Leaving California: The Long Good-bye

Fitting that there is a Raymond Chandler book and a Robert Altman movie (based on the book), called The Long Good-bye.  Emotional ups and downs along with cramming in packing, finishing school, training, tying up all sorts of loose ends at school - both personally and professionally -  along with seeing different groups of friends for a good-bye reunion marked the month of May and the beginning of June.  We are excited to move to Colorado, but we do so with sadness at leaving a place that has been our home for a substantial amount of time.  When I think of my Southern CA chapter, in particular, I can't ignore the major milestones that I experienced while living here: transitioned to married life, adopted 2 dogs, lost a dog, bought and sold a house.  I made and lost friends, grew as a teacher and took on new and different challenges at work and extracurricularly.  We definitely have built a life here, a very full and good one, so leaving is hard.

Since it's impossible to sum up 10 years in the LA area, plus another 3 years in the Central Coast area for me, I won't even try.  I never expected to live in California - it wasn't one of the places where I dreamed of living, I just sort of ended up here.  I'm not sure that I ever felt like a true "Californian" (not being blond and not surfing), but even as transplants, we both grew roots to the area which are painful to pull up as we move away.  We've had an amazing life here, have appreciated the great variety of people, places, and options, and I'll never forget the friendships we made and the experiences that we had.

So, for now, here is a quick good-bye:

The last morning on our front porch - enjoying a moment before starting the long drive to Boulder!  And, by the way, my feet really aren't huge, but they look crazy big in this photo!

There is more to say, and I suppose the title of the post is a bit misleading since, well, this is quite brief. I'm still taking in the fact that we are moving/have moved.  So, this move, while certainly not a surprise to us and something that we've wanted for years, IS bittersweet as I think about what we're leaving behind.  It's exciting but scary as I think about the unknown and the openness of what's to come.

And we're off! I drove the important cargo - bikes + dog! Essential items for a new life.

Spring Break 2015 - A move/train-cation!

I'm not complaining about my spring break, but I think that I need a vacation now that it's over!  Productive?  Check!  Fun?  Check!  Relaxing?  NO!

But, we made major progress on the imminent move to Boulder - by taking a truckload of stuff to Boulder at the beginning of the week and then flying back home.  

 Just getting started!

Taking a break - somewhere in the Mojave

Unloading!

The drive to Boulder was fairly uneventful - we didn't have weather issues, which was fortunate in the lovely U-Haul.  And, we spent the night in Winslow, AZ, which I wouldn't recommend to anyone, despite the Eagles' song that made it famous (or somewhat famous?). 

Boulder was a lot of unpacking and thinking about our next steps, but I mixed in some training while I was there, on the bike and running.  It was a bit of a challenge to motivate a few days thanks to the weather:

We arrived on Monday (a beautiful day, but after 12 hours or so in the car, I was more than ready for a stiff drink), and then Tuesday, I set out for a windy bike ride.  During said ride, I think my HR was at about 90% for 90% of the ride - I was white-knuckling it, just hoping that I didn't get blown over OR blown into traffic.  Wednesday, I was supposed to fit in a brick, but as you can see, it was going to be 46 degrees as a high, plus rain.  So, I set out for an early morning run, during which it rained, snowed and hailed on me.  Good times!  Finally, I squeezed in the brick Thursday before we flew back to CA.  Also, please note the weather on Friday and then Saturday!  It was strange to leave my Trek road bike, Sunshine, in Boulder - it's now just me and the Bat!

For the end of the break, I drove down to Oceanside, CA on Saturday to spectate Oceanside 70.3.  It's always tempting to sign up for this race, but when it rolls around, I'm usually SO relieved that I didn't.  But...  Maybe one day?!  It was a gorgeous day to be out spectating - a little bit warm, but not too crazy.  I missed the men's finish but saw Heather Jackson cross the finish line.  Wow, she is so amazing!  She raced and won Wildflower last year, and I saw her exit the water but didn't see the finish (obviously - I was somewhere on the bike course).  It was also great to see and cheer for a lot of people that I know. 



