Adventures with the Johnson Family

We made our annual trip to the family cabin in Heber.  We stopped in Midway along the way so I could show the girls the Magic Glockenspiel.  Yes, there is a back story.…. 

We like to eat outside when the weather is mild and one time I started telling the girls about the adventures I went on with my family when I was little.  The girls loved my “outside stories” and ask for them every time we eat outside.  Our adventures growing up where fun but not that exciting so it takes a little imagination to captivate my girls.  Here is my version of our adventure to Heber Valley. “ One time my Mom took us over the mountains to a wonderful place called Midway.  It was a charming Swiss village with Gingerbread houses.  In the center of town they had an old building called Town Hall that looked like it came out of  fairytale.  It had a special clock called a Glockenspiel.  When the clock chimed music played and little statues came out and danced just as if they had magically come to life.  We went to see the clock and when the hour struck we were so exited but then nothing happened.  So we waited five more minutes and still nothing. We thought maybe it chimed on the half hour so we kept waiting and then when the half hour struck……nothing happened again.  We could not stay any longer and we were very sad.  But the clock is still there and someday we will go back and see the magic Glockenspiel and listen to the beautiful music it plays.”

So here was the perfect chance.  Before we left I went to the Midway City website to try and find out if the clock was working and what time it chimed etc.  I could not find anything.  I kept digging and found some travel blogs that mention the clock and said that it does chime.  So we went for it.  The girls liked the little Gingerbread houses but it was the Glockenspiel they were excited about.  As fate would have it when we arrived at Town Hall the entire building was surrounded by a chain link fence and construction crews were busily restoring the old structure.  The girls were heartbroken.  In my mothers true fashion, I did all I could to salvage the day.  We drove the” super curvy windy road” to the top of memorial hill and played chase.  There was a beautiful view of Mt. Timpanogas from the top. 

Then we set out to find the old covered bridge (which I am told posses all sorts of magical properties). Grandma and Grandpa Jim played right along and the the girls did have a good time.  Now we have our own “outside story” to tell.

 

We had some more adventures at the cabin.  The girls have had little experience with Mountain Streams and were mighty proud of themselves for being able to traverse the river and even climb over trees and up little waterfalls.  I was pleased that no one drowned although Zana did manage to get herself thoroughly soaked.

We took , what was supposed to be a short drive, to a lake in the mountain above the cabin.  It turned out to be an hour long drive on unpaved roads through some of the most beautiful country I have seen.  At one point, we drove over the rise and caught a glimpse of the Uinta Mountains in the distance.  Not much farther was Mill Hollow Lake.  It was not were we thought we were going but a beautiful place to canoe none the less.

On the way back I loaned my GPS to Burke’s sister Angie so they could take a short cut home because we were going the long way to stop at the store.  Hours later when we got back to the cabin I was shocked to find that Angie was not back.  We panicked for a few minutes before their mud covered Escalade rolled in.  It turns out that the “shortcut” sent them down a narrow unpaved road that became so rutted and rocky that it was impossible to traverse even for the mighty escalade in four wheel drive.  After almost plunging themselves into a ravine while trying to turn around they made their way back to the main road.  I felt horrible but we also had a good laugh about it.  If anything, road trips with the Johnson’s are memorable. 

Both JJ and Zana have girl cousins close to their age.  They had so much fun over the next few days playing, having sleep overs and going swimming.  We were sad to say goodbye!