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Joanne Uhrich (Goldben)

Hi Dan, I have to comment on your beautiful dog also. It is much too big for me, that is why we have two Cavilier King Charles dog, the male is Oliver and the small female is Diva.  Diva fits her name to the letter. They are very spoiled dogs: we call them our four legged kids, now that our grandkids are too old to take places and go camping.  Dan, what a background you have with all your travels and your post of stories are really interesting.  Keep up the good work.  Joanne

Martha (Martie) Peck (Bond)

Joanne,

You have great taste in dogs.  I had 3 Cavaleiers my tow 13 & 14 year olds passed this january so I have Olivia.  She must know Oliver somehow!

Martie

Joanne Uhrich (Goldben)

Martha, they are great dogs, ours are both 5 years old now, only a week apart.  We bought them from the same breeder a year inbetween too.  I know what a loss you feel with losing your two dogs, especially for the 13 and 14 years you enjoyed them.

Shanah Goodman (Michaelson)

Hey class,

Isn't this fun?  So happy to see that we CAN adjust to the new world, and technolegy.

We'll guess it's time for my two cents worth.

Took our two 14 year old grandsons to Wash. D.C. last month.  They really loved it.  I must confess, my bones were much better 30 years ago.  Hec, even 10.  I can't believe that my spirit was still there but, the ability to walk endlessly was not. I still feel blessed to feel as good as I do.  We have enjoyed our travels and are planning on another this fall.

So great to see that Dans nagging has paid off.  So delightful to read and remember our classmates.  Keep it coming.

Shanah

Shanah Goodman (Michaelson)

Wow, look at me taking up all the space!

Just paged back on our site and found all the obits that Sandra Bramwell Terry posted.  Don't know how I missed them.  Thanks, Sandra.

Martha (Martie) Peck (Bond)

Love my Cavaliers they lived a long and happy life boy do I miss htn but would not have ever missed the love they gace me.  They were my first pups.

Shannoon good for yo for taking your kids to Washington DC.  How old are they.  I was in SLC this paast weekend and went to the hot springs above Brigham.  They had one of those extremeluy long and windy water slides.  I said I don't do water slide....ha! i went down twice.  How can you say to a 4 year old I am scared?

Martie

Norman K. Morrison

It's interesting to follow the posts. As we have reached the age of seventy, we have all gleaned a huge amount of experience.  I served a mission to Mexico and one year in the infantry in Vietnam. My sweetheart is from Canada and we have returned there many times.

As a postmaster and supervisor in the USPSit became imperative to learn computer skills. I am a novice in this area.

it seems as families have grown and gone our pets have secured a place in our hearts and homes. I have two shitzus a bischon and an aging lab that is close to passing.

Tod Maltby

I am so glad to something besides obituaries on this site. I love to read comments from my classmates, particularly people like Dan who have traveled and lived outside the US.

Being outside the US gives you a different perspective about our Country. This is a great Country but Americans are so smug; we think we have all the answers and we don't. Other places are doing just fine without us.

I still explore and search for adventure although on a smaller scale than I used to. GEEZ, I must be getting old. Last weekend found me exploring back country dirt roads in Wyoming on my motorcycle. This weekend I have a Flyfishing/Backpacking trip to the Uinta's planned.

All your dogs are wonderful. I had a German Shepard who was such a great companion it broke my heart when she died. I had a Black Longhair feral cat that was an adult when she adopted me. I had her for 17 yrs until she became deaf and then lost her sight. She could get around the house quite well even then but diabetes got the best of her. Since being single again I have moved into an apartment and being gone a lot doesn't lend itself well to having pets (or wives)

Martie's post about the mountains here was spot on. Utah is such a beautiful place. From the mountains in the North to the Red Rock country of the south. I spend considerable time in Houston and every time I fly back home I am reminded how beatiful this place is. It pains me when I mention some wonderful place and I hear "I've never been there." Hell; it's ony a couple hours drive!

I hope more of our friends get involved in this; It's good to hear from you all.

Tod Maltby

While working on a project for Memorial City Mall in Houston, The Mall Manager asked me to research how "Tejano" music originated. When the Mariachi bands would play for German Immgrants in Texas, the German's wanted the Mexicans to play Polka music. The Mexicans didn't know Polka so the German taught them. Soon the Mariachis added accordians and tubas (OOMPAH) and Tejano was born. The Mall hosted a Tejano Festival shortly after.

A pic from Sunday's ride. Uinta County, Wyoming.

Pete Belliston

I agree with Tod. There are some beautiful, unique-in-all-the-world places in Southern Utah and Northern Arizona. Here are some of our favorites. We seem to meet more people from foreign countries in these places than from the USA. Much of the beauty can be driven to, some requires a hike. (For many of us, hikes are no longer relevant.)

If anyone has some additional favorites, please let us know. I think we still have a few years left in us to see them.