Saturday afternoon, I spent working on my swim technique - Beth Gerdes, my coach (I always feel like a fraud when I use that term, but what else should I call her?), was very kind enough to offer a session in their endless pool.  I was SUPER nervous about swimming in front of people and it was kind of weird to be on a 'swim treadmill', but I did get some great feedback and I know what I need to work on.  Then, Sunday morning, Beth and another one of her athletes (who lives in Pasadena and with whom I should train!) and I set out on a ride.  I have major bike riding route envy now - it was SUCH a nice ride.  Lots of rolling hills, rather than crazy steep ascents and descents, and very biker friendly.  Also, it was a wonderful day to ride, a bit foggy early on but then it burned off.  Finally, I was super nervous about riding with other people, especially a pro(!), but this other woman and I were really well matched.  I obviously need to just get over my anxiety about how terrible I am on the bike and develop some confidence once and for all!  Anyway, it was so generous of Beth to spend time Saturday and Sunday with us.  Not only is she an amazing athlete (recently 5th at IM Asia-Pacific!) but a really great coach too.

Anyway, I was really excited about getting in 4 bike rides last week - some of them weren't very fun and none was very fast, but I do feel better about St. George and about heading into the next few weeks (although thank goodness this is a recovery week! and thank goodness I have Friday off!).  

Also, we have made progress on the move to Colorado (I keep saying Boulder, but, really, we could be anywhere).  We will be putting our house up for sale within the next few weeks which seems totally crazy to me.

Hello, midlife crisis!

It's cliché but...

(Source)

I've officially decided that, yes, I am in the midst of a midlife crisis (and I started this post, somehow published it without finishing it, so maybe that's enough said, enough proof, do I really need to add other thoughts and/or examples?).

But, I think that this is where I am "at" in my life.  Mid-40s, lots of transitions right now, a healthy dose of uncertainty, and, yes, I'll take that crisis.

To be honest, I probably felt this coming on last year, but triathlon proved to be a fantastic diversion for most of the year, and then the fall is always a busy time with the return to school.  So, right about now - the February doldrums - the stars should align for that crisis moment.

Much of this is provoked by major changes that we are planning - good changes but stressful.  I've alluded to this before, so I should put it out there, although I kind of hate to make a life announcement in the same breath that I'm talking about a crisis.  Oh well, not much to do about that.   Yes, the major change - we finally decided to bite the bullet and move to Colorado this summer!  

(Source)

Not a bad place to be...  But, at the moment, I don't have a job yet and am kind of/really freaking out, even though it IS still premature.  However, with so many people in my life asking me about said job, it doesn't exactly calm me down.  And there are plenty of other "known unknowns" along with those "unknown unknowns" a la Rumsfeld.  

Before I focus too much on the anxiety that this change is provoking (or is a part of?), I have to say that the move to Colorado is NOT a midlife crisis decision.  It's actually something that we've wanted to do...  probably ever since we married.  Year after year, we return to Colorado at least twice to visit friends and family and to enjoy skiing, biking, hiking, you name it.  We definitely love the opportunities to pursue an active lifestyle there, but that isn't the only motivating factor - after all, we live in CA and there are plenty of opportunities here too!  Being closer to family and friends (we have several friends who have migrated to the Boulder/Denver area over the past few years) is a major factor, and, we feel that long-term, this is where we want to be.  Rather than continuing to delay the plan ("Maybe next year, maybe in five years..."), we decided that we needed to just do it, as Nike recommends.  

All of these changes are unfolding, and I am trying, without much success, to wrap my mind around the complex equation of finishing out my school year in an active and engaged manner, looking for a job (without taking rejection too hard), training for triathlon, and, the big one, picking up and moving - leaving friends, relationships, patterns that have all developed over 10 years.  It's a bit much to handle at times, but I'm trying!  

And to return to the midlife crisis moment - I can't totally separate it from all of the other changes happening in our lives.  It does provoke me, in a good way, to think about what's next and to think about what I want to do, how do I want to live.  These are questions that sprawl, once you pose them to yourself, and once they take up residency, they REALLY take up real estate in your brain.  Or they have for me.  Most days, I enjoy teaching, and on a good day, I *love* teaching, and Ican definitely see myself in the classroom until I retire, whenever that is.  On the other hand, I also think that I would be okay with stepping away from the classroom, or taking some sort of a break and doing something different.  But what that "different" is, I'm not sure.  Not knowing is kind of scary, and leaving a job that has been so rewarding in many ways while also secure does unsettle me quite a bit.  I think that it's a good moment in my life to be unsettled, but it's not easy.  I'm sure that there are about two dozen, if not more, quotes about things that aren't easy being well worth the challenge.  And I agree with that in theory, but living that experience is different.  

