Tour of Utah: Grafton

What’s up everybody?

I will have to admit, I think that cabin fever might be setting in.  Our weather has had a mind of its own.  One day it is sunny and decent and other days its been cold and snowy.  When the opportunity for for a weekend trip to Utah’s Dixie came up, we took it.  We loaded the car and was on our way to St. George.  The temperature for Southern Utah, during the winter, is usually mild and sunny.  St George becomes a hot bed for those that seek to escape Northern Utahs colder winters.  Do to this, there are plenty of option for adventure seekers.  The big one of course in Zion National Park.  

This was not going to be a site seeing trip for us though.  No, the main purpose was to visit my grandparent and Erin’s aunt.  We haven’t seen them in quite sometime.  It was good to visit with them and see that they are doing well.  Whenever someone has become more mature, you start to worry about their health.  Everything was good and thats what really matters.

You probably noticed a word in one of the paragraphs that doesn’t really seem to fit.  Dixie.  What does Utah have to do with Dixie?  Isn’t that part of the South?  I’ve often wondered this myself.  I mean it is plastered on everything down in St. George.  Come to find out, it is a direct reference to the South.  More specifically the growing of cotton and other cash crops.  With one obvious exception, which I wont get into here.  When members of the LDS Church settled the area they discovered that the temperature was ideal for growing cotton.  Unfortunately, the crops never really grew to well.  This brings us to this weeks adventure, the ghost town of Grafton.

Around the late 1859, early 1860 a group of settlers settled the town of Wheeler to aid in the production of cotton.  The town was located on the banks of the Virgin River, which would be their downfall.  In 1862 the “Great Flood” hit the town, destroying homes and farmland.  To prevent this from happening again, the townsfolk moved up the river and more inland from the river.  This new town would know as Grafton.  Grafton quickly grew and prospered but that would not last long.  The unpredictable nature of the river continued to be an issue.  Flooding and drought, along with other problems, eventually forced the townspeople to abandon Grafton.  It fell into obscurity until a movie executive purchased the land as a filming location.  Several films where shot here.  The most notable being Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid  starring Robert Redford and Paul Newman.  After sometime it would once again fall into obscurity.

Now a days this once bustling little town sits quite, with the exception of the tourist that come to visit.  Fortunately, a new life is being breathed into it.  The Grafton Heritage Partnership was put together to restore and protect the site.  The Partnerships efforts have not gone unnoticed as the restoration of the structures are bringing them back to their glory.  Several homes still stand along with a few other buildings.  Many of them you can walk through.  The School House is locked up but placards have been placed in the windows, which tells you about the many uses that the school house was used for.  

The school house is an impressive building but the home next to it was more impressive.  The Alonzo H. Russell Home.  I don’t ever remember being able to enter this house before, maybe the restore crew forgot to lock the door behind them.  This was the first time that I had a chance to really get a good look at the inside of the house.  The Russell house is the largest of the homes remaining.  It has two floors with several divided rooms.  This may seem fairly common for us now, but at the time it must have seemed like, what we would consider, a luxury home.  Especially when looking at the other houses that remain.  Mostly a single floor with two maybe three rooms total.  It did have a creepy old root cellar that the restore crew left material in that upped the creep factor.  At its prime the Russell Home, I would guess, would rival even todays modern homes.  It remained occupied until 1945 when the final resident decided to pick up and moved to St. George.  

Looking at the old buildings is cool but I think we often overlook just how hard it really was trying to build a community in those early days.  There is a place in Grafton that is a somber reminder of this.  Just up the road from the main part of town sits Grafton Cemetery.  Death came in many forms for the townspeople.  Disease, natural causes, old age, accidents, and conflicts with other people.  All these things plagued the citizens.  Death had no prejudice either, not only did it effect the old but the very young as well.  The plaque in front of the cemetery recounts the terrible year of 1866.  “Thirteen people died in rapid succession, taken by epidemics, a tragic accident and by friction caused when new folks rub up against the old.”  It also states that there is 74 to 84 people buried in the cemetery.  For the most part they are humbly marked with headstones made of stone or wood and some with just a rock.  There are a few that are missing the marker altogether.  I don’t know if it is do to the restoration project or from the families of the deceased but newer headstones are being placed in the cemetery.  A nice gesture to remind us of the people that came out here to settled the area and try to build a life for themselves out of the hardships of the West.

