Last time I tried to ride my bike on the Legacy Parkway trail I got a nice road rash on my shoulder and twisted my knee as I took a nose dive in the mud. So technically this was my first ride on this trail which runs through South Davis county.

Quite a pleasant little ride. I rode from West Bountiful to Farmington and back. A few people but far from crowded. The only negative was the putrid stench by the land fill where I began and then the thousands of clouds of gnats that I rode through. Good thing I had my shades on.

Last week I took the Ms. up camping in North-Eastern Utah - 2 nights without the kids. We stopped in Vernal at the Forest service info. place and got some maps and different ideas on where to go exploring. They told us about Jones Hole, the Ashley forest, Dinosaur NP and Flaming Gorge area. I was highly indecisive as to where to go but finally made up my mind to got up highway 191 towards the gorge.

When cruising along what to my wondering eyes should appear but beautiful slabs of mohave sandstone, very Moabesque and inviting. I saw a sign for a state park called Red Fleet and we went to check it out. Upon inspection of the park we liked what we saw and decided to stay for the night. There was a very nice reservoir there and a good campground. There was hardly anybody there so we got the sense of remoteness and solitude that we were looking for. There are some red sandstone fins which look like sail of a ship coming into harbor, thus the name.

We attempted to go swimming at night with the full moon on the rise and the sound of frogs croaking in the background but I was a major wuss as the water temperature was something like 60 degrees. The next day we did some exploring and hiked to the tip top of a nearby slickrock dome. Then we packed up and headed off to a place called Jones Hole.

The first European to discover Jones Hole was a member of Major Powell’s Rio Grande exploration team. (those dudes had one crazy adventure). The US forest service uses the natural spring water that flows there for a fish hatchery. It is a 4 mile hike from Jones Hole to the mighty Green river.

We began our hike and about 1/2 mile down came across a bunch of Freemont Indian petroglyphs and pictographs. There is also the remains on a canyon shelter/dwelling. About another mile and a half down a side canyon opens up called Ely canyon. We went up exploring for a bit and came to a small and refreshing waterfall. We did not hang around too long as the mosquito’s were viciously attacking me.

We turned back and continued down the stream towards the river. We passed back country campers, anglers and river rats heading up to the ruins or water fall. We made it to the river but left quick as once again mighty vicious mosquito’s bit me over and over again. No kidding I had bites on top of other bites. (If only I would have brought that jacket to cover up with) At one point the itching was so bad I leaped into the stream bank and covered my arms and legs in mud - which brought sweet relief.

We got back to the truck just as huge gusts of wind and rain came sweeping down on us. Back up to the top of the mountain we climbed and rolled on back to our camp. We checked out other camping along the way but nothing beat Red fleet. It was only two nights but it was a grand time. Much renewal and refreshing scenery, sounds and smells to take in.

Check out a bit of the video I took up Ely canyon. There was much more but unfortunately I am having major video issues when trying to convert to a swf file.

In Ely Canyon from Glen Gunnell on Vimeo.

My beautiful locks.

This is all in reverse order, no reason, it just is. First off yesterday I got out the clippers and buzzed my hair - oh so nice for the summer, showers, maintenance. I would even say it looks good. Others may disagree (ahem, my wife) but it’s all good. check it out, holler back if you dig or undig it.

I just realized I have a bit of a scowl there, note the unshaven face - ah the joys of working from home. It’s all I can do to motivate myself to put clothes on in the mourning.

Mountain Biking

This memorial day I rounded up a few of the good ‘ol boys and we set off on an epic ride up in the hills of Bountiful. We met just before 8 a.m. and begun our easy 4 mi. climb up North canyon. We were lucky with the weather, it sprinkled all day the day before and the forecast was scattered showers, but it turned out to be absolutely sunny, mild and perfect.

I gingerly led the pack up the hill and down the best part of the Mueler park side. The twists, bend, log and rock hops, the water, mud, sweat, hooting and hollering. Man it was a good ride. Most everyone took a little tumble but nothing bloody. The downhill section is about 13 mi. and on a holiday weekend the trail gets over run with hikers, bikers and even equestrians or horse people as I prefer to call ‘em. I had so much fun I had to get on my old stead and go for a ride today, up above my house.
Another bonus of working from home, I have already been biking 10 or 11 times this year, the past 2-4 ears have been 1-3 times in an entire year. I feel like old 2003 Glen with all this ridding. Though as I get older I need more padding more my skinny butt on the saddle.

The First Fathers and Sons outing with my Boy.

Last Friday/Saturday was our stakes fathers and sons and at last minute I decided to bring my boy up. We went up to a camp Zarahemla near Morgan , UT. It was a pretty good place, lot’s of people but it didn’t feel crowded. Ticks are apparently a problem in the area and I forgot to bring shoes, so all I had was my flip flops, thus we did not do too much hiking in the tall grass or hilly areas which worked out fine. We did trek past the cows and stroll along the stream there. Micah has fun with a golf ball he found and we kicked a soccer ball around.