However, as much as I'm a bit afraid of the unknown, I'd also like to embrace it.  I used to pick up my life on a more regular basis, but I haven't in a while.  So, maybe I need to get used to the unknown again.  And, maybe I need to do the same for this little crisis -  embrace it, ride through the storm and see where I end up on the other side.

The 2014 Christmas edition

I know, I know, it's 2015 already yet I'm still stuck in 2014.  With the return to work looming (ack, tomorrow!), I want to express gratitude for the fun times that we had over the Christmas break with good friends and family in Colorado.  Although it made for a busier trip, I felt particularly lucky this year that we were able to see both sides of our families, spending time with Michael's family in Boulder and skiing with my family.

Our trip preparations included dressing up Gus in his Christmas costume.  He was a very unhappy doggie as an ice cream sundae.

As usual, we drove from Pasadena to Boulder, however, we stopped in Santa Fe this year rather than Flagstaff.  We arrived late and left early, so we couldn't fully appreciate the sights, but wow, is it a beautiful place at Christmas with the lights! Also, the sunrise to which we were treated as we left town was so beautiful - such pinks and blues!  I sometimes think that Georgia O'Keefe's work is a bit cheesy with all of the pink, but when I saw that sunrise, I thought - "Wow, she didn't make any of it up".

After a few quick days in Boulder (most of which we spent running errands, although we hit some of our favorite places - Salt, Backcountry Pizza which is notable for an outstanding beer list, and Southern Sun), we headed to Keystone, Colorado to meet up with my family.  This was a repeat of our trip two years ago which was fine by me.  We discovered that a ski trip suited everyone - giving us enough freedom yet still allowing us to be together.  One of our first stops was Keystone Village where I posed with the ice sculptures alongside my niece and nephews:

And then we spent the next few days skiing:

Michael, my brother, sister-in-law and I

 Panorama view of the mountains

More posing at the top of the mountain!

Michael taking a break.

The skiing was really great this year thanks to a few days of major snowfall right before we arrived (and the day of our arrival).  I don't ski all-out, super hard-core these days, largely because I'm nervous about injuring myself, but we had several great days out there.  What most surprised us was the lack of lift lines - we rarely had to wait at all, and when we did, the lines were quite short.  It was fun to see my niece and nephews on the slopes too.  We didn't ski too much with them, but they are becoming very good skiers and it's fun to watch them on slopes!

The last day was probably the warmest, so we got in one final morning before returning to Boulder for a New Year's Eve celebration.  We closed out 2014 and brought in 2015 with a competitive game of Cards Against Humanity, plenty of champagne and caps that Michael's mother made for all of us.

A motley crew

Boulder - The Flatirons with snow

We spent New Year's Day in Boulder - going for a walk, visiting family, and I even motivated for a New Year's Day run in the cold (for me, it was freezy!), the perfect way to start 2015.  It was a full Christmas/New Year's break, and while at times I missed the low-key nature that often defines our holidays, it was great to see so many people and share the holidays with them.  We definitely ate and drank and played pretty hard, and I'm now ready to focus on 2015 and all that it will bring!

Active recovery in Colorado

Shew - we returned to CA late last Friday night, driving from Breckenridge to Pasadena in one long day.  It is always strange to cover so many miles and to feel that one's surroundings change so dramatically in what is a relatively short period of time, especially if you think about those settlers who made the trip in the 19th century.  Back in CA, our time in Colorado seems at least a month or two ago, but really just 10 days ago, we were able to take in dramatic, alpine views and huff and puff as we walked up a stair or two!

We spent plenty of time in Boulder glued to the TV, watching the final week of the Tour de France (old news now, I know, but while the race for first place in the GC category was a bit of a snooze fest, things were interesting for 2nd and 3rd!), and hanging out with friends and family, but we also stayed reasonable active.   I recovered somewhat quickly from Vineman, going for a a few runs and rides in Boulder, but a nice long hike appealed to both of us.  For whatever reason, we rarely do a major hike in Boulder - usually we spend time with the dogs as they sniff and explore the Chautauqua trails, but we both wanted a bit more of a challenge and also a change to our typical Boulder routine.  So, consulting our slim yet trusty Boulder hiking guide and weighing the opinion of Michael's brother, we chose Heart Lake as our destination.  Close enough to Boulder, we didn't have to wake up at an ungodly hour and were still able to hit the trail by 8:00 am.  It was a great hike and I would recommend it to anyone who wants a somewhat challenging and beautiful hike.  We started in the woods, following a stream until we hit a lower lake, and then the ascent kicked in at the very end, but the views were more than worth it!

