Since I have spent the better part of my afternoon today figuring out the intricacies of this blogging thing the end result has been that I have pretty much barely left my seat today. But I refuse to feel guilty and I’ll tell you why. You see, yesterday my fella and I decided to make our second attempt to summit Pike’s Peak. Please note my begrudging use of the word “attempt”. This is because for the second time this year our hike ended in what could arguably be called failure.
Our first try at the mountain was back this past June. It was the first time either of us had attempted to climb the Peak and his first try at a 14er. It was also, as I said, freaking JUNE. It looked like this:
Pretty enough, yes, but this was the view from the bottom. With about 7500 feet to go. Where IS the actual peak, you ask? I have no idea. I know I am standing on part of it but we never got a glimpse of it all day. That day we made it halfway to the summit to Barr Camp (which is still a respectable 14 mile round trip) before being thwarted by thunder, hail and (rumors of) snow. We were disappointed. But we were also sort of dumb for trying so early in the season.
So yesterday we were ready! So ready in fact that:
1. We overslept.
2. My husband spent nearly half-an-hour-at-what-would-have-been-the-last-minute looking for his gloves (to no avail). I made good use of this time by tapping my foot, hhrumphing and generally not being very helpful. Whatever.
3. I downplayed the rather large blister on my left heel that I had incurred running in my hiking boots two days prior. What’s a 26 mile hike to a busted foot? I’d be fine!
At least the sky was cooperating though!
GORGEOUS!
Despite our late start though, we made very good time and were spurred on by the thought of our reward when all was done. That being a MASSIVE feast from our favorite thai restaurant and Kick-Ass courtesy of Netflix. Yay!
Did I mention I had a blister?
I stocked up on moleskin and brought extra replacement wool socks (I wore cotton ones because they looked better and I am rather vain. Vain and Dumb as it would turn out.) Good thing too because before we even got to Barr Camp I had to utilize both. And wound up wearing these:
Pretty fly, right? So they’re soccer socks (no, I don’t play soccer. I just like their socks). But at least they were the proper material. Good job me.
So onward we pressed to the Camp where we stopped for a quick snack and a short rest…and to persuade each other that, due to time, it was probably wise to go ahead and surrender our dreams for the summit and turn around. Surprisingly, it didn’t take much.
It’s not that we’re wusses. It’s just that it WAS getting late. And I was promised a drink at the bar when we got down. (We’ll go ahead and call this “full disclosure”.) Also, we were now instantly 12 miles closer to thai food! Win-win!
Except the thai place is closed on Mondays.
No joke.
So we made due with a (delicious) taco night and movie combo marred only by my accidental application of jalapeno juice onto my face (don’t ever do that by the way). Kick-Ass was entertaining and we finished up the evening with some Trivial Pursuit on Xbox.
So. Long (very long) story short…no exercise for this girl today! After our aborted hike I could barely get down the stairs this morning. I do, however have a belated thai feast on the way for me tonight!
Super long post for my very first one. Sorry? Not really.
Cheers to new beginnings!
we’ve kissed in the rain, hiked in a hailstorm, seen Wicked and Mary Poppins in Denver and became members of a local winery. Also saw Sweeney Todd (theatre first, Johnny Depp second), completed Insanity, saw cadavers courtesy of Body Works, The Nutcracker was onstage last December. We got to experience Strawberry Springs in Steamboat (gorgeous!), I turned thirty (and thirty-one for those of us keeping track…), we’ve danced at a wedding, we’ve panicked over our dog and I would wager that we’ve probably laughed at each other every single day. We have discovered a shared passion for food that has become a driving force and central theme to our vacations, our special occasions and our everyday lives.
A Life Like Mine 