It was good to spend time with him and give him his first outdoor experience away from mom. He never complained or distressed about anything. It was short but worked out for us well. It;s crazy to think that the last fathers and sons I went to was with my dad up at bucklan flats (I think) when I was like 8 or 9, 23-24 years ago.

For months I had a fear that kept coming up in the back of my mind. It was a fear that if and when I lost my job I would do as most do and look for another job. Well in December 2009 the company I was working with did some major downsizing and I did find myself out of a job. Now I had to face that fear head on. I was weak for a while and looked for a job. I went to employment centers and fretted and fussed over just the right words on my resume. Eventually with the encouragement of my wife and Robert Kiyosaki (well his book Retire Rich, Retire Young) I finally got the guts to stop looking for work and “needing a paycheck” and started my own business called 302Productions.

I was lucky to get an amazing partner in long time friend Tyler Toone to join in with me.  Together we have worked for a number of years. Our mission with 302 is to design and develop high quality web solutions that fit the needs of our clients. First and foremost by focusing on affordability while maintaining high quality design and ease of use.
We want our customers to take charge of their online presence through consulting and content management solutions. Our aim is a high standard of customer satisfaction and service.
We  are currently accepting new clients and for a time knocking 10% off. Take a look at our services or contact us via our form here.

The New Year is all but upon me, I only have a few hours left to do something amazing in 2008, maybe my goal setting will be the last great thing I do.
One of my many goals for the year is to complete the childrens book I am working on. I began mid-December and am roughly half-way on the rough draft. I am doing all the illustration and writing at this point. I put my wife on the cover under written by but so far she has just been a consultant so that might change, sorry baby.
The story is about my wife’s grandfather and his boyhood days on a farm. It centers on his experience with his best friend, a bully and a cow that only has one eye. Thus the title of the book; “O’l One Eyed Cow”.
I figure it is never too early too start marketing it so with no further ado here is a sneak peak at the cover page.

I have found I am enjoying the process of creating this book very much. I don’t consider myself an amazing illustrator but I do have some skills and creativity plus a big imagination. I already plan to create another one which will be more imaginative and something created out of my crazy head. I really do hope that they can become published successors but at this point I am a starving artist creating art I hope that others value and can not say that I am entitled to receive reward for my efforts in this field, but a man can hope.

Another goal I have for the year is to smile more and to find the good in others. I came across this awesome video yesterday and fell it is needed to be shared with as many people as will watch it.

Last night we went to the senior center here in town and shared some songs with my daughter being the star performance, she sure lit up their faces and as I got to thinking about it. These people have had a long life, seen much but doubtless they need things to look forward to and goals that they should set. I suggested that they along with myself strive to smile more and warm the hearts of friends and neighbors.

My last goal I will share tonight is to simply create more value in 2009 then I consume. A basic principle of prosperity that if not followed leads to debt, misery, bail-outs, needy, bondage, suffering, socialism, false priests who oppress, tyrants, raging armies, pitch-forked mobs and all that just is not good.

I hope that you have some good goals for the new year and if not I challenge you to take on one of mine, unless that means stealing my book artwork and idea, cause that just aint cool, find you own story man!

A while back I was out to lunch with a couple of work colleagues and a candidate for a position at our work we were looking to fill. At one point the candidate indicated that she was interested in working for us only on contract and not as an employee as she felt we were too small of a company and she preferred the job security she currently held.
After the meeting I remarked to my friend that I thought the issue of job security was a lame farce and a pretended illusion that people pull over their eyes.

I get a bit upset at our society because we all seem to be in fear of loss. Too many see the a world of not enough. Retail has done everything it can to feed into this fear with all of the “for a limited time only” and “we will beat any price” and all the other tactics used to entice the fearful public to spend and believe in some price guarantee, 100% customer satisfaction junk.
In the case of employment it is foolishness to believe that you have a right to retain a position with anyone. Simply look to the source of all doom and gloom (the media) and you see companies that stood like rocks for years, here today and gone tomorrow. Small companies, private companies, large well established corporations, do you think anyone at Ford is worried about there job?

The government can pretend to be the savior of necessary industries and failing companies but that was never the intent of our founding fathers nor is it within the proper role of government. O.K. so im getting off on a tangent a bit.

Last week my company laid about half of us off including myself. I walked away a much richer and wiser man because I still retained all that could not be taken away from me. That is to say my skills, my knowledge, talents, abilities, and most important the relationships forged during my 2 1/2 years there. Those are the only true things which can be considered job security. It is your very ability to reason and utilize your body, mind and the tools at your disposal that allow you to work, to produce and retain a profit from your labors. It is socialism to try and insure employment and I hope that we as a people can see that truth and not demand that big brother watch out for us.

Here is a good article to back me up: Why You Should Never Get a Job by By Shaun Connell