Canyonlands & Arches:

     Delicate Arch (3 mile hike)

     Dead Horse Point (drive to it)

     White Rim Trail (100 miles on a motorcycle or mountain bike)

     Mesa Arch (1 mile hike)

Wall Street in Bryce Canyon (2 mile hike)

Escalante Area:

     Hole-in-the-Rock (drive a truck, SUV, or boat to it)

     Jacob Hamblin Arch in Coyote Gulch (5 mile hike)

     Calf Creek Falls (6 mile easy hike)

Grand Canyon:

     Havasu Falls (20 mile hike or mule ride)

     Rim to Rim trail (23 mile hike or mule ride)

     Float Trip thru the canyon

Zions Canyon:

     Zion Narrows (13 mile hike top to bottom or about 4 miles from bottom and return)

     Angel’s Landing (5 mile hike and scramble)

     North Creek (Subway) (9 mile intense hike)

Lake Powell Area:

     Rainbow Bridge (2 mile easy hike after a boat ride)

     Coyote Buttes (The Wave) (5 mile easy hike)

     Buckskin Gulch (9 mile hike from top or 6 mile hike from middle)

Tod Maltby

Great Choices! Try the Burr Trail out of Boulder. I took two motorcycle friends from England down there; we stopped for a break and they had tears in their eyes. Ian exclaimed "Theres no way we can describe this to the folks back home!" Partly paved, mostly dirt, a passenger car would be fine. When you are way out there the road forks and you can go North to Notom (Hanksville) or South to Lake Powell.

Hell's Backbone (Escalante to Boulder) is a great ride or 4WD trip. The fact that they were able to biuld this road at all is amazing. It was a depression era work project. The photo is on tthe Burr Trail near the end of the pavement. Just looking at that pic now makes me want to load up the bike and go.

Pete Belliston

Hi Friend Scots!

Dan's shamed me into adding to the dialogue. We have been to Wahweap at Lake Powell with two of our kids and their families on a houseboat lately. Very fun, perfect water temperature, and beautiful. I will proudly proclaim that I can still water ski (2 skis) and cross the wake. I just wanted to see if I could pull myself up at age 70. I feel so fortunate to have good health.

We went on a 6-month mission to South Africa (Johannesburg) last July-December. It was a very educational and enriching experience, and yes, it made me appreciate home! If you are interested in a little travelogue, my blog is karenbelliston.tumblr.com.

This week we're going camping with most of our kids and grandkids at Palisades State Park. It's a fun camping area with a lake, golf course, pavilions, restrooms w/showers! We've been there before. The grandkids have a ball running around, playing in the water, catching frogs, etc.

I've been getting ready for the trip today. Now it's time for a nap! Keep writing everybody!

Karen

Martha (Martie) Peck (Bond)

Hay Pete,

Good for you still water skiing see you can do anything you want.  This past weekend in Salt Lake I went down huge water slides with my granddaughter age 4.  She did shame me into going.  I was scared but she assusred me I would be OK!  I was OK but still scared.

I am in the process of planning a trip to Nelpa and Tibet with a couple of friends.  We are trecking and also going to work a bit at women birthing centers that have been set up by a US charity.  I need to hit the gym every day to be ready to hike up to base camp of Mt Everest...Ahhh!

Martie

Shanah Goodman (Michaelson)

Dan,

Thank goodness for your kick in the pants!  

Martha (Martie) Peck (Bond)

Will do we are going in October.  What are prayer wheels?

Tod Maltby

To Dan: when you flyfish in Bolivia what do you catch. What is the altitude where you fish?

Tod Maltby

Take this to heart Dan. Everyone for that matter

Martha (Martie) Peck (Bond)

Thanks Dan.

Martie

Pete Belliston

That was Karen that said she waterskied, etc. - logged on under my name by mistake.

Tod, yes the Burr trail and Hellsbackbone are also great motorcycle rides. We were on Boulder Mountain at Posey Lake (near Hellsbackbone) just last year. Also, I should have added Annelope Canyon just east of Page, Az.to my list. A drive-to, beautiful slot canyon that most photographers of the southwest have in their collection. Do you ride that bullet bike in these backcountry places?

Tod Maltby

Yes I do. It performs better than you might expect. It is actually not a "Bullet Bike", it is considered a "Sport Tourer."  The reason I keep this bike is that many of the places I want to ride are 200+ miles away. It would be axasperating and tiring to ride to Escalante on a dirt bike. I am looking now at a KTM Adventure or BMW GS. They seem to be a good dual-purpose bike.

Donna Harbertson (Persinger)

