Tuesday, October 23, 2012

This Ride's for you, K.C.

We carried the spirit of recently deceased 23 year old nephew K.C. with us on this ATV trip along the Paiute Trail in the mountains above Greenwich, Utah. He had a new red-mean-machine; how he loved to ATV. This ride's for you, K.C.
Purple is my least favorite color in the whole world, but the fields of Lavender that lined a section of I-15 towards our vacation destination were SO PURPLE---so beautiful as they sashayed in the summer breeze.
We stopped in Salina for the best sea burgers and fries in the State and were pleasantly entertained by two giggly sisters doing 'fist pumps' at the mineral truck drivers going past, who in turn pulled their blow-horns and waved at them. The scene brought a memory to my heart as I flashed back to my own silly childhood when my cousin Vickey and I did cartwheels on her front lawn and waved at drivers of the big quarry trucks that drove past about every 12 minutes, hoping that they would honk and wave; which they did.
Soon we were setting up camp in a grove of protective pines, and watching a glorious full moon come up when I noticed one of my favorite ATV-ride gold earrings was missing, then I noticed I forgot to pack the Miracle whip. Joe discovered, on our ride the next day that he'd forgotten his tackle box as we stopped along the trail to fly fish at Manning Meadow Reservoir; and of course the fish were jumping everywhere.
 
 Pine needles strummed their song in the wind as we rode on loop 44. The smell and sight of domestic cows along such a lovely trail was disruptive and irritating to the serene senses, but soothed by the sight of a hillside covered with my dainty dandelions.   
I picked wildflowers for our coke-vase that would adorn our dinner table.

Our morning alarm clock was the loud chirp of mountain birds.

I know K.C., like us, would hate to leave these trails and hit paved roads again where seat belts had to be fastened and windows rolled up, and Silver Helmets tucked away once more.
Upon our return home we learned that our grandson, Matthew had purchased K.C. mean-red-machine.