Starting out the hike

Taking a quick break

Close to a lower lake

Breaking for lunch with a view of Rollins Pass

 Looking towards Heart Lake and beyond

After Boulder, we headed to Breckenridge to visit my side of the family - aunt, uncle, parents and even a sibling!  Breckenridge was a bit less on the "active" and more on the "recovery"side, in part because of the weather which hovered around 65 degrees high!  I think that one day it didn't even break 55!  We still managed to walk my aunt and uncle's dog on a regular basis and explored a few local trails with my parents and brother.  Our first hike, to Lower Crystal Lake proved somewhat frustrating because of the guidebook which was fairly inaccurate about the trailhead and mileage and small details such as those and much of it was on a rocky fire road rather than a true trail.  For a while, I wasn't sure if we were on the right trail at all, but we lucked out!  We did have to cross a stream or two which at times challenged our balancing skills.  Just like the Boulder hike, we were in the trees for the first part of the hike, but then the trail opened up and we walked through alpine meadows.  Normally, I don't go ga-ga over wildflowers, but they seemed particularly amazing this year!  We finally made it to Lower Crystal Lake, which was well worth the effort - great views of granite cliffs, dramatic skies, and even some wildlife in the form of a marmot and some pikas.

Stream crossing 

Alpine meadows

Finally at our destination!

Yes, we all gave my mom grief about her hat.  

The view as we returned to the trailhead

The second hike was close to Dillon and quite a different landscape - it felt drier and almost like a trail that we would have close to where we live, except for the mountains in the background.  It was also a shorter and easier trail which came as a bit of a relief, to be honest. 

Lake Dillon in the background

Still plenty of wildflowers!

The last time we were in Breckenridge with my parents, the four of us climbed a 14er.  We discussed it, and Mt. Quandary would have been the logical choice because of its proximity to my aunt and uncle's, but we opted for less rigorous challenges this time around.  As much as I enjoy tackling something like Mt. Lincoln, I've learned that I don't have to constantly push myself.  It's nice, at times, to meander along, even if it means that we don't reach the upper lake or "bag" a peak.*  

It also means that Mt. Quandary is still there for us to tackle next time, along with Upper Crystal Lake!

*A few people would probably roll their eyes if they heard me espousing the "It's about the journey, man" philosophy.  

Colorado at Christmas - Play hard, suffer harder

Yes, it's 2013, and I've clearly missed all of the usual benchmarks (happy holidays! all the best of 2012! goals for 2013!).  Those may yet come, just delayed, a bit like this post which finds me back in balmy Southern CA.  Balmy, compared to the chilly temperatures in Colorado!

The short version of my break would be this: Indulged in almost every way possible - way too much food, drink, and adrenaline.  I don't regret the food and drink, but the adrenaline rush left me limping into the new year, literally, with a bruised tailbone.  I fear that this blog thing has veered from documenting my *awesome* life (please note the ironic tone) to a catalogue of woes and injuries.

Lest I complain too much, I should say that I had a great time in Colorado.  We had fun in Boulder as we finished up Christmas shopping and also bought cheese and booze for my family, whom we met met up with in Keystone for 6 days of fun in the snow.  Finally, we returned to Boulder for the new year.  Despite my apprehension about skiing, hitting the slopes was one of the highlights of the trip.  We arrived in Keystone on the 25th, and skied the 26th-29th.  Michael and I spent the first day on our own, finding our "ski legs", a quicker process than I expected, and then proceeded to explore most of the blues on the mountain over the next few days.  We enjoyed spending time on the slopes with different groups and people - various siblings and even my 74-year-old father!  Before our trip, I worried about my knee, as always, and I was concerned that some of my recent nagging pains would trouble me.  However, it appears that skiing is a great activity for someone suffering from plantar fasciitis and a weird hip pain because I had no issues with those on my skis!  We finished our days with plenty of good food and drink, and I usually played at least one or two games of foosball with my nephew to top off the night.

