Monday, March 19, 2007

Snowmobile fun

We just returned from our anual snowmobile trip to Island Park. Jarom's family rents cabins and we play on lots of really nice snowmachines. Here are a few highlights:

Day 1: Building snowcaves The kids had a great time digging snowcaves in the driveway of the cabins. Infact, Alyssa had so much fun every day playing, that I never got a picture of just her. She's the one laying on the ground, digging away. It was so nice this year because the kids are finally getting old enough that we could let them play outside while the adults relaxed a little inside.

Day 2: Playing in the meadow.

Kate getting ready to ride. She loved it although she didn't get to do it much. (Notice the snowcaves in the background.)


Hey many kids can fit on an inner tube??? ALOT!




Here is how we transport all of the tubes and such to the meadow. We blow them up at the nearby gas station and then drive them on over to the meadow. Looks pretty ridiculous, but we have a lot of fun with them.



The weather was so nice and warm that the meadow was REALLY slushy. We all sank to our waists at least once. Halle had crummy boots and her feet got soaking wet. So we improvised with gloves and called them "monkey toes".

Day 3: Family ride to Big Springs

Carter and Halle getting ready to ride to Big Springs. Alyssa had a fever this day and didn't feel like coming with us.

Here we are at Big Springs. It is really fun to take bread and feed the trout and muskrats. The kids loved it. (Don't I look pretty in my face mask? Amber kept telling me I looked like a nun. HA!)



Day 3 con't: Ride to Mesa Falls
The adults usually take a ride to Mesa Falls. We go in shifts to trade off tending the kids. Here is how my shift began. About 15 minutes into the ride my machine wouldn't go faster than 30 mph. After I stopped, the machine wouldn't go at all. The guys all tinkered with it and got it running again, but I ended up trading machines with Gregg.


About 10 minutes later the belt on Kaylin's machine broke. So we stopped for a few and put on a new one. We were on our way again.


Not 5 minutes later, the belt on my second machine broke (actually it shredded). This one took a little longer to get a new belt on, but we managed. Off we went to catch up with the rest of the group.

When we met up with the rest of the group we learned that Justin's belt had broken as well. Were we EVER going to make it to Mesa Falls???


Whew!! We made it! It was well worth the trip. It is SO pretty there. (Blogger does not like my picture of the entire group there, so all you get is Jarom and me.)

Day 4: Returning the machines to the Harris cabin.

After checking out of the cabins, loading up our vehicles, and turning on movies in the vehicles for the kids, 10 of us jumped on sleds to return them to the Harris cabin. (It's supposed to be about a 40 minute trip, round trip.) After taking a wrong turn and back tracking a bit, Amber's machine did the exact thing mine had done the day before. It wouldn't go past 30 mph and as soon as she stopped, the machine died. We decided to tow it behind another sled, but it started smoking, so after removing the belt and a few test runs, we were on our way. When we FINALLY arrived at the Harris cabin, we realized that the tool box lid on Jarom's machine was missing. We were already about 30 minutes behind schedule so the ladies decided to drive back to the child filled vehicles waiting below. The guys went off to search for the lid.

The poor kids were fit to be tied having waited so long in the cars, so the women decided to drive on to I.F. and let the guys come in the last vehicle when they were ready. We load everyone up and.... a dead car battery!! Justin and Amber's van battery had died. (Why not end the trip with this little cherry on the top?) I was very impressed that the girls could jump start a car without the aid of the men!

Even with all the minor mishaps, the trip was VERY fun. I already look forward to next year. For more highlights visit Becky's blog.

2 comments:

LouandAngela said...

You guys sure do know how to have fun!! Looks like a great time--minus the amazing number of mechanical problems! I can't believe how many machines had problems! Never heard of that before! I'm impressed your attitude was so good. I love the picture of you and Jarom and the Falls. What an amazing backdrop!

becky ward said...

What a great summary of the trip. Very thorough! It was pretty nuts how many problems we had...but still a fun time.