I’m convinced that there is so much to do right here in Utah. I live here and a lot of times, I vacation here. I’ve biked in Moab, visited our National Parks and State Parks and I’ve skied all but one of the 13 resorts.  But I haven’t seen it all. I’ve never been on Lake Powell, the premier desination for house boaters and I’ve yet to hike Kings Peak, Utah’s highest mountain. There is plenty more to do.

Utah.com has been using the motto “Life Elevated” lately. I kind of like it. I even put up their banner on the sidebar to give it some free pub.  I think the motto applies to vacationers, visitors and residents. Especially residents. There is a reason I live here. There is so much to do.  

 Utah.com has this to say about the state:

Welcome to Utah, paradise for outdoor enthusiasts! From National Parks to ski resorts and golf courses … Utah will surprise you with its variety. Whether you come to ski or snowboard “The Greatest Snow on Earth,” to mountain bike Slickrock in Moab, to take a summer whitewater rafting splash down Cataract Canyon… Utah has adventure waiting. Come find out why Utah vacations keep people coming back year after year. Gather your family, pack your bags, and let us help you plan your Utah vacation< to any of Utah’s best destinations.

Utah.com also has a really cool blog. Utah Travel Headlines Blog has a ton of information about what’s going on in Utah from an outdoor recreation perspective.

I don’t use the word beautiful very often, but the word came to mind chapter after chapter as I read Lynne Cox’s Swimming to Antarctica: Tales of a Long-Distance Swimmer. Although swimming a mile to Antarctica was her latest great achievement, the book describes over 10 mind blowing swims around the world. Among them:

• California’s Catalina Channel
• The English Channel
• The Nile River
• Cook Strait, New Zealand
• The Strait of Magellan
• Glacier Bay
• Around the Cape of Good Hope
• The Bering Strait

Many of these swims set world records in time and distance. Her English Channel swim set a record for both men and women at only age 15. The account of the Cook Straight swim drew me in a she told of swimming with a school of tuxedo dolphins. In Alaska’s Glacier Bay, she dodged translucent blue glaciers and chopped through pan ice to reach the shore.

Lynne’s efforts in swimming are exceeded only by her desires to bring people and nations together. Her Bering Strait swim was more than a decade in planning and coordinating during the height of the Cold War. In fact, I was amazed to learn that President Gorbachev mentioned Lynne by name in a toast after signing of the INF Missle Treaty with President Reagan. Her efforts have brought together nations and helped dissolve political borders.

Lynne has written an inspirational biography and I’ve recommended this book to swimmers and non-swimmers athletes and non-athletes. It has broad appeal and is definitely worth the read.

Swimming to Antarctica: Tales of a Long-Distance Swimmer