While in Keystone, I discovered the thrill that comes with tubing, an activity that I had observed and that seemed fairly innocuous, families schlepping their tube(s) up a hill and then heading down the hill with said tube.  We had reservations for tubing on Saturday night, and I wasn't feeling super excited about it, especially because the temperatures started to drop and it was well below 20 degrees by the time we started our tubing experience.  Still, it did look like fun in the informational video that we were required to watch before we headed out to the dark and grabbed our tubes.  This was NOT the idea that I had in my mind - there were 5 or 6 different "tracks" for tubing, music was blaring and disco lights were glowing.  Okay, I could have fun with this.  I decided to go down one "run" - Michael and I hooked on to each other, they gave us a hard spin and we were flying down the track!  I kept my eyes closed the first time down, and then decided that it was tons of fun and that we should do it again.  Which we did, and I kept my eyes open this time!  The third time (charm, supposedly?), we hooked up with my niece, going as a group of three, and we were on a different track, one that was much steeper, allowing for more speed and more air!  It was on this run that I met my tubing waterloo.  I was so focused on holding on to the two tubes that I forgot to concentrate on keeping my back up.  Big mistake - my backside took a pretty hard hit.  I tried to not freak out because my niece was there, but I called it a day, or a night, turning in my tube and waiting for everyone else in the group to finish.  Meanwhile, I kept cursing myself and my bad decision to participate in tubing, although how was I to know that it presented such dangers?  As my sister-in-law, a doctor, later said to me - "There is an age at which one can no longer do tubing.  It varies for everyone, but you are at that age."

After freaking out that I had seriously tweaked my back, I came to realize that I had probably *just* bruised my tailbone.  Definitely one of the worst bruises that I've ever had (and in one of the most inconvenient places), but I don't think that I'm suffering from long-term damage.  It did, however, put a bit of a damper on the rest of the trip for me, and I've been fairly grumpy, in part from lack of activity and in part from the ache-ness.  I did, however, learn an important lesson about tubing and my body - we do not get along!

I did feel somewhat gratified that I used the icepacks and the arnica gel that I took to Colorado with me.  Perhaps if I hadn't taken them, none of this would have happened?  Or maybe I would have had to invest in more packs and more arnica.  Who, by the way, travels with such accessories?  I do, obviously, and they sure came in handy!

Breckenridge - High altitude training

We arrived in Boulder yesterday after spending 4 pretty rockin' days in Breckenridge.  The visit there was a mix of vacation/relaxing, spending quality time with my aunt and uncle with whom we stayed, and training!  That was part of the plan when I signed up for the Boulder race - to arrive early and acclimate to the altitude.

We arrived last Saturday and did not immediately jump out of the car to go for a run, especially since it was more or less happy hour - wine, cheese and crackers, a daily ritual for my aunt and uncle.  However, starting early Sunday morning, we made an effort to be quite active at least once a day, often times twice.  The altitude definitely affected us throughout the week - each time that I thought that I had fully acclimated to the elevation, we had to walk up the steps of my aunt and uncle's house and found ourselves panting and dragging our bodies upstairs!  I hoped that spending time in Breckenridge would help me for next week's event (slight freak-out typing that) and I think that it will.  Last week was a pretty low-key week for a number of reasons, so it was nice to feel that I had a final week of "training" - and especially that I could fit in a good ride and some great runs at 10,000 feet!

The time in Breckenridge looked something like this, broken down by activity:
Running - Plenty of early morning runs, starting on day 1.  That first run, an "easy" out-and-back, left me huffing and puffing the whole time!  We also found some trails that challenged us, especially with the incline!  I soon grew accustomed to seeing a much slower pace than usual, but I tried to accept that, especially as my chest and legs felt like exploding on the uphill!  The only discouraging thing about running is that I felt just as tired on Thursday as I had on Sunday during our run.  So much for adjusting to the elevation!

Swimming - I have to thank my uncle for motivating me to swim.  Not that he is much of a swimmer, but he is committed to going to the Breckenridge Rec Center a few times a week for a workout, so I tagged along.  I was worried about swimming at altitude because I struggled so much last year.  Therefore,it relieved me that I was able to put in 2,00 yards a few times without feeling completely wiped out.  I also discovered that swimming in the long, competition pool for most of the summer has helped me!  The pool in Breckenridge is great but much shorter at only 25 yards!  Maybe I'll be ready to tackle 1.2 miles in just over a week?!

