Winter weather in Cedar City has been quite comfortable in the early weeks of the 2024 winter season. The first measurable snow occurred the day after Thanksgiving (2023), and the next one came soon after Christmas, so there have been seasonably cool nights, but even cool daytime temperatures have often been warmed by bright sunshine, so Dave and Jan have enjoyed pleasant walks (even hikes) and, for Dave, nice bike rides. Because their son Stephen and daughter-in-law returned to their jobs the day after New Year’s Day, but Ryan and Erin didn’t return to school until the following day, January 2 was a good day to enjoy a hike up Cedar Canyon – with even a picnic lunch to enjoy.

 

Because the bike/walking path passed by three city parks on the way, Ryan and Erin enjoyed some fun on park playground equipment to add interest to the day’s activities from their perspective.

When more snow fell later in January it was time for some sledding and skiing, and the fun was not restricted to the grandchildren. Kathleen, a fun-loving neighbor, joined in the fun – adding her sled collection to the sled Ryan and Erin brought for use on the Cedar Ridge Golf Course which is just across the street from Dave and Jan’s house (and just over the fence from Kathleen’s).

The golf course provides some very nice and quite lengthy slopes which are ideal for sledding (and skiing) and some excellent sights to enjoy as well, because the course winds its way around some beautiful scenery – and there seem to be very few people who are aware of the great opportunity the golf course provides for fun in the snow without competition from crowded conditions in other locations.

Dave and Jan (and family and friends) are enjoying the beauty and the recreational opportunities of all four seasons in the Cedar City area. And they recognize that the snow of the winter season provides not only refreshing beauty, but the Lord’s ingenious way of storing up the water we all depend upon for distribution throughout the rest of the year. And for those who would like to have a closer look at the amazing structure which the Lord has built into every snowflake, check out the Illustra Media video at thejohn1010project.com/video/jewels-of-winter/.

Though snow has fallen in Cedar City in mid-January, and riding is a little more challenging as a result, Dave has enjoyed many rides on his road bike and mountain bike over the months – including a pleasant fall ride around town on bike trails and roads (where there are no bike trails). He didn’t even have to leave his neighborhood to begin enjoying fall colors.

The paved bike trail passes near Dave and Jan’s neighborhood along beautiful Coal Creek.

From the Coal Creek Trail, the ride up the Cedar Canyon portion of the bike trail continues beside Coal Creek for around a mile and a half with some beautiful views of the creek and surrounding red rocks.

Back on the southern extension of the Coal Creek Trail, the East Bench Trail climbs fairly steeply to its high point and then levels off after a drop in elevation toward the southern part of Cedar City.

Crossing under the I-15 freeway, heading west, the bike trail becomes the Cross Hollow Trail.

A newly added eighth of a mile trail turns north along what Dave describes as the west hills – where there are miles of dirt roads to be explored by bicycle or on foot (as Dave and Jan did recently).

Riding north, then east on public roadways takes the rider back to the northwestern part of the Coal Creek Trail and back into Dave and Jan’s neighborhood with more fall colors to enjoy on the way.

Of course, with the arrival of winter the scenery has changed quite a bit – but that is the way the Lord said it was going to be, and there are a variety of enjoyments in each of the four seasons.

Genesis 8:22 (NASB)
²²  “While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, And cold and heat, And summer and winter, And day and night Shall not cease.”