September 26, 2009 My Birthday!!

Well for my 34th Birthday Eric and I spent the day riding our bikes. We did the Heber valley century....that's right 100 miles on a road bike. It took us almost 9 hours to finish the ride and it's one of the hardest things I have done to this point in my life, but it feels so good to have accomplished it.

It was a cold start to our ride and we bundled up for it.

Our first rest stop at soldier hollow. It's slowly starting to warm up and so did my muscles.

Eric's madone taking a little break in the shade.

Just after our second stop near the Homestead. The leaf change up in the valley is so spectacular it was such a beautiful ride.

We finished the first big climb up to Jordanelle.....wow I was so glad we were there, until someone said this was the false summit and there was still more climbing to come. Thank god this was at the beginning of the ride.

As we were celebrating our good job on the climb we realized if we climbed this side at the beginning of the ride we were going to have to climb back up the other side at the end of the ride.

Eric so happy to be at the first summit.

Enjoying all the nice downhill and flat riding after the climb.

50 miles down and it's lunchtime. We made it all the way to Oakley and had to ride on some dirt road to get there. At this point my shoulders are starting to get a little tense, but a nice lunch and time off the bike made me feel a lot better.
From there we went out by rockport reservior, Wanship and then out by Coalville and then from there we went back to where we had lunch at Oakley. I was so mentally and physically exhausted by this point I was ready to give up and we still had 35 miles left to go.
After getting off the bike there for a few minutes and getting something to eat my shoulders felt better and I was mentally feeling better so we pushed on but I knew we still had that big climb up ahead of us and it was going to be a challenge. When we made it to the last climb I put my head down and just thought to myself if I make it up this it's downhill the rest of the way. God it was hard but it sure felt good to get to the top. And the icing on the cake was the awesome downhill, when I hit 42mph coming down it made the whole ride worth it!!!

Myself and our new acquantance Brian (the tall guy)on our way back into Heber. We kept meeting up with him throughout the ride and he was great.

WE DID IT!! 101 miles what a feeling good and bad :)

Our proof here is a picture of my odometer!

The happy couple finished the ride!! What an accomplishment and on my Birthday even.

Kitchen remodel September 2009

Two weeks into our kitchen remodel project it's coming along. Eric has been working so hard on this project and it's taking shape nicely.

Say goodbye to our kitchen.......

Madison enjoying her new open space.....where is my water bowl?

Our new door gets put it. It's so beautiful.

I cant wait until we get insulation and sheet rock put back up

We removed one window and moved another.

Look how nice we have sheetrocked walls now!!

Res von Kanel September 7, 2009

Res on a bluebird day on the Mer de glace glacier, it truely was the perfect day!

Res and Eric on the Haute Route

Mike Darling, John Cooper, and Res plotting out the route in one of the Italian huts on the GPS and topo

Res and Eric on a summit with the Matterhorn in the background
Res in his element, on the glacier with that smile that captured everyone who was lucky enough to know him!

Res' son Remo
Res' daughter Vera

The Bauman Group as Res would call us at the train station in Fruitigan on our way to Zermatt

Unbeleivable Swiss hospitality, I can never say it enough, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you to the Von Kanel Families, you are the greatest!


We are deeply saddened by the untimely and unfortunate passing of our dear friend Res von Kanel in the Italian Alps on September 7th 2009. Those of you that knew Res know that his charisma and passion for life and the mountains were second only to his family. I had the opportunity of spending two weeks in April of 2005 with Res on the Haute Route in Switzerland, Italy, and eventually ending up in Chamonix, France. It was the trip of a lifetime and I was in awe and truely humbled by Res' hospitality and professionalism as a guide, and friend. He is truely an inspiration, and role model of a professional, and more importantly a family man. He will be missed beyond comprehension. He touched many lives throughout the world bringing skiing, climbing, and a passion for life everyday. We will miss you Res. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife Irene, his son Remo, and his daughter Vera, and the rest of the Von Kanel family. Thank you to Res and the Von Kanel family for leaving such an impression on myself and all that who are lucky enough to have you in their lives. You all are truely amazing people.