If you are ever on your way to Zion National Park, make sure you take a few minutes to visit the ghost town of Grafton.  It is located about five miles from the South Entrance of Zion.  I will say this, if you do decide to go make sure you really look for the signs that point you in the right direction.  They are small and easy to miss.  I even knew were to turn and ended up passing it.  I had to find a place to turn around.

All in all, Grafton is a fun little place to visit.  It is full of history and a good reminder of the people that came before us.  I know that I keep saying that but it goes to show you that life wasn’t always easy out here in the west.  It took a lot of guts and grit to make it what it is today.  Grafton may be a ghost town now but it was once a thriving community.

Until next time.  Thanks for stopping by!

Josh

2019 Adventure Wishlist

What’s up everybody?

Its good to be back chatting with you once again.  Cold and snow weather turned our holiday break into a two and a half month hiatus.  I will say, thankfully, that it hasn’t been as cold for us as it has for our friends out in the Midwest.  When the thermometer is showing that you are colder than Siberia, then you know its cold.  This doesn’t mean that we have been idle though.  We did get a few chances between the snow storms to go on a few adventures.  Which I will tell you about in the coming weeks.  Most of our time was spent planning one of our bigger trips for this year and the rest of the time was spent researching for possible trips.  I think that we came up with a few good ones that I hope we get to go on this year.  If not, oh well, there is always next year.  Am I right?  

To continue with a tradition that I started last year, I’ve come up with a list of place that I would like to see or things I would like to do this year.  I guess we don’t need to waste anymore time.  Lets go ahead and get into it.

1. Moab Easter Jeep Safari.

Lets get the big one out of the way.  The Moab Easter Jeep Safari is a week long event, where off-road enthusiasts come to participate in the Event.  People come from all over the globe to attend.  Yes, you read that right, all over the globe.  Most come from the US, but we have run with people from all over Europe and some people from Australia.  

Members from the Red Rock 4 Wheelers, a local off-road club, hosts the event and take participants on guided trails.  If you are unable to register for a guided trail, no worries, the trails are open year round for anyone to use.  No guides need.  There are trails for any skill level and the Red Rockers are more then welcome to answer any question that you have and to help you find a trail that you are comfortable with.

This is my most anticipated trip of the year.  If you know me or have followed us than you’d know that this is one of my family traditions that I really missed when we moved to Chicago.  Now that we are back in Salt Lake I’m extremely excited to get back in the rocks and dirt.  I’ve been working on my Jeep since we got back, getting it ready to go.  I’m happy to say that its ready.  Mostly, there are still a few things that need to get done but nothing too major.

2)  The Big Five:

The Big Five that I’m referring to is Utah five National Parks: Bryce Canyon, Zion, Capital Reef, Arches, and Canyonlands.  I feel like I’m cheating lumping them all together like this.  I could probably create a whole list just dedicated to each of these places and I haven’t even mentioned the other National Monuments, Historic, Recreational, or Trails that can be found in Utah.

I have been to all of the before but haven’t explored the majority of them like I think I should.  Each one is different and have their own beauty to be discovered.  It seems like for the average person, that goes to the Parks, tend to hit the major attractions.  I know I’m guilty of doing this myself.  I’ve come to the conclusion that its time for me to see the hidden secrets of the Big Five and discover the wonder they hold.  I know it wont be easy.  I’m a little out of shape and some of the hikes a fairly strenuous.  Thats alright though, i’ve picked up a gym pass so I can start getting ready.  We’ll see what happens, but if you come across me passed out face first in the middle of the trail.  Turn me over, make sure I still breathing, and splash me with some water.  I’m sure I’ll be fine.

