The Aspens are changing

It is officially fall and the Aspens in mountain country are beautiful! I spent the weekend walking among them and admiring all the colors.

The drive to the trailhead

The trailhead

Enjoying the hike

The hike was just outside of Edwards. It was a there and back hike of about 4.5 or 5 miles depending on how far you walk. The trail itself goes about 12 miles to Beaver Creek and then on to Vail if you are really adventurous. The name of the trailhead was East Lake, however, we never really came across a lake. We saw on down in the valley, but never a good view. 

Overall, a great afternoon hike to enjoy the changing of colors!!!

Lily Pad Pond

This hike was a grand adventure, because unlike my other hikes this was not a there and back trip. This was a through hike or point to point.
So I rode the bus! The Summit Stage in Summit County is awesome and gets you pretty much anywhere you need to go, so I utilized it this way I didn't have to leave my car somewhere and then figure out how to get back to it.

The hike started at the top of Wilderness and ended in Frisco. The main highlight is when you get to the highest point of the hike there is a lake with lily pads all over it. Then from there it is all downhill into Frisco.

This is Buffalo Mountain -->

The walk down was pretty easy and it had a great view of the valley and Lake Dillon.

Once I got to the bottom of the trail I realized that I was on the wrong side of the interstate and the Frisco Bus station was directly across it, but there was no way I was playing Frogger and crossing the interstate. I knew there was an overpass about 1/2 a mile away so I headed for it and made a safe crossing. The best part was I made it to the bus station walked on my bus and it pulled out on its way to Dillon. Timing was definitely in my favor!

Overall a great hike and really pretty easy only 3.5 miles and fantastic scenery. 

Lower Cataract Lake

For my hike yesterday I headed north and near Heeney, CO.

Once I got off of the highway I drove along a windy road and then down a dirt path and onto National Forest land. There were a few trailheads in the area and I stopped at the one I thought to be the start of the Lower Cataract Lake Loop. After hiking about 1/2 a mile I realized this is not getting me any closer to a lake that should have been less than 100yrds from the trailhead. So I turned around and hiked back out. I looked all over and walked up the stream and still no lake. 

I went back to my car and consulted my book and it looked like I was in the right place until I started reading the description of what the trailhead looked like. I was not by a fence or outhouse. I got in my car and drove about 3/4 of a mile more along the road and there was a fence! Parked and headed down the trail again. 

And with in a few feet this view opened up and I know I'd found the lake!

The loop is a little over 2 miles all around the lake and a pretty easy walk. It is great for an afternoon stroll. I saw a few people fishing and there are picnic tables for lunch. 

On the other side of the lake is a waterfall.

A view of the leaves changing colors and if you can tell there is a dusting of snow on top of the mountains in the background.

You can almost see the waterfall coming down just below the snow dusted mountains. 

Mt Royal

There is a mountain in Frisco that I admired every time I drove into the city. In the winter it always has just the right amount of snow, but now it is craggy and stands out, because of the lack of trees. Its summit is brown and rocky versus the others around it that are covered with green trees.

            I decided to go for a hike in the Frisco area the other day and just picked a trail that was in my hiking guide. The trail was named Masontown in the book and told of ruins from an old mining town up the hill a little ways from Frisco. There was an option that went further up the mountain called Mt. Royal, but the main focus was this old mining town. I chose this trail just to see the old ruins.

            I made it to the ruins within 15/20 min and there really wasn’t a lot to see. Old steel junk and a few bricks from an old foundation. Apparently, while the citizens of Masontown where in Frisco for a New Years Eve party an avalanche came through and demolished the town in 1926. I see a good side and a bad side to this. Good that everyone was in town, bad that they built the city on an avalanche shoot. I would imagine that is why they never seriously considered rebuilding the town.

            After seeing the ruins I decided to continue up and go for the Mt Royal option. I assumed that I would have a great view of the Dillon Reservoir. I had packed a few things to have a picnic lunch and decided that looking out over the lake was a perfect way to eat my lunch. So I hiked. At the summit of Mt Royal there was no view of the lake since the trees were in the way, but I noticed a path heading in a direction that should allow for a pretty good view. Naturally I followed it and was greatly rewarded! I had ended up on top of that craggy beautiful mountain that I admired every time I drove in the direction of Frisco! It was a wonderful surprise and I had an amazing view of the lake. I really hit the jackpot on hikes for the day.

            I stayed on my craggy oasis for a couple of hours reflecting on life, enjoying the cool breeze and snacking on my picnic lunch. It was an incredible afternoon. 

Quandary Peak

My first 14er!

