Biking Mount Everest

Howdy!

 

How is Aliza?

 

How is Gert?

 

How are all of you?

 

Can you believe that I’ve already been out for four months? So crazy!

 

How are all of your projects coming along?

I still have yet to receive any pictures of them!

 

We went and hiked Ensign Peak this morning.  It was lots of fun.  Man, I’m out of shape!  I made it up there though.  After the hike we went to the cemetery where some of the Prophets are buried.

 

We tried to hike it last Wednesday for the twenty-fourth, but we never made it up there.  The Elders don't really think things through very well.  Instead of finding a ride the said, “Let’s bike!”  We were like, “Okay!  We can do that!”

 

We ride our bikes thirty minutes to the tracks.

We get on the tracks with our bikes.

I'm a little clumsy and my bike was just in the way.

I don't think the people on the tracks were happy that I was a passenger.

We get off in downtown Salt Lake City after a twenty-seven minute ride on the tracks.

These brilliant Elders tell us that it's only about a twelve minute bike ride up the start of the hike.

 

TWELVE MINUTES MY BUTT!

 

We start biking down the roads in the middle traffic.  There are six of us missionaries just cruisin' down the busy streets of downtown Salt Lake City.  I seriously thought we were going to die!  And then, we start up the mountain.  The Elders are like, “Oh man, it’s a little steeper than we thought!”

 

Oh my gosh!

I thought I was biking up Mount Everest!

I was nearing death!

There were cars flying past us!

I’m pedaling away and thinking, “If I fall off my bike, I'm dead!”

 

The other three Sisters and I get off our bikes and get on the sidewalk and start pushing them up this mountain!  Seriously, even pushing them was killing us!  It felt like we were trying to climb a ninty-degree wall.  We finally make it to the Capitol.

 

We still have a ways to go…

…yeah well, we scratched the hike at that point!

 

We were all so exhausted that we just laid on the grass at the Capitol and ate lunch.  Other than the fact that we almost died, it ended up being a nice relaxing day.

 

It's been a crazy week! 

I guess I didn't learn my lesson on racing the Elders!

I don't know what’s wrong with me!

I become this mean aggressive competitive person!

I just have to win!

 

We were riding our bikes home on day and I looked to see if there were any cars coming up behind me.  I see the two Elders flying down the street towards me.  I shouted at my companion, “Pedal faster!” as I start pedaling faster and fly down the hill.  I’m flying and I hit a bump and pothole which is not a good thing since I’m not on a racing bike.  My bag, folders, papers, water bottle and everything else that was in my basket goes flying out and scattered all over the road.  Do you think I thought, “Hey Kournti!  Maybe this would be a good time to slow down?”  Oh no!  I didn’t have that thought at all.  While my companion is trying to dodge all the obstacles that I left in her path, the Elders finally caught up to me and passed me.  Just barely though!

 

I forgot to mention, I don't have good brakes on my bike!  I shouted at the Elders who slowed down in front of me, "Move!  I don’t have brakes!”  My bike wasn't slowing down fast enough and it was either ride into oncoming traffic or ride into the bushes.  I chose the bushes.  I jumped off my bike just in time.  I didn’t get hurt but I totally took out someone’s flowerbed.

 

Another day this week…

...an annoying dog came chasing after us on our bikes and I wanted to run it over!

 

My time has come to an end!

I hope you all are doing just grand!

Thanks for all of your love and support!