3)  Golden Spike National Historic Site.

Courtesy: nps.gov

You know those other National places I had mentioned before, well here is one of them.   Promontory Point is one of, if not thee, most historical places in Utah.  On May 10th 1869, the Transcontinental Railroad was completed.  To celebrate this tremendous occasion a gold spike was commissioned to be ceremoniously driven as the “Last Spike”.  Most of us know the story of the railroad, but for many they have no idea where it all took place.  This year GSNHS will be celebrating it 150th year since the completion of the railroad..  There are hiking and driving trails.  Of course, there are reenactments of the spike ceremony and the meeting of the trains.

4)  Antelope Island State Park.

Courtesy: utah.com

Besides the National Parks, Utah has an abundance of State Parks.  Funny enough, I haven’t really explored many of them.  Which is a shame.  Antelope Island is, as the name suggests, an island located in the Great Salt Lake.  Sometimes its more of a peninsula depending on the level of the lake.  There are plenty of activities to do.  Camping, hiking, biking, and much more.  The thing that I’m most looking forward to is the wildlife.  The island is home to bison, mule deer, bighorn sheep, pronghorn and many other desert dwelling animals.  Also if you’re a bird watcher, many species pass through the area year round.

5)  Four Corners Monument.

Courtesy: utah.com

This is one that Erin really wants to go see.  If you are not from the Southwest you may not have ever heard of the four corners.  The Four Corners is where Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah all meet.  In essence, you can stand in four different states at the same time.  If you think about it, its kinda cool.  I will admit, that I’ve heard some negative things about it.  Mostly that you shouldn’t expect much and you don’t go there specifically for it unless your passing by.  I’m planning a bigger trip that will include the Four Corners as one of its stops and will also include the next entry as well.

6)  Mesa Verde National Park.

Courtesy: nps.gov

Most people think of Greece, Rome, Egypt and South America when talking about ancient structures or buildings.  I would wager a guess that most people are not aware that in the Southwest of the US we have some structures that are just as impressive as the places I have mentioned.  That’s a real shame too.  Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado is home to some of these amazing structures.  The Pueblo people lived in this area around 700 years ago.  They built thousands of structures throughout the southwest.  Mesa Verde alone has 5000 archeological sites, which include 600 cliff dwellings.

I have been here once before when I was really young.  I don’t remember a whole lot about it but what I do remember was that it was really cool.  Now that I’m an adult, I appreciate these structures and the people who built them.  I can’t wait to explore them with different eyes and relearn their history.

I am going ahead and calling this list with these six places.  I know I could go on and on.  There were plenty of places that I want to go and see last year.  I was only able to check off a few of the off my list.  Of course, moving across the country kind of put a damper on things.  Sometimes you just have to roll with it.  Hopefully I’ll get to check them all off this year.  We’ll see though.

Thanks for stopping by.  Until next time.

Josh

2018 in Review

What’s up everyone?

We hope that you had a great Thanksgiving, at least for those that celebrate it.  For those that don’t I hope that you had a great week.  I know that we did.  It was good to see family that we haven’t seen in a long time.  For many of us, during this time of year, our minds turn to the many things that we are grateful for and I am no exception.  I am grateful for my family and friends and I am deeply grateful for all those that follow us.  We really enjoy sharing our adventures with you and hope to inspire you to seek out your own.  With the holiday season upon us, we here at the Adventure Diaries will be going on a small hiatus for the month of December.  Don’t worry though we’ll be back in January after all the hustle and bustle is over.

With that said I thought that we would take a minute to look back at the past year.  Even though it didn’t start off that way but our year turned out pretty crazy.  We had some big milestones that we celebrated and some major life changes.