This is an absolutely beautiful hike! You can see for miles; Summit and Eagle Counties, Buena Vista and beyond. It’s pretty spectacular. This is one of the easier 14ers, but don’t be deceived it still is 14,000 feet up. I had not been hiking and decided that this was the one for me. Let me tell you my legs hurt for a few days after and I questioned whether I would really summit or not.

            The morning start well before the sun came up, but was nice and warm by the time I made it to the summit. This is definitely they way to start the hike, early in the morning. By midday there were so many people hiking it was crazy, getting early start let me beat the crowd.

           

You start out hiking through the trees and it’s a well-set path and the trees are pretty dense. They gradually start thinning out and then are gone. Here is the beginning of the views and they just keep getting better. Once out of the trees you will think you are getting close to the top, but that’s just the first hump, there is still another 1,000 or so feet left. Out of the trees it gets rocky and stays rocky. Going up this isn’t to big of a deal, but on the way down, be careful. The rocks are loose and make the path down a little sketchy. The picture on the right is on top of the first hump with a view of the actual summit in the distance. 

            

On the hike we were able to see some mountain goats. They were really familiar with people and let us get pretty close.

           

            Overall, a great Saturday morning endeavor. Just make sure to bring and apply lots and lots of sunscreen. I put it on 3 or 4 times and was still a little pink at the end of the day. And drink more water than you think you can handle. The combination of hiking and being so high up in the altitude is a little rough. I’ve found that having some fruit is a great refresher while hiking.

            Most of all just enjoy all the beautiful views. Take in a deep breath of mountain air and smell the pines. Just stand in awe of the grandness of it all.

 

ITMI – San Francisco

What a whirlwind. A Friday afternoon decision and turned into a Sunday afternoon plane ticket.

I love traveling. It’s one of those activities that gets me excited and the joy lasts well after the trip. Every time I look at pictures from a past trip its like I’m there again. Meeting people along the way makes traveling complete. Everyone you meet has a different story and everyone is willing to share. It fascinates me how no two people can have the same story. The thrill of finding out someone’s story is half the fun of hearing it.

            The pursuit of traveling for a living is what took me to San Fran, but making new friends and hearing new stories is what kept me there. I signed up for a training class, but I ended up with lifetime friends.

            If you ever go to San Fran make sure and don’t ask me what to do. I will give you more information than you will know what to do with. I know the ins and outs of that wonderfully foggy city now.

            When you are there and looking for sunshine head south or east. To the south is the Big Sur highway and one of the most beautiful drives in the world. And I say that having been on a lot of roads around the world. Make sure and stop at the Bixby Bridge for a great photo opportunity. East brings you to Berkeley and the wonderful University of California Berkeley campus. If class is in session make sure and stop by if not just enjoy the beautiful landscape and architecture.

            I started my San Francisco journey looking for a job and left San Francisco knowing that I had found a career I could enjoy for a long while. 

http://www.itmitourtraining.com/

Denver-Norway Interchange

In February I became involved with an organization called CISV http://www.cisv.org/.  As an international Peace Education organization, CISV inspires action through our community of volunteers worldwide and our global network of local Chapters, educational programmes and projects. In the belief that our Peace Education experience is something everyone can gain from, we have programmes for all ages, starting with 11-year old children.

            Interchange is the program I was involved in over the summer. From the end of February to the middle of March I met with various families and 14/15 year olds to see who was interested in the program and was a good fit. By the end of March there were 5 girls ready and willing to be a part of the Interchange.  I met regularly with the family and the girls to plan out what we would do for the two weeks that the Norwegian delegation was in Denver. By the time the delegation arrived at the end of June we had a wide array of activities including a musical production of Hairspray, shopping on 16^th Street Mall, going to Steamboat for the hot springs and a rodeo and a few other site seeing activities.

            June 27^th the Norwegian delegation arrived and the fun began. All of our activities went over smoothly and we really bonded and connected with each other. The ten girls and the Norwegian leader had become like family to us! Then August 14^th I took the Denver delegates to Norway for the reciprocal two weeks.

            It always fascinates me to go to another country and to live with locals and not stay in a hostel or hotel. I feel like I get a genuine sense of what it would be like if I had grown up there.

            Things I learned while in Norway:

1)    Brown cheese is delicious, especially for breakfast

2)    Waffles with strawberries on them make the best dessert

3)    The strawberries must be from Norway. Being so close to the Arctic Circle the fruit gets a few mores hours of sunlight than normal fruit does making it that much sweeter.