Biking - On Tuesday, we rode from Frisco up to Vail Pass and back.  We biked the same route last year and loved the experience, in part because it feels like a luxury to be on a bike path (although it can be frustrating because of all the families that are poking along - sorry to be an asshole!).  In comparison to last year, I think that we felt stronger and less winded on Tuesday when we finally arrived at the pass (10,662 feet!).  I had forgotten what a long haul uphill it is and that the "flats" on the way to the pass are not flats at all!  This definitely made the descent much quicker and tons of fun - we also enjoyed beautiful scenery and some speedy miles on the way back to Frisco.

Hiking - No "Fourteener" this year, but we squeezed in a hike to Mohawk Lake - there are two of them, but we just made it to the first one.  I was worried about returning to the house late for lunch, but I should have been thinking about the weather - as we stepped off the trail and on to the fire road, it started to rain and then HAIL and then rain again.  Funny, as we ran downhill to the car to get out of the rain and hail, I didn't even think about my lungs once!  We did not expect the storm at 11:00 am - definitely thought that we would be off the mountain by the time the typically afternoon showers hit.  So much for predictability.  I was happy that we were off the trail - parts of it were challenging while dry, so it would have been slow-going for us with the rain and hail.

As I think about hiking, one theme to which I seem to return time and again as I reflect on this training cycle - I do find that I miss other experiences because my focus is so narrow (swim, bike, run, swim, bike, run).  Perhaps this is just my own experience and other people doing tri's find a way to stay connected to other activities that they love, I'm not sure.  I'm thinking about hiking and how limited our hiking was this year.  Last year we 'bagged' a fourteener, and I would have loved to hike up another 14,000 foot peak, but we did not for two reasons.  First of all, I did not want to veer too far from my training schedule, as loose as it is, and secondly, I did not want to risk falling (I'm a klutz) or getting terrible blisters or just putting way too much stress on my body.  So, no fourteener for us this year, unfortunately.

Not that I'm feeling sorry for myself - being in the "High Country", as they call it here in Colorado, was amazing.  I logged in some decent mileage at a pretty high elevation, and even better, Michael and I enjoyed exploring areas around Breckenridge and had a great time with aunt and uncle.  Despite the lack of hiking, we balanced the stay in Breck between time with family, training and other activities, and some total rest and relaxation.  It was a great place to be for a few days!

And, on a final note - it does seem to have helped us acclimate!  Now that we are in Boulder, the breaths come with more ease, and I logged in 24 miles on the bike this morning at a relaxed pace.  Nothing too crazy, but I'll take it.

Road trip take II: Colorado

When Michael and I originally envisioned this summer (back in the fall or maybe winter months), the plan was to have a low-key summer. But then we planned the trip to the Pacific Northwest.  And even before that, I signed up for Boulder 70.3 for the beginning of August.  And I also agreed to spend time with students and colleagues in Nicaragua after Boulder.  Suddenly, the idea of "low-key" summer disappeared!  It has, however, been a summer full of miles on the road, visiting family and friends and exploring new haunts and old favorites, which I love.  Our first road trip afforded us the luxury to enjoy the time on the road.  This trip has been much more about getting to one destination and then another - Breckenridge now, and soon we'll be in Boulder - but we've enjoyed it just as much as our last trip.

After what seemed to be three very brief weeks after our last road trip, we set out for Colorado on Friday.  Surprisingly, we started to organize throughout the week, so packing up proved to be an easier task than expected.  Even more shocking (to me), we/Michael fit everything in the car, and we probably had some room to spare.  This surprised me because in addition to just road trip 'stuff' that we *had* to take (beer, food, wine, food, tequila), we were also transporting two dogs, two bikes, tons of gear and enough clothes for mountains, more mountains, and then tropical Central America.

On Friday, I taught my last summer school "class", turned in student comments, we ate lunch and then left, heading east.  It was Friday afternoon-ish, so of course we hit traffic as we headed east through the Mojave.  Once clear of Vegas, we cruised along at speed limits of 70 mph and upwards.  The scenery also improved, especially as we headed into Utah and passed through the southwestern part of the state right at dusk.  Really breathtaking, even when taken in from a car window.  We finally pulled into the lovely Motel 6 in Beaver, Utah around 10:30 pm, which was great because we were tired and did not care that we had to stay at a crappy locale (in more ways than one!).

We did appreciate that we were, like the song says, further on down the road when we woke up Saturday morning and could easily push on to Colorado.  After a good stop for lunch in Glenwood Springs, we arrived in Breckenridge mid-afternoon on Saturday.  Right in time for the afternoon rain showers and for wine, cheese and crackers with my aunt and uncle!  The days here have been full of outdoor activities and the nights full of conversations over beer, wine and margaritas.  We will head to Boulder later in the week, but for now, we're enjoying our time in the mountains!

