Skimboarding on St. George's Virgin River

Who knew that those of us who love St. George’s southern Utah desert but also crave some of the fun of the ocean’s surf can indulge in skimboarding right here on our own Virgin River? Granted, inland skimboarding is not the same as the popular ocean skimboarding (check out these links for ocean versus inland: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skimboarding and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inland_skimboarding). 

However, skimming across the Virgin River water can still provide an adequate fix for the inland surfer.

My family was introduced to the sport after my son made his own skim board in a shop class at Desert Hills Middle School. A little incredulous at the idea of “surfing” on the river, we went down and watched the kids have a blast skimming across ankle deep water. Within a week, with the help of their now “expert” brother, all my kids had constructed their own boards. There we were just south of Pineview Estates at the bend in the river overlooking Washington Fields, getting sunburned, playing in the water and enjoying our version of desert surfing along with a bunch of other enthusiasts.

We now look forward each year to the skim boarding competition right here in our beautiful St. George. The City of St. George hosts it and there are divisions for all ages. We’ve never competed, but it is still fun to go and watch the skill and enjoy the sun. This year’s event is coming up soon on July 12^th. Here is a link to the site: http://www.sgcity.org/departments/recreation/youthsports/skimboarding.php

We love that these kinds of events are right here in the backyard of our neighborhood. And we are often surprised by the variety of activities at our doorstep.  We would love to help you discover the amazing life our community has to offer. Check us out online or call us at:

www.whystgeorge.com

or

435-313-3966

Free Movie Night in St. George: Sunset on the Square

Love a Movie? Love a FREE Movie? Love being outdoors? Yes. Yes. And Yes. Grab a blanket or a chair and check out the movies at the Town Square Plaza provided by the City of St. George. 

http://www.sgcity.org/cityevents/  (find a list of the movies playing)

With summer here and the kids out of school, we are always looking for ways to keep all of us happy and entertained.  Finding outdoor activities is a bonus since the dog days of summer often drive us indoors to find respite from the heat. On one of our frequent trips to the Washington County Library, we found out about these great movies showing every 2^nd and 4^th Friday throughout the summer in the Town Square.

On our first venture there, we were unprepared for the pre-movie festivities that take place. Some nights they have friendly competitions for prizes. One time the audience broke into a pre-show dance. It is quite the party for all ages. The only drawback that we found is that the movie doesn’t start, of course, until sundown, and that can make for a late night for our smallest ones. Our solution: bring a little pillow and let them lay down and fall asleep right there under the night sky.

Kudos to the St. George, Utah Parks and Recreation Department led by Kent Perkins. From the bike trails to the St. George Marathon to the various events like this movie night, they help make St. George a great place to live.

Let us help you find a great place to live in Southern Utah.

Find us at www.whystgeorge.com or call 435-313-3966

Jazz in Little Valley Park

Desert Hills High School jazz band played in a great new venue for their end of year school concert. The unexpected location was at Silkwood Park in the new Little Valley Silkwood subdivision. I was impressed with the facilities in this hidden location. The band set up in their outdoor amphitheater and the audience brought their own chairs and blankets where they spread out on the lawn for the concert. There was plenty of room for the entire audience and the sound system carried the concert wonderfully.

The park also has a water feature and is tucked inside a nice little neighborhood so traffic is limited to the local traffic to the homes. Parking for a larger event like the concert was a little tricky but otherwise, I offer kudos to Band directors Mike Winslow (Desert Hills High School) and Rob Schmidt (Desert Hills Middle School) for changing up the routine and offering a fun new place to listen to these up and coming jazz musicians.

As long as we’re mentioning parks in Little Valley, we must mention The Fields at Little Valley. This is a great park for all sorts of sports. With several soccer fields, a large water park, pickle ball courts, and a baseball field across the street there is something for everyone. We love that our younger kids can be entertained in the park while the older kids play soccer. With Sunrise Intermediate School and Little Valley Elementary School across the street, this makes an ideal location for raising a family.

