May I?

 May is such a lovely month, and unfortunately I haven't been able to spend as much time out in nature as I would have liked. Last week, I was taking things easy before my race, and then this week there were various other things going on. 

On Monday I visited Eggett Park in Bountiful for a church activity, and it was my first time being there. It was a lovely park, and the creek from Holbrook Canyon runs through it. It was running high and swift.

And then I spent some time in Springhill Geologic Park, which is short and beautiful.

Longleaf phlox

There is a portion of the trail where people have created their own trail, which causes major erosion. I think they are using it for bikes, even though bikes are forbidden on the trail. I like to put dead trees on the unauthorized trail to discourage people from using it, but then they keep getting moved. I like to think that one day, the jerks will injure themselves on the unauthorized trail for their selfish, reckless behavior.

On Tuesday, I made crepes for myself, and when I was done, I didn't have a lot of daylight left. I was going to go on a very short bike ride, but I was dismayed to find that my tire was flat. It appears that on my race last week, I hit a goathead—my archnemesis. 

(Typing is hard right now, because I have a heavy cat trying to lie on my arm.)

So no bike ride that night.

Wednesday was very windy, and I didn't think it would be good to go running in the dust. So I went to the pool. While I was doing freestyle, I once again had an existential crisis, and I had to stop mid-lap and get a hold of myself. I think I'm physically decent at swimming, but I need to work on the mental aspect of it. I think I try to finish my laps too fast, which kind of makes me panic.

Thursday I did make it to the Wild Rose Trail, which was lovely with all the arrowleaf balsamroot in bloom.

On Friday and Saturday, I would have loved to go up Mueller Park, but there was so much smoke from Canadian wildfires that I wanted to protect my lungs. It's not even summer yet! May only comes once a year, so I'm sad if it's wasted away with smoke! So I went to the pool both those days. The lap lanes are definitely less busy on Friday nights and Saturday afternoons (it was actually my first time there on a Saturday). 

Then I went to Bountiful Bicycles to buy a new tube and some slime. (I could have bought them online, but I like to support local businesses.) Since I am not mechanically inclined, I was pleased with myself for changing my tire all by myself, especially since my new tube has a Presta valve, which I haven't used before. But why do there have to be different kinds of valves!? Schrader valves work just fine!

On Thursday, I got the news that my article on the history of Pioneer Day has been accepted by a journal! I have been working on it for five years, so I'm glad I finally found a home for it. Yesterday I spent some time looking through Pioneer Day pictures to include. So I'm going to sign off with some of the amusing clown pictures I found. Coulrophobes, avert your eyes.

1949

1962

1962

And last but not least: 

1946

WHAT. THE. ACTUAL. HECK.