This year our adventuring did really start until April when we visited two of Chicago’s landmarks: Adler Planetarium and Shedd Aquarium.  I had forgotten how much I used to be obsessed with outer space until we visited the Planetarium.  The many displays and artifacts that the Planetarium has will spark you interest as well.  My favorite part was the Astronomy in Culture Exhibit.  In it there are instruments that date back centuries showing that humans have always looked to the stars and wondered what was out there.

I just realized as I’m writing this that I had not done a post on Shedd Aquarium.  I was pretty sure that I had but can’t find anything on it.  I hadn’t been to a real aquarium in a long time.  We had a lot of fun there seeing the different sea critter and even the local once.

2018 is a big year for Erin and I.  This year we celebrated our 10 year anniversary and we wanted to do something special to celebrate.  We decided to relive our honeymoon and go back to Disney World.  This time we invited any of our family, from both sides, to come a long with us and the majority of them was able to make it.  It was the first time in a very long time that all of us were together in the same place at the same time.  We spent seven days in Disney and we enjoyed every minute of it.  Even the days that it rained on us.  It adds to the stories that we would later tell.

In June we found ourselves heading to Michigan to check out Warren Dunes State Park.  These were not the type of sand dunes that I am accustomed to.  Growing up in Utah, sand dunes existed because we lived in a desert with very little water.  The Warren Dunes sit on the edge of Lake Michigan.  I guess you can say they are more like an over exaggerated beach.  I’m not much of a water person so I really wasn’t too excited about visiting but it turned out to be really fun.  We walked up and down the lakeshore and enjoyed each others company.  It was too bad we didn’t pack a lunch.  We could of had a picnic on the beach.

July ended up being the busiest and craziest part of our year.  Near the end of June, we had started talking about how we no longer felt that Chicago was home and that we should move back to Utah.  There was a lot of things that we had to take care of before that was even possible.  As quickly as we decide, everything else fell into place.  The universe was definitely telling us to head home.

It was still the early July and we couldn’t leave till the end of July so we found some adventure to occupy our time.  Erin had heard that there was a Swedish Museum and had been trying to get me to go.  I finally said yes and off we went.  The Museum was small but it was really interesting to learn about the Swedish migration to the United States.  Just incase you didn’t know, there is a huge Swedish population in the Chicagoland area.

For our last hurrah in Chicagoland we went down to Chicagoland Speedway to see the Nascar Monster Energy Series.  It was a good and exciting race.  I didn’t like who won, I would have preferred anyone else but thats okay.

July came to an end quickly.  We found ourselves boxing up everything we owned and cramming it into a U-haul.  I’ve been on a few cross country trips but I don’t remember them ever being as bad as this one.  I think it was just me wanting to be back home that made it feel so maddening.  That and maybe being stuck in a U-haul all by myself and nobody else to talk to.  Two and a half days and 1300 miles we were back in Utah and ready for a new set of adventures.

September and October was really about us getting back to the swing of thinks in Utah.  Starting new jobs and getting used to our new co-workers.  It wasn’t all work though, there was plenty of play to be had.

The first stop we had was This is the Place Heritage Park.  This Is The Place Monument stands near the place were Brigham Young state “This is the right place.”  With these word  the Territory of Dessert, which would eventually become Utah and parts of other states, was founded.  The Heritage Park takes you back in time to see what it was like to live in Salt Lake City in its early years.

One thing that Erin was looking forward to was the 2018 Lantern Fest.  It was a pretty cool event.  People came from all over to participate in the releasing of the lanterns.  When we finally got the go ahead to release, the night sky was illuminated with hundreds of lanterns rising to the heavens and gently drifting along.  I will say that not all of us got our lanterns in the air but thats alright.