Summer's end (Redux)

My first "Ode to the end of summer", my last post, was pretty much an ode to my slovenly side, something that really doesn't deserve too much recognition.  Also, I have tried to fully embrace this last day of summer, despite knowing that summer is expiring, sighing its final, dying breath.

So, I give you, in brief, our Summer 2011 wrap-up:

June started out with high hopes of adventure, which we put on hold while this guy dealt with a bladder stone operation:

He recovered before our whirlwind trip to the East Coast.  In two weeks, I bounced between DC, Delaware (of all places, where I learned how to manage people, at least in theory), NYC, Rhode Island and Boston!  We spent lots and lots of time with friends and family, and I suffered the loss/theft of my laptop.

Back in SoCal, we celebrated our 5th year wedding anniversary with an epic hike to "The Bridge To Nowhere".  Soon, however, we were on the road again and in Colorado where we spent time in Allens Park, Boulder and Breckenridge, visiting with more friends and family.  We also played a lot!

We collapsed upon our return to CA, before steeling ourselves for more family and friends - visiting US this time around!  And I capped off the summer with my last feat of physical endurance for a while - the Santa Barbara Triathlon.

In addition to the rather intense activity of coming and going and going and coming, I read a few good books (like this and this series).  It was, obviously, not the most intellectually engaged summer that I've had, but I feel okay about that.
I also spent way more time in the saddle than I ever had before, so I'll chalk that up to success.  My bike and I are almost friends now, although I still don't understand him/her/it!  Along the same vein, I attended many morning spinning classes, most with Rod, who is a total spinning guru.  This morning, I attended my final class given by Rod, at least for a few months, and I wanted to die.  Or to kill him.  Seriously.  How is it possible that I've worked hard all summer and I'm still a lame-ass in the saddle?!  Okay, moving on...
Michael and I also discovered a few new loves.  First of all, there is Umami Burger.  It is, quite simply, amazing.  I think that I could eat there every single week.  That did not happen, and we actually haven't been there since (GASP) July.  Must go back.

While in Boulder, we also fell in love with a few local products.  First of all, there is this granola that is pretty kick-ass:

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We particularly like the sweet cranberry pecan flavor.  

Thanks to our bus 'booze cruise', we discovered Avery Beer, and I am now obsessed and buy it whenever I see it in California.  "The Reverend" is one of my favorites, and it has nothing to do with the fact that I feel like a naughty school girl when I drink it!

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Finally, there were a few other highlights that added to our summer fun.  I'm a fan of summer sports events, but usually the non-traditionally American sort.  This summer was a bit of downer, considering that a few of my favorites lost (Rafa, the US Women's soccer team), but I *did* enjoy following the Tour, and Cadel Evans is my new boyfriend.  

On the food front, we indulged far too much in pizza and other less-than-healthy choices, but we did add to our own repertoire when we purchased a Weber charcoal grill.  It has revolutionized our cooking/grilling experience, and most of our cooking this summer seemed to involve throwing fish, chicken or an elk/bison burger on the grill.  Great fun, especially because we can look at the sky turn crazy colors as we wait for the food to cook.  Lots of oohs and aahs!

This wasn't a summer in which we explored totally new and exciting places, but familiar stomping grounds were good to visit.  Also, spending time with family and friends and bonding over beer or a Colorado 14-er (like Mt. Lincoln) enriches our lives and serves to remind me of the importance of those relationships.  Finally, Michael and I enjoyed having time together.  This is certainly a gift that we've tried to take advantage of the past few summers, knowing that his schedule may not always be so open.  

So, tonight, while there will be some panic on my part as I freak out about documents and classes and students, we will definitely celebrate summer's last evening!

Colorado adventures - Summer 2011

So, we've now been back two weeks, and I finally feel organized enough to review and reflect upon our annual pilgrimage to Colorado. We often find ourselves following the same routine when we visit Boulder, and although we hit up some of our favorite spots (Snarfs for sandwiches and Spruce Confections for coffee), we also tried to spend less time and money eating out on this visit, so we did not go to all of our favorite places. It also seemed to me that we didn't hike as much as we often do when we are in Colorado, but we did manage one epic climb at the end of our stay!

