Travel Tuesday: Lehi

   I would call it World Travel Wednesday, but it is Tuesday, and since tomorrow is August 1st and I am participating in the City Daily Photo Blog's theme day, I will just call it Travel Tuesday.

   Let us travel today to the big city. Lehi, Utah can be found east of Cedar Fort, about 18 miles down State Route 73. It used to be a small town. It probably has not been as small as Cedar Fort in a century or so, but by Utah standards it is a city now.
In Lehi you will find this world famous structure. Many of you may have seen this building in the original Footloose film starring Kevin Bacon. The city slicker Eastern kid is dragged out to rural Utah by his mother. He finds himself in a town that doesn't allow dancing. So he takes it upon himself to show them the error of their ways and plans a dance at the Lehi Roller Mills, and mayhem ensues.

   The film was made in several of the local towns in Utah County, including Lehi, American Fork, Provo and Payson. The remake was a pathetic attempt to cash in on the current 80's revival. But I digress.

   Back when that film was made the mill could be seen from the nearby interstate but it was relatively isolated on the outskirts of Lehi. In fact in the film there are several shots of the mill shot from across wide green pastures.
It is the Utah I remember growing up in. Those were the days.

   When I set up this night shot I had to frame in really tight to exclude the surrounding fast food establishments and utility wires that now mar the view.
The streaks in foreground are from the constant flow of traffic that now frequent the east end of Main Street in Lehi. From the view from the interstate now the mill is lost in blur of noise and whirling urban sprawl. What a shame.

   Lehi has one or two redeeming qualities, the first of which is that is where my wife, Angie, is from, so I hope she does not mind me poking a little fun at the little City of Lehi. ;-)
   The other redeeming qualities I am still looking for... Seriously tho it is a very pretty little city once you drive a few blocks away from the interstate exits.

Zipper

This is a ride at the carnival. I could not resist the spinning lights.

Good Fowl Hunting

 

A local resident of Cedar Fort.

I found this photo in my files from this past winter, I don't remember shooting it, maybe one of my children did, if so good shot... I shoot a lot of random things so maybe I did. who knows?

I am not entirely sure what kind of bird this is. 

Judging by it's size and head shape, I think it is some kind of a hawk. 

Does anyone know?

Pasteurized

So if you work in a pasture all of your life where do you go to retire?

Ride to Live...

Meet Joe

 This is Joe, he is my dad's Sulcata Desert Tortoise.

Nice Day for a Parade

     In Utah yesterday was Pioneer Day, July 24 is said to be the day that Brigham Young, leading the Mormon Pioneers from Missouri in 1847, entered the Salt Lake Valley through Emigration Canyon, looked out over the valley and uttered the locally famous words "This is the Place!"

    In Cedar Fort we take this day seriously and we prove it by having a parade.

    Not just any parade but the biggest little Pioneer Day parade on the planet, complete with flag baring Cub Scouts, Rodeo Queen, ATV powered floats, horse drawn wagons and my personal favorite, a shiny red fire truck. Let's not forget the candy... Every participant in the parade tosses a handful of candy out to all the wide eyed kids (and all the adult "kids") watching along the seven block route the parade takes through town.

   This is what small town Utah is all about and one of the reasons why I love this place.

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The Annual Cedar Fort Water Fight

An aquatic skirmish in the intersection near my home. The dark Ford delivered an effective broadside while the white Chevrolet dripped away down the street to fight other battles.

The annual Cedar Fort water fight is a tradition that happens each July 23rd and is said to have begun in the 1920's by a bunch of mischievous young men that had learned of a slumber party being attended by the young women of the town. The boys gathered up water in buckets from the town ditches and thoroughly doused the slumber party. 

Local boys taking their best shot. One of the water grenades struck me in the abdomen but bounced off harmlessly and exploded on the ground. Ha! I am waterproof!

The following July 23rd the girls returned the dousing in kind and so the tradition was born. It continues to this day, every July 23rd, as the young folks of Cedar Fort and neighboring towns prepare days in advance with coolers full of water balloons super-soaker water cannons and hoses with high pressure and long ranges. The better to reach out and drench someone. And by someone I mean anyone, because everyone is fair game, as I soon learned.

This young man cornered me when I was out photographing fire trucks for Fire Engine Friday. I was able to dodge the balloon and return home unscathed.

In three water fights I have had my car drenched and been hit with balloons twice, but I have yet to get wet. Having said that, I believe I may have just painted a target on my back for next year. 

The result of a direct hit by a well aimed bucket of icy cold water.

The local paper did a story on this annual event and can be found at the Daily Herald
Cedar Fort Residents Celebrate with Water

Wheels

From the ride yesterday.

Sunday Ride

Fire Engine Friday: Cedar Fort 611

A blast from the past this Fire Engine Friday, Cedar Fort 611. No it is not a new comedy series on television poking fun at small town fire fighters, Reno 911 style, this is Fire Engine Friday with one of Cedar Fort's former fire engines.
I am not sure where this truck is now but I have not seen it since the new truck entered service about a year ago. It might be in back as a back up or sold off to help pay for the new truck.

I believe a trip over to the station at the weekend may be in order. I need new fire engine photos anyway.

Bulleted Fin

A shot from a drive-in car show.

Last night my wife, Angie, handed me a book titled "Our Roots Grow Deep; A History of Cedar Valley, by Margery Jennings Peterson".
After my initial thumb through it would appear that I am going to be using it extensively as a reference for future posts.
I have already learned a few things about Cedar Fort that I did not know. I will share more soon.

Carnival Ferris Wheel

Multiple colored Carnival Ferris Wheel in this 8 second exposure.

The 4th of July was a few weeks ago, but this time of year is carnival season in Utah.

Every city and town along the Wasatch Front seems to have a special city festival. These festivals run all summer long in different cities and towns. With names like Strawberry Days (Pleasant Grove), Pioneer Days in Lehi, and the nearby Eagle Mountain, has it's Pony Express Days celebrating the fact that the new community was built on a leg of the original world famous US Postal Service route called the Pony Express which ran mail on horseback between St. Joseph in Missouri and Sacramento, California.

A portion of the Pony Express Route runs east of Cedar Fort.

More Motocross Madness

This is a local racer by the name of Dalton Oxborrow

Motocross Racing

Cedar Fort has its fair share of Motocross enthusiasts.
This is local motocross racer Tyrell Ault riding #71 at a recent race.

Rush Hour

Rush hour Cedar Fort style

Little House on the Prairie

This weekend we are in Lava Hot Springs, Idaho and we came across this old farm house on the way between Lava and Soda Springs.

Fire Engine Friday

I want to continue a series I started back on Elko Daily Photo; Fire Engine Friday.
A fire engine or related picture every Friday.
Here is the crown jewel of Cedar Fort Fire, Engine 231; It has an interesting story behind it and as soon as I confirm it I will share it with you on a future post.
For now enjoy Fire Engine Friday... Cedar Fort style.

Bridget & Brandon

Two posts for this special day. 

Keeping the love theme going, I introduce you to these two love birds...
This is Bridget and Brandon... they are getting married next month.
 I am sure I will post many more of them over the next month in anticipation of their big day.

This photo was done on the Old Faust Road, west of Cedar Fort, after sunset.
I framed them in the mirror of Brandon's Harley-Davidson and used a fill flash.

Painting the Landscape

This is the subject in my art class this morning. I am painting this scene at Wheeler Farm in Murray. Not too far from school. However this could easily be a transplanted scene from Cedar Fort.

Luck is Where You Find It

Good Luck is just around the next corner... tacked to a door.

Do you believe in luck? What is your favorite lucky charm?