New homes are going up all over in Little Valley and there are plenty of re-sell single family homes available as well.

We can help you find the home for you. Contact us at:

www.whystgeorge.com

or

call (435) 313-3966

other helpful links to parks in the Little Valley area:

www.stgeorgeforkids.com/st.-george-washington-city-parks/the-fields-at-little-valley

Kanarraville Falls

Embracing outdoor life is key to fully appreciating the wonder that is Southern Utah. Life in St. George, Utah includes access to scenic hiking trails, miles of running and biking trails, camping locations, National Parks, and of course, golf.

Kanarraville Falls is one of the hikes in Southern Utah that shouldn’t be missed. Just 30 miles north of St. George not too far off of I-15, you can find this hidden slot canyon that is a perfect hike for kids and adults alike. 

We hiked at a fairly leisurely pace, went all the way up to the second waterfall (mind you these are 14 foot waterfalls, not 40 foot waterfalls), allowed the kids quite a bit of time to play in the water and were back down to the car in 3.5 hours.

Wear hiking shoes that can get wet. We had people in tennis shoes or sturdy water shoes. Don’t wear flimsy sandals or flip flops. Take water to drink.

Finding the trail isn’t hard. Exit I-15 at the “New Harmony/Kanarraville” exit. It is close to mile marker 41. Follow the road signs to Kanarraville—about a 5 minute drive east of the freeway. In the middle of town there is a small sign that points to Kanarraville Falls parking. The parking lot is three blocks off the main road. Parking cost $10, so plan to pay or follow the posted instructions to free parking back down by the main road. There is no cost to hike the trail. You start on a dirt road and eventually move onto trails. Keep following the creek up the little canyon to experience the beauty.

This is just one of the many great reasons that the Chris Jones Real Estate Team enjoys living and selling real estate in St. George. There is always an adventure to be found right outside of our homes. We can help find the home for you. Contact us at:

www.whystgeorge.com

or

call (435) 313-3966

Other links for Kanarraville Falls

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g143057-d3404982-r168124001-Kanarra_Creek-Zion_National_Park_Utah.html

http://www.utah.com/hike/kanarra-creek-canyon-trail

Washington County and St. George City Incentives to Save WATER

Living in our beautiful desert, one can’t help but appreciate water for the life sustaining commodity that it is. Even if you aren’t as “green” as your neighbor, you have to own some responsibility for water conservation especially when it is as dry as it is this year.

St. George City and Washington County work together to help you save water on your landscape watering. According to the city’s website, “outdoor water use accounts for approximately 60% of water delivered to customers during the summer months.” They offer a Free Lawn Water Audit between May and September. Let them help you figure out how much water you should be using. This is available to anyone in the county, not just St. George City residents.

Next, there is a St. George City $75 rebate incentive to replace old toilets with more water efficient models. You must meet the criteria, but it doesn’t hurt to check.

If you aren’t a St. George City resident, you can take advantage of the same deal only through a Washington County $75 rebate incentive. You can’t take advantage of both. St. George City residents are not eligible for the County rebate, so click on the correct link.

There are Washington County Rebates for retrofits on your irrigation systems as well. These are available to single family homes (up to $500), Commercial/Multi-family properties (up to $1000), and Institutions (up to $1500). Check out the requirements.

Washington City residents be aware of the Washington City lawn watering ordinance, landscapes should only be watered between 8 p.m. and 10 a.m., April thru October.

Now, don’t forget some of these simple things:

• Turn the water off while you brush your teeth. Can save 1.5 gallons per minute.
• Keep your shower to 5 minutes. Saves up to 1000 gallons a month.
• Don’t use running water to thaw food.
• Soak your pots and pans instead of letting the water run while you scrape them clean.
• Plug the bathtub before turning the water on, then adjust the temperature of the tub.

There are a hundred more suggestions at “100+ Ways to Conserve”.

Love our Desert! Love living Here! Let me help you find a place to live here.

Call Chris at 435-313-3966

Or Visit www.whystgeorge.com