The focus of the trip was to visit family and friends, and we did spend lots AND LOTS of time with family and friends and varied up our visit a bit by spending two nights in Allens Park, CO, a tiny stop on the way up to the tourist hell that is Estes Park (we drove through Estes Park and then left immediately!). We took Gus and Milo and stayed in a fairly rustic cabin!

I also spent some time hanging around on the climbing wall! Michael's nephews were like spider monkeys as they scampered up multiple routes. I was a little less youthful, but I had a great time climbing! It was the first time in a few years that I'd climbed, so I didn't mind too much that my muscles tired easily. One thing that I love about climbing - you don't have to be an expert to enjoy the activity.

Another trip highlight - the "booze bus tour" that a group of us took. Here is our group, hanging out in the back of the bus!

This was after our Avery Brewery 'tour' - not that it was much of a tour of the brewery, but we did drink some mighty fine beers. I hadn't finished one of my tastings, so they let me take it on the bus where I finished it en route to our next brewery. I was obviously having fun and had started to feel the effects of the beer!

Michael and I are enjoying some liquid refreshment at the last brewery, Upslope.

And then there was the Boulder Stroke and Stride. Not one of my better moments, at least in terms of the swim, but the scenery was pretty beautiful. Here we are before the race - it's pretty casual.

I had a fairly strong start - I'm wearing the gray swim cap. I tried to ignore all of the people who were sporting Ironman gear (like the guy with the purple 70.3 cap right beside me), but that should have been a clue that it was going to be a competitive field.

Exiting the water after a slooooooow swim!

The transition! I would probably have a better time if I invested in a 'race belt', but I like being old school with the pins that hold up the bib.

The sky was pretty phenomenal - maybe that helped motivate me through the run?

Ah, almost at the finish line - with a nice downhill slope to push us along. That DEFINITELY helped!

Anyway, after lots of good times in Boulder, we went up to Breckenridge which is a mere 5,000 feet or so higher than Boulder! I thought that I had acclimated to the altitude, but the change in altitude pretty much destroyed that silly belief. The weather was fantastic in the mountains - chilly at night, and up to 70 or 75 max during the day. Perfect! We spent a few days in Breckenridge with my side of the family - aunt and uncle, cousins, and my parents.

On the penultimate day of our trip, we 'bagged' a 14-er thanks to my parents' request and/or insistence. A few years ago, they climbed up Mt. Democrat which stands at 14,148. Mt. Lincoln, another 14-er (or a mountain that is 14,000 feet or higher) is along the same trail, and they tried to summit BOTH in one day, which would have been an admirable feat. Unfortunately, the high winds served as a major deterrent, so they turned back. This year, however, they were determined to summit Mt. Lincoln, and Michael and I accompanied them, sometimes cheerfully, sometimes a bit more begrudgingly!

It was a beautiful day for a long hike, and we enjoyed some spectacular scenery along the way. Here we are approaching the trailhead:

This was early enough in the hike that I'm actually smiling, although I do think that the smile is a bit forced. The altitude was pretty tough - starting at around 12,00 and hiking a mere 2,000 feet UP.

At this point, we were on the ridge, approaching Mt. Lincoln, and it was COLD and WINDY! The views definitely helped, but I also focused on moving along so that I didn't get too cold!

But, we all eventually made it to the summit at 14,286! This is my third 14-er, and not that I'm a total peakbagger, but there is something rather thrilling about summiting a mountain. I believe that we felt more relief than any kind of triumph once re reached the summit. The descent was almost more difficult than the ascent (we were tired, it was rockier than I remembered and that was hard on the feet and joints!), but a hot bowl of soup and a cold beer followed by a nap helped me recover rather quickly!

Finally, on Friday, our very last day in Colorado, Michael and I managed to motivate ourselves to get on our bikes. This was the first trip that we had taken our bikes, and we both really enjoyed all of the miles that we covered in the saddle. We rode from Frisco to Vail Pass, a 22-mile round trip experience with a 1,600 foot climb. THAT was tough, but it was a great bike path and we felt pretty happy once we arrived at the pass:

The best thing about this bike ride? Once we started back from the pass, it was all downhill, obviously, so we cruised down and fully enjoyed the ride!

It seems that we just returned from Colorado yesterday, and in other ways, I feel that we've been settled into our typical routine at home for a while now. Either way, these photos do remind me of the good times and the mini-adventures that we had on this particular Colorado trip!