4)    One piece bathing suits are not allowed on the beach

5)    Unless the sun is shining the ocean is too cold to swim in

6)    The ocean is not as salty for what ever reason

7)    The cost of living is 3x as much as America

8)    The minimum wage is 3x that of Americas

9)    Fjords are more prevalent in Finland

10) Finland is not considered Scandinavian, but Iceland is

*** I have new friends in Norway! And will always be welcome there***

Spring is the time for TRAVEL

After working a few months for Vail Resorts I took a sabbatical to see part of America. The traveling season started out with a 5 day trek of the Grand Canyon. If going is not on your Bucket List it should be. Pictures cannot adequately portray the magnificent views and just how big the canyon is.  Being down at the bottom at Phantom Ranch is an experience not to miss as well. For those who aren't up to the 9.6 mile hike down and then back up there are mules to transport you and your backpack!

Next was a trip to California. Being an employee of Vail Resorts allowed me to snowboard at Heavenly Ski Resort for free. This was stop number one! Then on to San Francisco and down Highway 1. Cayucos is this beautiful little beach town and was stop number 3. LA was stop 4 and then on to Laguna Beach for a wonderful few days of rest and relaxation.

Philadelphia was the next trip.

I concluded the traveling season with a trip back home for a wedding at the end of May! Congrats!

The Man That Didn't Fit In

Instead of snowboarding this morning I went to one of the local coffee shops to snuggle up with a good book and a fresh cup of Joe. While I was sitting there I noticed a poem on the wall by Robert Service. I googled it later and it was only the first stanza, but I really felt like it fit in with this blog.

The Men That Don't Fit In

There's a race of men that don't fit in,
A race that can't stay still;
So they break the hearts of kith and kin,
And they roam the world at will.
They range the field and they rove the flood,
And they climb the mountain's crest;
Theirs is the curse of the gypsy blood,
And they don't know how to rest.

If they just went straight they might go far;
They are strong and brave and true;
But they're always tired of the things that are,
And they want the strange and new.
They say: "Could I find my proper groove,
What a deep mark I would make!"
So they chop and change,
and each fresh move Is only a fresh mistake.

And each forgets, as he strips and runs
With a brilliant, fitful pace,
It's the steady, quiet, plodding ones
Who win in the lifelong race.
And each forgets that his youth has fled,
Forgets that his prime is past,
Till he stands one day,
with a hope that's dead,
In the glare of the truth at last.

He has failed, he has failed;
he has missed his chance;
He has just done things by half.
Life's been a jolly good joke on him,
And now is the time to laugh.
Ha, ha! He is one of the Legion Lost;
He was never meant to win;
He's a rolling stone,
and it's bred in the bone; 
He's a man who won't fit in

Skiing Beaver Creek

EpicMix: an RF chip inside my ski pass that logs all of the runs I take. It counts vertical feet and days on the mountain.
Todays Goal: 36,000ft (about 18 lift rides)
Todays Goal: Accomplished without wearing my knee brace
This puts me at 29 days on the mountain and well over 300,000 ft for the season.

The best part of the day was the end actually. I had such a sense of accomplishment for not wearing my knee brace. There was this moment that was completely freeing! I don't feel like I am held back by it any more. I can no longer use my knee as an accuse for not participating in physical activities.

Bees Knees

Over the course of my last few snowboarding days I've gone without wearing my knee brace. The first time was an accident and I just forgot to put it on before hitting the slopes. I took it easy for the first hour or so, but I soon realized my knee was taking the mogul and tree runs just fine. After a 4 hour day I didn't need ibuprofen. I gave it another shot this morning at A-Basin to find the same results. After an hour of intense moguls and steeps I was still doing great!
This is a huge improvement and blessing! I can tell that my body is really loving the exercise I've been able to get in up here, but I had no idea that it was helping my knee so much. I've felt like it has held me back a little the last few years, but being able to snowboard without my brace is incredible. I never thought I would be able to do that again. It's a relief to shed that un-needed baggage.
I'm continuing to work out and snowboard. I can't wait to see just how "in shape" I can get this winter. I'll be ready for swim suit season when it gets here
: )

Sub-Arctic Snowboarding

Merry Christmas to me! I bought a new pair of bindings for my snowboard and I put them on last night. So naturally I wanted to test them out today seeing as it was my day off. When I woke up this morning at 9:30 the temperature hadn't made it above 0 degrees. I made it to the mountain at about noon and was super excited to get a few runs in regardless of the temperature. The first few runs were great! I didn't notice the fact that the temperature was at a daytime high of 2 degrees. After about 5 runs my toes were COLD! So I rested for a few minutes in one of the warming huts. It was all down hill from there. The second time out I got 3 runs in before I wanted inside and then I did 2 runs for my last outing of the day. By then the sun had gone behind the clouds and the temperature had dropped. So I called it a day. Overall though, for sub-arctic temperatures it was a fairly successful day! And my new bindings are great!

