be careful when crossing the street because Provo drivers are crazy.
Go for a walk, I promise you will love it! Just remember there is always an adventure waiting for you, so go find it!

Bonfire!

Some people think that bonfires are something you should only do in the summer or on the beach, but this is where you are wrong! Bonfires in the winter are just as good as any other bonfires because you get to experience the snow while having the warmth of the fire!
My friends and I had a bonfire this weekend up Provo Canyon at a park called Glen Canyon Park. It was such a blast to be outside, experiencing nature, while not freezing in the snow. Glen Canyon Park is also a great place to have a bonfire because there are a lot of fire pits and the park is spacious so you aren’t surrounded by everyone else in the park. Glen Canyon is the second park up Provo Canyon on the left. If you aren’t able to find a place at Glen Canyon, you can also have bonfires at Canyon View Park, Vivian Park and if you want to drive a little farther you can go up South Fork Canyon. South Fork Canyon is my favorite place to have a bonfire because it isn’t right off the highway, so you are able to experience more of nature. To get to South Fork Canyon, you turn off the Provo Canyon highway at Vivian Park and you keep driving up the road that goes through the park. I am not sure how great the roads are in the winter, but if you can get up there it is the perfect spot to have a bonfire or any other kind of adventure!
Just remember when you are having a bonfire in the snow, you need to dress warm and make sure to take something to sit on so that you don’t have to sit on the ground. Also make sure that you have enough wood, kindling and something that can get the fire started in the snow. Don’t forget the most important thing at a Bonfire is the S’mores! There is an adventure awaiting you, so go find it!

Can I Afford the Greatest Snow on Earth?

Utah is known for having the greatest snow on earth and I love to ski, but as a college student is it economical to go skiing? Yes, you can still go skiing or snowboarding, you just need to look for the best deals! Here is what I have found in my search for good deals!
The best deal around for a day pass is the BYU promo for Snowbird. At the Marriot Center Ticket Office you can buy a ski pass for 72 dollars for two days of skiing! Now that may seem a little bit pricy, but for those of you who have been to Snowbird, you will know that normally it is 72 dollars for a tram day pass- with the promo ticket it comes out to be 36 dollars for a day! My friends and I bought our two-day passes and we were able to have a great day of skiing! There wasn’t a lot of snow when I went, so I would recommend waiting for another snowstorm so that you can ski in the powder. Regardless of the lack of snow, just getting out of the inversion in the valley and breathing fresh air made the whole trip worth it!
There are also discounted lift tickets at Outdoors Unlimited. For more information you can visit their website at http://outdoors.byu.edu//deals/discount_lift_tickets/. Besides Snowbird the best prices would be to Brighton or Sundance, but I would recommend getting a discounted ticket to save a few dollars!
If you are looking for an even better deal, then I would recommend night skiing. Most of the main resorts, including Brighton, Park City and Sundance, all have night skiing most days of the week. As far as prices go, Sundance and Brighton are the best deals and they have discounted night passes at Outdoors Unlimited. The best price I have found for night skiing is 30 dollars for two nights at Sundance. You can either use this for two nights or two people one night. You can get these tickets at various places, but the closest to BYU would be the Marriot Center.
Skiing may be a bit expensive, but if you look around you can find a way to go without breaking the bank! Utah has the greatest snow on Earth and skiing/snowboarding is a great way to experience it! Remember there is always an adventure waiting for you, so go find it!
Here are some pictures from my last ski trip!

Why Should You Go Outdoors?

As college students we are forced to spend a majority of our time indoors. Whether we are in class, at the library, at work or in our cars, we do not have nearly as much time outside as we need. Living in Provo there are so many things that we can do outside and we have a lot of opportunities to have fun in the outdoors. So why don’t we take advantage of the outdoors? In my opinion people don’t know about all of the fun things you can do outside in and around Provo. That is why I have decided to write a blog describing all of the fun things you can do to get yourself outside. You may ask yourself why should I go outside? Besides the obvious answers here are my top ten reasons why you should spend as much time outside as possible.

1. It is absolutely beautiful outside!
2. The options are limitless for what you can do outdoors.
3. We, in Utah, have some of the most amazing mountains right in our backyard and we need to utilize them.
4. It is important to exercise everyday and what better way to exercise then to go outside and play!
5. Although it may be cold in the winter, there are plenty of winter activities that you can do; you just need to dress warm.
6. Being outside is free! You can hike, run, swim, and admire the beauty of nature and play all for free. If free doesn’t sound good to a college student, then I don’t know what will!
7. Sunshine is important in order for people to be truly happy.
8. There is nothing better than fresh air and the crisp smell of nature!
9. Nature truly is God's creation and you can see his hand in all of the amazing areas around you.
10. It is fun to be outside and you can have any kind of adventure you want!

The outdoors are beautiful and magnificent, so get off your computer and go for a run or go play at the closest park! Just remember, there is an adventure awaiting you, so go find it!