Three Movies and a Zipline

When Camille heard how Dave and I spent the October 11, 2013 weekend, she said, "You definitely need grandchildren in SLC.  If you can watch three movies in two days, you've got a lot of time on your hands."  She was right, of course, but we had a great time checking out the latest flicks and spending an afternoon at the Utah Olympic Park, as well.

We have long wanted to visit the Olympic Park, to see what the state has preserved from the 2002 Olympics.  We got our chance with a two-for-one Groupon discount that gave us tickets to the Park's zipline, Alpine slide, and drop tower, as well as unlimited chairlift rides!  It was a beautiful, crisp fall day, with a blue Utah sky and bright leaves on the mountains.  The visitors center housed memorabilia from the Olympics and there were statues of Utah's skiing pioneers, including Alf Engen.

 

 

We rode the chairlift to the zipline.  The aspens were beautiful against the blue sky, and we could see over the whole Park City valley.

 

 

 

 

As we rode the chairlift, we watched ski jumpers careen down the jump, which was covered with water for the summer season.

At the top of the chairlift, we enjoyed the view over the valley and the view of zipliners getting strapped into the hanging slings on which they would zip down the mountain. 

Finally, it was our turn and down we went, for an exciting minute or two and then an abrupt stop.

 

 

 

The zipline was fun because it was new and different.  The Alpine Slide was fun because it was old and familiar and brought back memories of riding down the Alpine Slide in Park City itself, when Jonny and Michael were little (and maybe when Camille and Lisa were little, as well).

On our trek back to the Visitors Center, we passed a ski jump that emptied into a huge swimming pool.  Jumpers were practicing aerial gymnastics.  We saw one skier do a double somersault before diving into the pool.  Signs encouraged would-be jumpers to sign up for lessons.  Maybe next year.

 

 

 

 

 

We checked out the drop tower and ropes courses, but the long wait times made us save those for another day, as well.  We plan to be back, with or without the grandkids.

 

 

We loved all three movies we watched this weekend.  Two were blockbusters--"Captain Philips" and "Gravity," and the third was an excellent Mormon film, "The Saratov Approach."  I identified with "Captain Philips," about the takeover of a cargo ship by Somali pirates.  Captain Philips was kidnapped into a lifeboat and was rescued by US Navy SEALs.  Somalia is right next to Ethiopia, and I have been there.  I did root for Captain Philips, though, rather than the pirates!

 

"Gravity" was the tale of an accident during the repair of the Hubble telescope, and one astronaut's return to earth.  It was an allegory as well as an adventure film, with meditations on the nearness of heaven, the choice to live or die, and the sweetness of Earth.

 

 

"The Saratov Approach" recounted the true story of two LDS missionaries who were kidnapped in Russia and ultimately released.  The film did a good job of making the characters believable--neither too good nor too bad.  Dave and I see every Mormon film we can, to support a growing industry that we believe in.  It wasn't painful at all to support this film.