The Tire Saga

One of the discoveries I made early on upon arriving in Colorado was that my car is not ideal. Having front wheel drive is a plus, but my car is small and was not equipped for the snow. What seemed like an easy fix was to get studded snow tires. I was told by numerous people that it would make driving in the snow and ice much easier and safer for everyone involved. I did some research and found out that the lowest priced tires and installation were going to cost over $500, so I had my Dad do some bargain shopping for me on craigslist for some less expensive tires. After a few phone calls I finally found someone who still had the tires for sale. We made the transaction and I set up an appointment to have them put on my car for the next day. I was elated! It had started to snow again and I was ready to test out my new tires. While I was waiting at the auto shop the mechanic comes out and says "Ma'am, I hate to tell you this, but your tires are the wrong size." He then explained to me that my car had 15" rims and the ones I had bought were 14" rims. So the search continued to find tires for my car. About a weeks later and a lot more phone conversations I found a guy with 15" rim tires already on rims. This was perfect. One of the tires did have a blemish and might need replacing, but that was an easy problem to solve. Buying one tire would be still within my budget. We arranged a time to meet and I thought I would finally get tires. About an hour before our meeting time he calls me to say that the tires mysteriously disappeared out of his car and if he figured out where they went he would let me know. A week and a half almost two weeks went by and I had forgotten about them and had been searching for other tires. He called me and said his friend had taken the tires as a joke and they were still for sale if I wanted them. We met, they fit my car and I ordered the other tire. So for a weekend I had 7 tires in my car! I got all four tires on my car a week ago and got to test them out last night and today. It has snowed about 5" and the tires work marvelously! I didn't think it would make such a big difference, but it has. I feel my car grip the road better than with my Oklahoma tires. This is probably the best investment I have made! Now I just need to get rid of the 14" tires.

The Journey

I find it ironic, but also a typical God move, that I named my blog “The Nomad” and what I have been learning about Christ and my faith has dealt with “journey,” so I though I would share a little of what I’ve been learning with you. It is pretty cool and makes me feel like I’m on the right track in life. Maybe not where I saw myself, but exactly where God needs me to be, to grow me into who I need to be.

From The Call by Os Guiness

            A follower of the Way is to see life as a journey, which, while we are still alive on the earth, is an incomplete journey that cannot be finally assessed[1].

            For those who live life as a journey and see faith as a journey, calling has an obvious implication. It reminds us that we are all still at different stages on the way and none of us alive has yet arrived.[2] Trouble comes when we forget this fact and pretend that life is static and settled[3], as if everything were a matter of sharp lines, clear boundaries[4], precise labels, and final assessments. So that some are in, some out; some have arrived, others not.

Certainly we who follow Christ know why we have lost our original home[5]. We know the home to which we are going[6]. And we know not only the One who awaits us there, who makes it home[7], but also the One who goes with us[8] on the journey. But we are still on a journey, and we are truly travelers. We are not wanderers, but we are wayfarers[9]. We have discovered that He is the way, but we are still on the road. Our faith is a pilgrim faith essentially at odds with place and settlement[10].

---

[1] Always a traveler; never settled. This fits my life so perfectly. I feel like I am a living representation of this.

[2] Isn’t it reassuring to know that no one has actually “arrived.” And if they say they have come to this ultimate place of “being” they have completely missed the point of following the way. You can never arrive while on earth. It will always be a search and a journey.

[3] This is awesome to hear! I would never think of my life as static and it never should be.

[4] There is no black and white. God doesn’t work inside the lines.

[5] Darn you serpent!

[6] Yeah for Heaven! It truly will be a glorious place.

[7] He has a special place just for me. I can’t wait to see what it will look like.

[8] Thank you Holy Spirit for guiding me through this journey.

[9] Wanderer: aimless and without direction. Wayfarer: a traveler on foot. A wayfarer has a destination, but a hard journey ahead. A wanderer has no final plans and just stumbles along. I may be wandering aimlessly trying to find my place in this physical life, but on my spiritual journey there is purpose.

[10] Could this be the reason that I always feel so unsettled? I’m always at odds with this life. I may never feel “settled” until I reach my final resting place. I do feel at odds with the world. Like my lifestyle doesn’t fit here.