Lambert Park

We needed a quick and close hike to accommodate Hannah's work schedule.

I found Lambert Park in Alpine.  It's about 255 acres of trails up against the mountains and is relatively flat, and used heavily for beginning - intermediate mountain biking. 

We've never heard of Lambert Park, other than it has a hidden poppy field and a small ruin.  Hidden, because unless you know they are there, and how to get to them, you will walk right by them in early Spring when they are in bloom.

Alpine likes to keep this park a secret, and they must be doing a good job because on a Saturday morning, we were the only ones there!  We did see 2 other hikers, one jogger and a mountain biker during the entire time we were there.

The hikes are short, and you can make them as long or short as you want. We opted for a 1.4 mile loop.  It's mostly dry sagebrush, but the history of this area shows a different story.

Apparently,  George Lambert was Brigham Young's bodyguard and he had this property and a two level home as his summer home.  The home was built with rock from a nearby canyon around 1909 and it was a destination for many people to come and visit and stay with the Lambert's. 

The homestead was surround with apple, peach, cherry and nut orchards.  Surround fields were farmed with alfalfa and grains.  Around the house, George planted trees and lots and lots of poppies.

The only thing that remains now is one part of a side wall of the house, a few trees standing guard in an otherwise bleak dry sagebrush covered area, and poppies still grow under the shade of the trees.

It was way too late for the poppies this year, but we plan to go back next early Spring and take a look.

One area had some trees  - they looked very much out of place compared to the rest of the area

This is where all the poppies grow during early Spring

This is all that's left of the house

Looking west over Utah Lake and Lake Mountain (Eagle Mountain is behind Lake Mountain)

Cirque Italia

Ever since the "real" circus shut down a few years ago, we were apprehensive to try the "mall parking lot circus" that comes to town. We tried one of those in California and it wasn't really all that.

So, when I heard about Cirque Italia, I didn't really know what it was, but the website advertised it as a water circus  an "Aquatic Spectacular" ....whatever that is....so we got tickets.

The website says this:  "Cirque Italia is not your average, traditional circus like the many others."

It's an Italian company that brings a performance of European style. (Whatever that is).

Well, there is water, but the water isn't the spectacular part.  It is kind of cool how they do it, there is a ring of water and the ring is hoisted up to the ceiling and the water falls down and the performers perform inside the water circle.  But as far as the water, that's pretty much it.  

The performers were good though....some what you'd expect - the running guy on the pendulum, tight rope walkers, and some you wouldn't expect - dinosaurs, laser light robots and more.

All in all, it was fun and different, and we will go again next year if they come to a parking lot near us!  We weren't supposed to be taking photos inside, so I didn't get any of the actual show....  only them setting up and one or two where I sneakily took some.

We were sitting right in the center, third row - so up really close...and right next to the aisle where the clown went up/down the stage - He involved the audience through the whole show.  Jacob was sitting right on the edge and guess what?  The VERY FIRST thing, the clown grabbed Jacob and made him come up on stage to ride a very very small bike.  Jacob did NOT want to go.

Before riding the bike however, the clown made Jacob copy him and they did a little dance.  Look really close at Jacob's shoes.  Can you see a slight covering on the front?  Yep.  We had just gone to JCPenney right before coming here, and were in the shoe department.  Jacob put on the mini-nylons that ladies use to try on shoes - he put them over his shoes and was sliding around on the floor of the store.  Well, he didn't take them off...and there he is, up on stage, with nylons on his shoes!

Jacob was a good sport and played along!

VIDEO:  I figured since it was a family member, I could take photos and a video:

During intermission, the clown was trying to sell balloons, but he was just standing in one place spinning them around...and as people walked by, he bopped them on the head with the balloons

VIDEO:

The dinos were pretty funny...it was like a tiger show...the guy came out and there were 4-5 dinos like this, and they all laid down, as he yelled at them in another language...and then he put his head in one of their mouths...it was good

Of course they had the spinning pendulum where the guys walks in and on top of the cage.  Here they are setting it up

VIDEO:

You should definitely go if this circus comes to a parking lot near you!

Payson Lakes Camping

We'd never been to Payson Lakes campground, but it's pretty close, just up Payson's Mt. Nebo loop, and heard it was really pretty, so we decided to try.

You have to reserve a spot early January, which we did, but there were only two spots left and we snatched them up.

There are three small "lakes" in the area that surround the campground, the biggest has fishing, canoeing, swimming and hiking around the small lake.  It's a mile hike all the way round, so it's not that big.

The campground was really pretty and the two last spots that we got, were actually the nicest ones!!  Full of trees and shrubs and difficult to see our neighbors.

We had a great time and great weather and even better company!  Marissa/Matt, Meghan/Corey/Jane and all of us.

Cooking Hot Dogs

One day we took a short hike through a beautiful area

The hike started out with just going through a field....

...but soon went through Aspen groves and pine trees

This is the biggest of the three lakes - Big East Lake

Marissa tried to catch her dinner...but nothing happened

Hannah wanted to try

We had yummy tin foil dinners cooked to perfection - nothing burned!

Salsa Chicken

Meat and cheeeezzzzyyyy potatoes

We don't camp too much for several reasons.....
1. It's usually far away
2. You get all smokey (and we really were this time!!)
3. You get dirty and dusty
4. You have to go to the bathroom
5. You have to take so much stuff to go

This was close, had running water but we did have some problems with #5.  Only having two sedan cars now, we have a hard time carrying all our stuff to go camping...we had to rely on BOTH Meghan and Marissa taking some of our stuff!

We had a good time and would recommend Payson Lakes, Loop B campground.