Hi Dan,  In answer to your question, we had 10 acres.  I t was actually my husband's mid-life crisis, or man-o-pause.  He bought the horse first and then, of course, needed some place to keep Lady.  I did not want to go, but with every move we have made, happiness goes with you if you are lucky.  We ended up raising cattle for awhile, had several horses, and raised goats.  My husband worked for UPRR and I worked for Davis Co. Schools.  I enjoyed being on the farm, but the work got harder, and we did not.  The property had been pretty run down, so we put in fences, learned how to raise hay, etc, etc.  My husband was on the road and I learned how to break ice in water troughs one winter when he ripped the tendon off his right bicep on the farm.  I told him he had better get electricity out there or the cattle would die the next winter.  The next winter he thanked me for forcing him to have electricty installed.  A heated water trough is so much easier than breaking ice. I am mean when I need to be. We learned about castration and giving cattle shots.  Mostly I learned these skills.  Charlie had helped an Uncle back in Virginia when growing up and also one of his best friends from WSC, was from Salmon, Idaho and his family worked on a ranch.  Bob took Charlie there many times and he loved it.  The goats started out as weed eaters, but I really love goats, and so we began to breed them and sell them.  The cattle went first, and we rented our pasture to a friend for his horses.  The goats got faster than we were, and our grandsons helped with goat roundups, but they weren't always available to help as they got older, so we sold most and just kept a few of the old ladies who we loved most for pets and our two horses who also became pets.  My husband had some health problems, replaced knees, and now one hip so his running days are gone and I never was very good at running.  We did love living there and have many good memories and friends from our old neighborhood.  We were so happy when a family wanted our ten acres for the same reason we once had and not developers.  They are in their 30's and so hopefully they have more years than we did on the farm.  I always had a big garden there, but never a fruit tree.  Our new home has an apricot, peach, 3 apple, and 3 pear trees.  We alwo have a big raspberry patch here and I have a smaller garden.  I am picking zucchini, yellow crookneck, peppers, eggplants, cukes, and soon will be picking tomatoes.  I started this morning out picking up dog poop and downed apricots.  So life isn't necessarily that different just on a smaller scale.  I love working in the yard and growing flowers and vegetables.  My husband is quite distraught because our air conditioner has gone out.  He thought it was iced up last night and it was, but this morning it still wasn' t working so he has called and someone is coming about 4:00pm to save his life.  He can't take the heat well.  Don't we all remember the good old days with no swamp coolers, or air conditioning?  Just an open window hoping to catch a breeze, moving around the bed trying to find a cool spot, or best of all sleeping outside with friends and talking all night.  Maybe getting in a little trouble wandering around the neighborhood late at night.  I think we had it better growing up, than my grandchildren do.  We had more freedom and a feeling of safety.  Well, I have rambled enough, and Charlie wants the computer.  Have a great week, today is Pioneer day.  We went to the rodeo last year so aren't this year.  later

Shanah Goodman (Michaelson)

Donna,

Enjoyed reading about your life.  Very interesting.  Thanks,

sgm

Norman K. Morrison

Dan,

Thanks for the info on Benghazi. I found it very interesting increased my appreciation for those who serve or have served our great country. As a missionary in Mexico, I was able to see first hand the huge differences in the way our countries were governed. The election process was a farce and the opportunities available to the people was minimal. Mexico was conquered for gold and precious metals while America's foundation was established by those seeking religeous freedoms, which are now being trampled upon.

After graduation from Ben Lomond, I attended the U of U for a year then went on my mission and then returned to continue at the U of U. I married my sweetheart who hails from Canada and worked for the US forest service to pay for my schooling. I was within one quarter of graduating and we were expecting our first child when I was drafted. I missed his birth as I was on Bivuac and then served a full year in Vietnam as a grunt in the Army. I saw many even hundreds give their lives or received severe wounds that impacted their whole future. I never once witnessed any atrocities that were prevalently broadcast to the world and my bosom was filled with pride and love of country. Obviously, there were many ups and downs in Vietnam and as a young person it was difficult to comprehend our role as Americans in the world. I despised being called a baby killer and being spat upon on my return from service. I detested the protesters such as Bill Ayers and the whole hippy movement. I love our country and am ever grateful for the blessings of living in a free nation. I deplore Obama and his views on American exceptionalism. Agency and freedom are always worth fighting for.

Upon my return, classes that used to have 5-8 students had been inundated with hundreds who now had to be in special education as many who didn't want to go to Vietnam changed majors. I finally graduated in Speech and Audiology a year and a half later.

What happened in Benghazi was an atrocity much bigger than anything I witnessed in Vietnam. I am disgusted with all the government  cover ups that have taken place. Thanks again Dan for the article on Benghazi.

thanks to all of you for sharing a portion of your life experiences. My grandparents were immigrants from England and settled in West Weber then went to Canada and then moved to Burley, Heyburn area of Idaho. We moved to Ogden in 1959 where I met most of you at mound Fort junior high.

Norm

Val Lasko

Norman k.

I share your thoughts on Libya. I served 15 months as a  MACV-Sog gunship helicopter pilot in Vietnam, 1970-1972 total of 15 months.  Often wonder if an N-model firing 6,000 rounds per side over the compound wall into the attackers would have resulted in a more positive out-come???  The squadron commander at Avaino Italy; his father is a good friend, said a carrier was off the coast in the Med. loaded with gunships 30 minutes from the embassy, but not launched.  What's up with that???  The ambassador is buried in GrassValley, Calif. not far from my home.

I encourage everyone to write your memories, if you choose not to they are lost forever.  ( I think someone coined that phrase) don't remember who.

Best Wishes to All,

Val L.

Norman K. Morrison

Val,If I could have changed anything about my service in Vietnam it would have been flying choppers. All of us grunts loved everything we benefitted from because of the medivacs, mail service and especially the gun ships. Our lives were spared many times as a result of all the efforts you made. I loved flying in choppers. It was great to cruise over the jungles at tree top levels.

norm