Colorado!

theatre, magic & Mars

Published March 23, 2018

Luckily, fit work ’round play. Longer days, warmer weather, lotta sunshine – first week of Spring 💐

Stephen arrived Friday before my Tobacco Road run & stayed the week. Super FUN having your bestie around – not just me: my pup Ro LOVED the daytime companionship. Long walks ‘round Waneka & no kennel stay while Dad marathons the 50 States a 2^nd time.

ALSO bestest excuse to blow a diet. Dined out every nite I didn’t order pizza, LOL> Just being a good Colorado host 🙂

Tuesday: magician Adam Trent

Couple months ago, local friend asked if I wanted to catch a show in Denver. First time at the Buell saw Broadway’s Jersey Boys. Kinda thought this was the same type of thing. That said, digged the audience interaction. People who go to Magic shows LOVE LOVE Magic shows. Lady beside me jumped outta her seat every time Adam Trent asked for a volunteer (sadly, she was never chosen).

GREAT energy, GREAT pre-show dining ❤ – my first “High-Tech Magic Extravaganza”.

Escape Mars – Thursday

Not my first rodeo – joined Sis & family escape a 1908 schoolroom in Frisco last May – but my first time escaping Mars. This adventure tagged Ash & Tom. Credit to Stephen for keyboarding the alien tune by ear. Mad skillz man. Unlocked the former astronauts’ computer, which opened a door to a secret room – accessed only by crawl space. That’s it, no more spoilers.

The first astronauts living on Mars have discovered something incredible, an alien tomb millions of years old. But before long their reports grew strange, disoriented. They exhibited signs of a mental collapse. Then vanished… Your crew is being sent to investigate the alien tomb and discover the fate of the lost scientists.

Locked in an alien Martian tomb with family – absolutely the BEST!!

Strolled Olde Town Arvada after. Dinner, ice cream & a retro candy shop. Not bad for a school nite, huh?

“Kiss Me Kate” – Friday

Dinner theatre for 4. Returned to our Thanksgiving venue, Candlelight Dinner Playhouse in Johnstown. LOVE LOVE the intimate setting at Boulder Dinner Theatre but the current year’s lineup: mighty weak. No interest. Good to have options.

Saturday morning flight for Stephen. Play time over? Well…maybe first a weekend hike. It IS Colorado.

: dinner & a MAGIC show

: first time escaping Mars 🙂

: dinner & a retro candy shop

: our quarterly theatre tradition

: seasonal haircut, it was time 🙂

magician Adam Trent

Sniktau SNOW summit

Published March 11, 2018

“The mountains are calling and I most go” – John Muir

Seems to happen every March. Maybe it’s just the season. Maybe it’s the newness of annual goals losing luster 2 months in & the reality of day-to-day training/the struggle for balance sets in. Whatever the itch, HUGE need for a mental reset.

Plan of attack: Snow hike in the high mountains.

4 weekends of marathoning. 4 different states, 3 different time zones. Body held up/only superficial injuries, just a matter of making peace with the travel. Out Friday nite/Saturday morning, home again Sunday evening. Amazing life opportunity to see so many new places (that little gem isn’t lost on me). Tired but SUPER appreciative. #luckyinlife

Saturday: mountain snow & wind. Hung with the pup; postponed my high peak retreat.

Sunday 4am: showered/backpacked, pup walked/everybody fed. West on I-70, turnoff just before the tunnel. Day’s climb goal: Mount Sniktau, directly across from Loveland Pass.

Gonna be a beautiful one. Sunrise not yet crested the first false summit. Light wind on a notorious windy peak. Attempted to snow-summit this peak in November 2013. Turned around in white-out conditions/blowing snow on the 2^nd false summit.

Mile UP to the first false summit. Good way to get your head back in the mountains. Three-quarters UP, morning sun peeped over the looming peak ahead. Stunning.

11/23/2013: Top of the first false summit – BEAUTIFUL! Quiet, stunning, everything WHITE. A-Basin, Keystone, Breckinridge & Loveland all visible. Grizzly Peak & Torreys too. Better than a class reunion – I missed you guys!

