Iron wheels a'rolling

This year's Valentine's Day was much better than last year's.

On Thursday this week, I had an appointment with an eye doctor. Now that I'm a grown-up, I have to take care of my own appointments and insurance. I haven't had my eyes checked for almost three years, and I haven't seen an ophthalmologist since November 1, 2007. I thought I might need new glasses, since it's been nearly three years. My eyes have gotten a little worse, but not enough that I need new glasses.

I am really worried about our weather this year. Look at this graphic from the Deseret News:





February is halfway over, and I still haven't seen it snow once this month. The mountains look like I would expect them in April or May. When I came out of my eye appointment on Thursday, for a split second I thought, "It's a little chilly for October." Then I remembered it wasn't October, so it really wasn't chilly at all. Some people hate snow, and while I don't like traveling in it, I wish I could impress upon people how much we need it. I learned just how valuable water is after taking my groundwater class. (Incidentally, the Deseret News yesterday ran an article about the groundwater of Snake Valley, which I visited on a field trip in that class. Keep your greedy hands off of Utah, Vegas!) I like unseasonable weather, but only when it lasts a few days, not two and a half months.

Due to the unseasonable warmth and increasing daylight, on Friday night I went running on the Bonneville Shoreline Trail and ran further on that trail than I've been before (I did drive to the trailhead). I ran up near a weather station, where I was able to see Ensign Peak from a distance. When I came home, I said, "I saw Ensign peak, but I didn't go to it." My sister thought I said, "I saw some puke, but I didn't get in it."

Then yesterday, Valentine's Day, my family went up to Golden Spike National Historic Site. This was quite fitting, because that was one of the topics I had been researching this week for work. The building of the Transcontinental Railroad was an essential event both in United States and Utah history. The completion of the railroad in 1869 marked the end of the pioneer period. It's only fitting that it's on Utah's state quarter. I tend to be pretty cynical about history (as a discipline, not about historical facts), but I can't help but be fascinated by how events build on each other. For example, would the railroad have had so many Irish workers if not for the Irish Potato Famine? And I could go in depth on how the 1853 railroad survey of John W. Gunnison triggered events that helped oust Brigham Young as territorial governor, but I don't feel like it right now.

Sadly, Valentine's Day is one of the most boring holidays. But that means that I'm not that sad when it's over.