Besides our trip to Disney the highlight of the year for me was our trip to Daniel’s Summit. We spent a weekend exploring the mountains of the Wasatch in our side by sides.  I’ve mentioned it many times and I sure I’ll mention it again.  I love getting into the mountains, I should say that I love getting out into the outdoors and exploring.  It doesn’t matter if it the first time or if we’ve been there many times.  The trails were fun and the fall colors were on full display.  You couldn’t ask for a better day.  For me its was more about the  quality time spent with friends and family than it was about exploring.

That was our year in a nutshell.  A lot of things have change for us but we want to continue bringing you entertaining adventures.  This time off will not be wasted though.  We are currently working on plans for this coming year.  So far there is only one trip set in stone and thats the Easter Jeep Safari.  The rest of the year is still in the air.  We did finally get our YouTube channel up and running and are working on bring you content about our adventures and more.

As always Thanks for stopping by.  Until next year.

Josh and Erin

Daniel's Summit

What’s up everybody?

I am super excited for this weeks post.  We finally had a chance to get out into the wilds of Utah.  If you follow us, then you should know that it is one of my favorite things to do and I really haven’t had the chance to do it in quite awhile.  That has all changed now, we have a better opportunity to explore than we did before but thats enough of that lets get into it.

It was special day in a different sense as well.  It was the maiden voyage for our latest adventure vehicle “Coco”.  There has been some debate over her name but I’m pretty sure it to late to change it now.  Coco is a charcoal and gold 2018 Polaris RZR 900 side by side.  She has a 50 inch wheel base so she is ready to tackle any trail that we through at her.  We have add a couple of extra already with a few more to add later.  We added a roof and a full windshield.  Come to find out, we would be glad that we did.

We arose early on Saturday morning.  We had to finish loading the side by sides on to the trailers.  Preferably we would have done it the night before but for one reason or another we couldn’t do it.  That okay though, it gave a chance to all meet at one locations and we could travel together as a group.  That and we wanted to get up to the Summit early so we had plenty of time to ride the trails.

Packed and on the the road by 8.  We made our way up the canyon towards Park City and then made our way to Heber.  If the drive up the canyon was any indication of what we would see on the trails then we were in for a treat.  The leaves on the trees had definitely reached their autumn peak.  The yellows, oranges, and reds shined vibrantly through the thin layer of clouds that had fallen upon the road.  We had lived in the Midwest for a time and had seen some beautiful fall foliage but nothing compared to this.  I wish I could describe it for you in better detail.  I might be a little bias but to me nothing compares to driving through the mountains in fall.  It was truly breath taking.

Our base of operation and home for the night would be Daniel’s Summit Lodge.  The lodge is about 35 miles from Salt Lake City.  It has all the amenities you could want: rooms with two queens all the way up to family suites, pool, hot tub, spa, general store and a restaurant, The Lodge Pole.  Besides the rooms in the lodge, you can also rent cabins.  For the adventurous type you can rent side by sides or snowmobiles.  The rooms are very clean and each one comes with their own fireplace and deck.  After a long day of playing it was nice to be able to sit on the deck and look up at the stars.

Only one of our rooms were ready when we got there, so we decided to head over to the The Lodge Pole to grab some breakfast before we hit the trail.  We have eaten there several times in the past and have yet to be disappoint with our orders.  I had the biscuits and gravy, served with eggs and hash browns.  It was good and hearty.  Everything that is need to keep me full for some time.

With our bellies full it was time to head out.  The skies was looking a little gloomy.  The weather was calling for rain for most of the day.  At the elevation that we were at there was a possibility for snow.  Luckily we came prepared for anything that could happen.  We had planned for colder weather, we brought plenty to bundle up with or at least some of us did.  Erin, as a precaution, picked up a warm little blanket from the general store.  You can never be too warmer.  As I had mentioned, only one of our rooms were ready so the girls gathered their stuff and went up to get ready.  While the rest of us unloaded the trailers.

