Park City - A Month Back In The Mountains - The First Two Weeks

This summer we decided it was time to go back to Park City.  This is where the kids were born and where we still have friends and a house.  Ashley and I bought the house in 2004 before I "made an honest women out of her". This was a trip we had wanted to make a year ago but things just didn't work out the way we had hoped.  A long overdue trip where we finally went back to the mountains of Utah and stay in our house in Park City.  To be a mountain family again.

The school year finished up on a Friday at CVIS with a morning full of class presentations and performances and suddenly we were school-free for the summer.  After taking care of a few punch list items with our contractor, some last minute packing and a last plate full of tacos and we were off to the airport.

It had been 6 years since we last saw Park City.  Yes, 6 years!  Lots of waves, tequila, wine and tacos since then for sure.  We are "flatlanders" now.  Ocean dwellers.  Would anyone remember us?  Would our old neighbors welcome us back?  What would be new?  What would be gone? What kind of condition would our house be in?

Ashley and Alex look on as the school performances begin

We were successful getting on a flight from PVR to SLC flying "stand by" on Delta and suddenly we were looking out the window of the plane at the Wasatch Mountains.  We had come back to Utah just briefly after our first year in Mexico.  Ashley occasionally has trips or layovers in SLC but the kids and I had not seen this mountain view since Alex and Trace were 5 and 7 years old.

We immediately noticed the big changes taking place at the airport.  The Salt Lake City Airport is growing and growing in a big way.  We had rented a car through a rental service called Turo ahead of time and hoped that it would be waiting for us in the parking lot.  Turo is kind of like AirBNB for cars and we were happy to make a reservation for the older model Subaru at a discount compared to renting a newer car through a national rental agency.

We spent the first night in Salt Lake City at a friend of Ashley's.  We had no idea what to expect the next day, what kind of condition the house was in, where our linens were left 6 years ago or how to even breath at 7000 feet above sea level.  Arriving and staying in the valley, elevation 4300 ft, the first night was a great plan and downing some good beer, pizza and tequila was a great introduction back to the States.

We woke up early to head up the canyon to Park City but first we stopped at a local bagel shop near our old neighborhood.  Good bagels and cream cheese are always welcome breakfast food as far as Trace and Alex are concerned.  After a bunch of bagels and some coffee, we finally made the move to get back to our house.

We pulled into the neighborhood and through the streets noticing a few new houses but things were generally the same.  We drove up our street and into the driveway and just stared.  Holy shit!  The place looked abandoned.  The driveway had weeds growing out of it, the house needed a good paint job.  The yard had not had any kind of weed control effort in years.  The place was literally falling down as one of the front entry posts had shifted at some time in the past.

The view from the driveway to the front of the house

The driveway

Side deck looking into back yard

We were shocked and sad.  We know our little house needs of lots of updates and improvements but we always kept it up and maintained.  The house was like a member of our family.  Our little cul-de-sac of 11 houses is a great place with owners who take care of their properties.  We were now the "blight" on the street and knew we had lots of work to do.  We were embarrassed and motivated.

We walked in the house and it felt like we never really left.  The house still had the same furniture, paint, squeaks etc.  Trace remembered virtually nothing of his years here but Alex remembered quite a bit.  She remarked on how "small" the house was from what she remembered.  Ashley and I felt it was small too with it's 8' ceilings and chopped up floorplan.  Fortunately, the interior of the house was actually in pretty good shape.  The inside of the house was clean and other than some needed updates and repairs we were in a reasonable situation at first inspection.

After a quick trip to Home Depot to get some paint/stain supplies I began cutting limbs and branches that blocked the driveway, the street and were growing through the back yard fence or up against the house.  Ashley dug into the small storage shed that our remaining personal items were stored away all this time to find kitchen items and bedding so we could begin to make this place our home again for the next month and then joined the effort outside.

Ashley hauling away limbs with a tired deck and jungle gym.

The first night back in the house we met up with our neighbors again for the first time.  We did not know how we would be received.  We had been mostly out of touch for several years and our house looks like shit.  One of the hardest parts about leaving in 2011 was saying "goodbye" to our street, our neighbors.  We were not sure what to expect.  Just like we never left, the kids picked up and started playing with the other kids they once knew and the adults stood in the street with cocktails and traded hugs and stories.  We always stood in the street for some reason.  Rarely in a driveway or front deck.  Standing in the street a group was visible to most all of the other houses so it became an open invitation to come join the conversation usually with drinks in hand.  It was great to be welcomed back and see some things had not changed.

The limb cutting continues

And so it went for an entire week.  Cutting, hauling away limbs, weeding, painting, sanding and staining.  We barely looked up during this time until Happy Hour rolled around each night.  We worked hard, ate a lot and Happy Hour was extremely happy.

