Journal #5

What is the most adventurous thing you have ever done?  When I was a Freshman in college at BYU I took a outdoor recreation class (mostly because I was really good at trying to find fun classes rather than ones that required a lot of work).  One of the activities we had to do was to build and sleep in a snow cave over night.  Let me just tell you that this was both the most adventurous thing I have ever done and one of the worst things I have ever done and hope to never do again.  First we drove up in the mountains, then snow shoed into a canyon.  The boys and girls were separated and we had to build a huge mound of snow.  I was fresh off the farm and pretty much the only one who knew how to use a shovel so guess who got that job?  Next we had to hollow out the mound to make the cave.  I was fresh off the farm and pretty much the only one who knew how to use a shovel and had any strength and experience with snow so guess who got that job?  By the time the thing was hollowed out we were supposed to eat.  I was tired and wet and frozen.  I didn't have any proper snow gear at college with me and the things that I had borrowed just didn't cut it.  I didn't feel like eating my Dinty Moore Beef Stew (which I wasn't thrilled about eating prior to building and hollowing out a snow cave) so instead I changed into dry cloths, lit my 24 hour candle (which only last half the night p.s.) and tired to go to sleep.  Have you ever slept in a snow cave?  Ya well it is like an igloo I guess and I was terrified the whole night that it would collapse on me, plus I was laying on an angle because i choose the one spot I hadn't leveled quite well and I was worried my 24 hour candle may start my sleeping bag on fire (though it was soaked through so I don't think it was even possible).  We got up at the break of dawn.  I had some granola bars I had packed and was the first one up the hill to get back in the van and get the heck out of there.  Did I mention I did all this to impress a boy that I was in love with who was on a mission.  Ya, he never gave any indication that he thought it was cool.  At least it makes for a good story. 

Second runner up in the most adventurous things category is the blind date I went on with the man I have nick named "Slimbo Jimbo."  My friend Ashlee and her boss decided to set me up on a blind date with a guy named Jim.  He was a country guy and I was big into that type of guy when I was in college and just after.  I think this actually took place when I was living in Logan.  Anyway Ash told me that he was quite a bit older than me but her boss was married to a lady a lot younger than him and they were so happy and I was desperate and open minded so I said okay.  We talked on the phone (he sounded hickish).  We arranged to meet at Hogi Yogi and then go to my favorite place to country dance.  All the way there as I was driving I was thinking of the worst case scenario: He would be bald, have a handle bar mustache and a pot belly.  I was 3 for 3.  We went dancing; he asked how old I was.  I told him 24.  He said he was much older than me.  I guessed he was 40...nope 46 (YA-that is A LOT older than me).  Our age combined made us the oldest people at the dance that night.  He also let me know that he was in the process of getting a divorce (not divorced yet-just separated..."Great a still married, 46 year old with a handle bar mustache!!")  He said it had something to do with his wife leaving and taking his prized goat or pig and hiding it somewhere along with some other animals.  I think I ended the date with a high five.  He called the next day-I let it go to voice mail.  I never called back.