Switched out my water, downed half a burrito, repositioned the iPhone [camera] to my pants front pocket (battery was fast freezing in the backpack, now warmed against my right quad). Temp: 23 above. Light wind. Perfect day.

Easy hike. High wind from yesterday’s storm blew the ridge line free of snow. No crampons, no snow shoes – just stuck to Sniktau’s craggy rock ridge. Nice view of Grizzly Peak’s single track from the trail split below.

High above, quiet & alone.

Followed hoof tracks the last mile. Goat or sheep – too small for elk, elevation too high for deer. Lost 15 degrees fast, shielded my face from intermittent wind gusts/bitter cold. Sunshine blasted above. Pull down my bandana, nothing but SMILE 🙂

Slow summit push. Nothing crazy technical but weather conditions limited hand holds. Ice on Sniktau’s shady side, heavy snow where the sun cast. Slow & steady. AMAZING solo hike – only human on today’s snow SUMMIT. Cold thin air, surrounded by white.

360 degrees, every high peak, SNOW ❄❤⛄

: directly across from Loveland Pass, Colorado 13er on the Divide

: Sunday sunshine

: first false summit

: Grizzly Peak’s single track trek

: nothing but SMILE 🙂

: too small for elk, too high for deer

: no crampons, no snow shoes – just stuck to Sniktau’s craggy rock ridge

: slow & steady SUMMIT push

: 360 degrees, SNOW ❄️

Mount Sniktau 13,240ft

Climb on

Published January 20, 2018

Left one paradise (Hawaii), fast replaced it with another (Colorado). First ice climb in 2 years ❄

First time using Front Range Climbing Company in Lake George CO. Have always hired a climbing guide (twice in Alaska, thrice now in Colorado). They provide the gear (like all winter sports, crazy expensive) PLUS I tend to push harder knowing that if/when I slip, someone experienced has my back/completely covered on belay.

Easy drive south on I-25 to Colorado Springs. Exited west on Highway 24. Manitou Springs, Woodland Park, Divide, Florissant, Lake George. New roads, new places. ADDED 3 things to my summer wish list: Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center & the Mueller Marathon (trail race in Mueller State Park/Divide). If not this year, then 2019 🙂

Met up with climbing guide Dan at Starky’s General Store, then dirt-road travelled another 20 minutes to Elevenmile Canyon. Been a super mild winter this season, wondering if I’d see ice.

Short half-mile walk thru a local Boy Scout Camp (Camp Alexander), frozen river ice cascaded over Rankin Gulch. Boots/crampons, Helmet/goggles, Ice axe/tools & harness. Three different pitches. Would finish on the middle pitch, large ice lip challenge.

[Left Ro curled up in the Jeep. Tired pup. We off-leash hiked an hour before meeting up with Dan.]

On Belay. Belay on. Climbing. Climb on.

First pitch (far right): re-familiarized myself with the equipment, easy climb.

Second pitch (far left): less stable ice. Slipped twice, self-arrested w/ my axe. No panic, on belay. Remembered why I LOVE ice climbing. Polar opposite of road marathoning. It’s a thinking man’s sport. Stop, think, select your path. No set rule – YOUR path, YOUR comfort zone, climb to YOUR personal strengths.

Fast forward 2 hours: Middle pitch, last of the day.

Arms shaking. Could not pull my body over the lip. Backed down, hung for 5 minutes. Attempted again. Mentally spent, not happening. Dan asked if I wanted help. NO! I JUST WANT TO QUIT! Breathe. Better human response: WHAT WHAT should I do? Reach high on your left. Left foot dug in, right foot scrambling. Hanging from a poorly placed strike. I CAN’T DO THIS! Plant your right axe. Strike holds but my arm is burning/shaking like crazy. Pulled off my glove, threw it below. Cold is gonna propel me/Cold is my friend. Reached out & struck, reached out & struck again. Not a graceful finish (pushed up with a knee)…but finish I did.

Dinner in Deckers, overcast & windy, weather’s a changin’. Sunday FUN-day, Colorado holiday ❤