With rain coming down we were on our way.  The trail was wet and muddy, with lots of puddles.  I tried my best to avoid them as best I could.  Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have a problem driving straight through them, but when its already wet and cold its another story.  I will say that sometimes it a curse to be the driver.  The views around us were beautiful.  The foliage was definitely at its peak.  I would have loved to be able to sit there and take it all in.  Thats alright though, I stole some glance when I could and really enjoyed what I saw.

Our first 10-100 stop was interesting.  I guess I should explain what a 10-100 is for those that don’t know.  A 10-100 is code to denote a five minute break.  In our case it was a potty stop.  Our break went from a potty stop to a dance party as some of our group attempted to floss.  I will say that it was horrific.  I know that there are people that should floss and those that should not.  We were, for sure, the latter and had no right trying.  My Niece and Nephew knew what the were doing and tried to teach us but fail miserably.  Believe me, a bunch of “mature” people trying to floss in the middle of nowhere was ridiculous.  Luckily we were in the middle of nowhere and nobody could see us.  I know I can’t dance, no rhythm what so ever, so I don’t even know why I tried.  Why not?  I guess.  We were having fun and thats all that mattered.

For me, the best part of the day came after lunch.  With the constant drizzle of rain, the trail became more technical to drive.  Deep ruts, slick rocks and mud made wheel placement keen.  I consider myself more of a technical driver than a high performance driver.  I like the idea of being able to, on the fly, pick the best line to get me over an obstacle.

Our biggest challenge of the day was in front of us.  A big hill steep, rocky, and rutted out.  Momentum and quick wit would be our allies for this fight.  Knowing that the wrong wheel placement could spell out certain doom.  Momentum lead the charge as we raced up the mountain.  Our quick wits quickly took command as we turned this way and that, avoiding the debris on the trail.  We have reached the top.  Victory is ours!  It was a good fight.  I can’t lie, there was a few rocks that jumped up and bit us.  What can I say?  Not even the best of us can make every shot.

With the trail reaching its end, we had to decide if we want to continue and find another trail or turn back and head back to the lodge.  We elected to head back since the day was fading away.  We want to get back to the lodge before it got too dark.  Turing back meant one thing.  We got to do everything in reverse.  It was fun and we made really good time.  Once we made it back to the lodge, the rest of the group finished checking in and we head to our rooms to get cleaned up.

Showered and clean, we made our way down to the lobby to wait for the other.  We found a nice comfy spot in front of the fireplace and snacked on some cookies.  When our group finally all came down from their rooms, we once again found our way over to the Lodge Pole for some grub.  With our tummies full, some over full, we decide to check out the pool.  I did not join in but I did hang out with them as they played in the pool and soaked their weary bones in the hot tub.

With our goodnights said, we settled in for the night.  The following morning we would go our separate ways.  We had to get back home early, while the rest planned on hit the trails again.

Normally I would end our post there but the following morning we awoke to snow on the ground.  It was not a bad snow fall.  Maybe an inch or so but it lead to the first snowball fight of the season.  I can’t say who started it, probably me though, but eventually everyone was involved.  Nobody was hurt.  It was all in good fun.  It was definitely a good trip.  I can’t wait to do it again.

Thanks for stoping by.  Until next time.

Josh

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Lantern Fest 2018

What’s Up everybody?

OH MAN! has it been a cold week for us out here in Utah.  I know that it fall but it has felt more like winter.  In fact while I’m sitting here writing this post, I’m staring at our snow capped mountains.  Adventure doesn’t hibernate during the winter though.  No, it just heads south for warmer weather.  Just kidding.  Believe me, we’ve had plenty of winter adventures and I’m sure that we will add a few more to that list this year.

Ever since we moved back, our lives have been pretty hectic.  Whether it was unpacking, catching up with friends or just trying to get re-familiar with the area.  Needless to say, our weekends have been busy.  We have been looking forward to having a nice relaxing adventure that would take little to no effort.  That is what we found, for the most part but I’ll get to that later.  Before we left Chicago, Erin had found out that there would be a lantern festival coming and she really wanted to go.  Unfortunately we moved before we had the chance to go.  Luckily she found out that Utah was going to have one.  We packed up the car and headed out to Tooele for the 2018 Lantern Fest.

