Provo River Parkway Trail

This afternoon we decided to go on a family bike ride up Provo Canyon on the Provo River Parkway Trail.  This is a very well developed (meaning paved) trail that winds along the Provo River.  Duh.  Probably why they named it the way they did, huh?

Anyways, Helena didn't want to come, so our family bike ride was down to Bill, Will, and me.  The trail is gorgeous, with lots of full grown trees arching over it cathedral style and the beauty of the canyon walls and river to enjoy as you go along a rather gentle incline.

There is a waterfall right next to the trail, called Bridle Veil Falls.  Since it is so easily accessed by car (there is a parking lot right there), Bridle Veil Falls attracts A LOT of tourists.  So many, in fact, that Parks and Recreation put up signs making that section of the trail walking only.  We had to get off our bikes and wend our way through all the sightseers taking snapshots of each other on the trail directly below the falls.  There used to be a hiking trail up to the base of the falls themselves... and another more difficult one that could take you higher even.  But those trails have been shut down due to injuries in the past.  Not that that stops people, though.  There are still plenty of people willing to blaze on up the side of the canyon for a more up close and personal experience with the falls.  Back in my college days, my roommates and I used to hike the falls, and I even remember hiking out to a particularly precarious ledge above the falls with a boyfriend, once.

A few other interesting facts about the falls...

Once there was a cable tram ride up to the top of the falls, where there was an overlook (and a restaurant?).  An avalanche destroyed the tram and it was never rebuilt.

One year another avalanche blocked the trail for a long time.  It completely redefined the look of the lowest part of the falls with all the scree it left behind.  We hiked up to see it that summer.  Yes, it was still there!  At the time, there were huge ice caverns you could climb into if you were foolhardy enough to attempt it.  Those are tree trunks sticking out of it, by the way.

The falls freeze solid during the winter and people have been known to ice climb on them.

Well, back to our adventure today.  Since there were so many people on the trail, we decided to detour out to the road for that section on the trail coming back down.

Not long after the falls, we came across trim and petite elderly lady who was walking her bike down the trail.  Bill stopped and asked her if something was wrong with her bike?  She had a flat tire.

I sat and chatted with her while Bill patched her tire for her.  He is always so prepared when he goes out on his bike!  I am going to need to have him teach me how to do tire patch repairs on my bike before much longer.  While we were sitting there, Bill's niece, Bridget, and her cute little family came by!  She and her husband, Devin, were out for a Sunday canyon stroll with their two little boys, Boston and Tagg, in strollers.  Bridget keeps a sweet blog of her little family of boys and their adventures, so it is easy to keep up to date with what is going on with her, but it was still great to see them!

Oh.  And at one point while sitting there, a little red headed boy of about 3 or 4 years old walked right up to me, showed me a stick and said; "I saw lots of snakes!  This is my snake hunting stick and I'm going to catch lots of snakes with it!  That's my mom over there... see ya!"  And ran off happily to catch up with her.  So cute!  I do have a fondness for little red headed boys.

Although we had a good time (spending time together and enjoying the beauties of a September afternoon in the canyon), we probably won't bother going back to the trail any time soon.  It was too crowded!  Lots of families with little kids (not in strollers) and/or pets who dart out at unexpected moments, and long boarders!  Tons of young adults zooming down the trail on long boards, not always following trail etiquette.  I have already commented about the joggers on my local trail, this was much worse.

That is why Bill prefers to disappear up onto lonely mountain biking trails.

I'm going to stick to roads.

Update:  Just a few days after this adventure, we got a box in the mail.  It was from the petite elderly lady.  Her name is Mary.  She sent us a thank you card and a box of Cliff Bars!  So sweet and thoughtful!