Old jungle gym coming down

Everyday we were up early trying to make some progress and the kids were extremely patient with us as we worked the first week.  They pitched in occasionally but mostly played with the neighborhood kids or went off with friends of ours to the local reservoir for some paddle/boat time.  We had planned on having the kids on race SUPs during this time but the local paddle board outfit turned out to be a real disappointment.  This just crushed Trace.  He needs to be on the water and paddle.  It is his thing and he knows his buddies back home are paddling and training for the big race in October.  Alex was a little less disappointed about the paddle boards but she was more disappointed when the horseback riding program she was going to volunteer with also flaked out.  Ashley had been in touch with them for several months and they never let us know about training dates to be able to work with the program.  As a result the next available training for Alex wouldn't be until mid-July at which point would be too late for her to work at all.  Two big activities we were stoked about for the kids this month totally tanked in the first week.  We were so unimpressed by the lack of communication by both the SUP and horse programs and the kids took it pretty well.

Ashley and Alex on the trail.

 After the first week we vowed to be sure we did something with the kids each day.  After all, this was supposed to be family time too.  So, what do we do now with no horse or SUP?  We hit the trail!  Our neighborhood has an awesome trail network for hiking and biking.  Add the occasional path only a local would know about and the kids were immediately challenged.  Challenged partly with the need for leg strength but also the challenge of trying to breath at 8000' above sea level.  A downside to living at the beach.  The kids have always liked to hike and "get to the top" or just see what is around the next corner.  They have always been up for that kind of adventure.

Geocaching

They loved the being in the woods.  The trees, the smells and the views.  We tried to be sure we took a new route every other day or so whether it be a Geocaching adventure, a mellow hike or a real leg burner.

On the trail.

After the first week, Ashely had to return to work.  After receiving her month long transfer she was able to fly out of Salt Lake City and not Atlanta.  This makes things so much better since she leaves after dinner and returns the next morning rather than being away for days at a time.  She is even able to get some sleep overnight in-between flights.  This leaves the kids and I to do some solo adventuring.  We made it to Park City Mountain Resort for a quick look around and to see what kind of summer attractions they have added.  I spent many winters there starting in 1994 and it has change so much since then.  The kids first learned to ski here but do not remember much about it.

Park City Resort Center with Ski Team ridge in the background

The July 4th holiday is a big deal in Park City.  The kids had been to the parade years ago but now only remember the small parades in Sayulita.  It has grown to over the decades and people come from far and wide to attend.  After Ashley came home from an overnight trip to Montana we headed out early to make our way into Park City Old Town(our house is about 20 minutes outside of the "city" of Park City).  Getting into town and finding a spot to watch the parade would be a challenge.  We parked near a public transit hub that had an express bus to take us the rest of the way to the parade.  The 4th is not a day to drive into town.  The express bus drives non-stop to a second transit hub and then into town.  It is an electric bus and has a charging station at each end of the route and it is FREE!  Tax dollars at work.  Very cool and and a far cry from our local bus hot and bumpy bus service between Sayulita and Puerto Vallarta.

The Electric Express.  Photo by others.

The 4th of July parade is nothing the kids have ever seen before.  So many people!  We were on the parade route right on Park Avenue, the heart of Old Town, and were able to watch the hour+ long event curbside.  Super fun and the kids loved the parade floats that gave out candy, shot water guns at the crowd or got a float driver to honk their horn.  They were even interviewed by Park City Television while we were waiting for the parade to start. We managed to walk down to City Park to see the events and rugby game being held but it did not hold our interest like the parade so we made it back to the bus and nap time back at the house.

PCTV interviews the kids.

The kids chillin' before the parade curbside

Some of our neighbors. Ray, Corrie and Christian.  Good people.

Alex with her American flag and her Celebrando el Ritmo shirt.  We love this!

Since then work on the house has continued with more cutting, ripping out, repairing and has finally  turned partially inside with some painting, staining, new carpet and kitchen countertops ordered.  The neighbors come by and cannot believe how much progress we have made in the two weeks since we arrived.  Just goes to show that they have been paying attention to how bad it actually looked previously.

Reflections so far.
-Our neighbors are still great!  So friendly and easy to hang out with. We are very lucky to be a part of this street when on this side of the border.  Turnover/sales in our cul-de-sac have been rare since we bought our place 14 years ago and this is a big reason why.
-Park City is sooooo clean and tidy!  I do not think people actually realize just how tidy it is.  Sayulita is a totally different when it comes to community attitudes concerning garbage and recycling.  Some people think it is still ok to throw their trash in the river.  The culture is changing but it is shocking just how far apart these two communities are.
-Infrastructure to support community growth seems minimally planned for in Sayulita.  When they are actually done, like the recently entry road improvements and Calle Pelicanos, the result is lacking in anything that resembles decent design, thought or function.
-So many choices to be had here as a consumer.  A good thing and a bad thing. Alex has been to Michael's 3x, Ashley loves the Trader Joes nearby and I love a fully stocked Home Depot 15 minutes away!
-We have to drive EVERYWHERE!  In Sayulita we walk, shop and recreate by foot.  Sometimes our car sits for days and does not move.  In Park City we have to pile into the car to do anything.
-My tequila habit would be financially unsustainable here.  $55 for 750ml bottle of Don Julio?  Ouch!
-Ashley is now considered by the local county to be dangerous to everyone and everything in a 50 yard radius when she has a paintbrush in her hand.

More later as we enter our third week in the mountains today.  More projects, visitors, adventures and who knows what else.  We hope the house duties slow down a bit but for the short term we will just keep pushing.

Oh, and what about the Sayulita house?  A photo sent to us by our contractor last week.