Tooele……Well, the Utah Motorsports Park, where the event was being held, is about 35 miles from Salt Lake City.  When we first arrived we were a little confused.  For as large of a event that Lantern Fest was supposed to be, there was nobody to be seen.  We drove around the facility thinking that maybe we missed the entrance.  We finally found some one that worked there and he informed us that it had been postponed do to high winds.  Understandably, I was irritated that they didn’t send us an email or something that would have informed us that it had been postponed.

Frustrated, I thanked the guy and we went on our way.  It wasn’t until we were on our way home that we received a texted say that the date had changed.  I guess they were have issues with their system or something.  What a waste of a day, if we would have been notified earlier we could have planned something much better.  I guess its dinner and a movie for us.  We saw Small Foot by the way.  It was a cute, fun movie.  I think it was worth seeing.

Fast forward two weeks and we are back at it again.  Packed up our car and headed back out to Tooele.  This time when we got there, everything looked right.  The parking lots were full of cars, there was people waiting in lines, and tents had been set up.  Luckily for us, we purchased our tickets online so we could skip the line and head right in.  We made our way to the tent that had our care packages.  Inside of them was one lantern, a marker to decorate and a s’more kit.  With our kits in hand , all we had left was to find a place to sit and enjoy.

Now I will have to say this.  If you have a large group you should probably get there early so that you can all sit together at a fire pit.  The fire pits are not assigned and there is only so many of them.  We arrived a little later in the day and ended up sharing a pit with a few strangers.  It turned out that Gabe, Alanna, Sarah, and Hasam ( sorry if I misspelled it) were very friendly and we quickly meshed with them.  Come to find out, none of us had been to Lantern Fest before.  We would be losing our Lantern Fest virginity together.  How exciting!   I’ll be honest, I’m not a huge fan of being stuck with people that I don’t know but it was really fun to talk with them and to here their stories.

Around 8 o’clock, we got the OK to light up our lanterns.  You know the scene from Tangled were they let the lanterns go and they float into the air and fly away.  That is what it looked like.  Well for some of us.  I will admit that I pictured it like this.  We would light the lanterns and they would graceful lift out of our hands and float away.  That didn’t happen for us.  Instead.  As we were waiting for the lanterns to fill up with hot air, a wind gust came through and flung them away from us.  Like fools we chased after them with the hope that we would get a chance to get them into the air.  It didn’t happen for us but for many they went without a hitch.  We learned some valuable lesson for next time we go.

I have always associated lantern festivals with Asian culture and traditions.  For good reasons too.  The Chinese have been doing it since the Western Han Dynasty dating back to 206 BCE.  Better known as the Spring Festival, it was held on the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese Lunar Calendar (February / March) to celebrate the New Year.  The lanterns would be plain or simply decorated.  Nothing too flashy, unless you were of Nobility and you could afford to have a more ornate one.  The releasing of the lanterns had different meanings for everyone, but for many it was to symbolize the letting go of the past self to make way for the new self.

For us modern day celebrators, our lanterns were simple and plain.  Made out of biodegradable materials because we are more environmentally friendly than our friends from the past.  We all took a moment to decorate our lanterns with the marker that was provided.  As with the past, everyone had their own reason to release the lanterns.  Some wrote messages of hope and inspiration.  Others for love and lets face it some because they could.  For us, it was to celebrate the ending of one chapter of our book of life and starting a new one.

My message was a simple one.  To those who came before and to those who come after.  Let the adventure continue.  I stand by these words.  It took many to get us to where we are today.  For those that come after us, they will live our legacy and continue to move forward to build their own.

I hope that you get a chance to attend Lantern Fest.  We had an amazing time and met some great people.

Until next time.  Thanks for stopping by.

Josh