First Backpack Trip

Indian Peaks: Camp Dick to Red Deer Lake
We did a very nice and easy overnight this weekend in the Indian Peaks Wilderness. We started at Camp Dick, fairly close to Nederland, CO and about 8500 ft. elevation. From there we hiked up through a cool forest for about 4 miles until the trail opened up into a meadow full of wildflowers. Steep, rocky cliffs that seemed to be mid-crumble surround the meadow. We continued into the actual wilderness area and were soon rewarded with views of snow-capped peaks. The trail follows a fast-flowing creek and passes a rocky outcrop with views of a waterfall. At about 9800 ft. we headed up a fork in the trail to Red Deer lake. The lake remains hidden from view until the very end, where after short climb a snow covered cliff appears with a glistening alpine lake below (about 10,300 ft.).
We set up camp in a wooded area near the lake and explored. A very beautiful setting and a nice intro into mountain backpacking.

Lates Hikes Update!

Well it has been quite a while...just to update, we are now living in Boulder, CO and eager to enjoy all the natural wonders around us. We have tubed Boulder Creek- an exhilarating trip and gone on a few local hikes and one backpacking trip so far.
The first hike we did was the Canyon Loop Trail in the Betasso Preserve. 3.2 Miles- pretty easy. There were great views of Boulder and beyond and the trail winds through shady forests and into open vistas.
We hiked the Anne U. White Trail- also an easy trek, about 3 miles in Fourmile Canyon. It was shady and cool, and also very easy to get to.

The First Flatiron hike was a great trip. It starts in Chautauqua park and heads up a wide gravel road into switchbacks that pass through forest. There were several rock climbers tackling the mini Flatiron. From there we headed up a boulder field and a few more switchbacks until we reached an amazing view of the valley, some of the Indian Peals, and the other Flatirons.

The Amazon is a scary place

Yes, it has been awhile. But you, whoever you are, GO READ the book "The Lost City of Z" by David Grann. A great adventure story with history, science and anthropology thrown in the mix, it tells the story of one of the greatest exploration mysteries- the disappearance of Percy Fawcett and his party during their search for Z, a supposed Eldorado-like lost civilization in the Amazon. One thing becomes clear early on- the Amazon is a place where everything in nature it set against humankind-the bugs, the reptiles, the fish, the "native savages", the weather etc. I greedily devour exploration tales- Krakauer is a favorite and I am searching for a copy of Shackleton. It is so wonderful to hear about places on the planet that have yet to be corrupted and destroyed- that still hold a wild mystery to outsiders.

I've Gone Avocado Crazy!

Avocado is quite possibly nature's most sublime food. Recently I purchased a bag of them, since Trader Joe's only sells them 4 or 5 to a bag (how inconvenient, really). So I've found myself with excess avocados, but there really is no such thing. My only issue is that it takes them a few days to ripen, and now of course they are all ripe at once and must be eaten soon. I think I am up to the task, however. Last night we threw one in a salad-it lends a nice, mellow, creamy texture to contrast with crisp lettuce and veggies. Today I made a sandwich with low-fat cream cheese, veggie morningstar bacon and avocado (lettuce and tomatoes were not around but they'd be good in there too). What a satisfying concoction! I mashed up the leftover parts with some 3-pepper salsa and ate with tortilla chips. Can't let any go to waste! Tonight I plan on making a pizza with cheddar and swiss, veggie bacon and of course the last two avocados! Sorry for this little ode- my love is too great to keep silent. Thank you avocado for your spicy guacamole, beautiful color and creamy goodness. And they say you are a "healthy fat"- while I've never quite understood those, I can feel less guilty about gobbling you up several times a week! I am now seeking avocado ice cream- my heart melts at the thought!

Art that makes your hands bleed

So yesterday, on my precious day off, Jay and I decided to enjoy the sunny-but-still-chilly weather and take a walk in Untermeyer park in Yonkers. This park has a weird vibe about it, possibly due to urban legends involving occult rituals and Satanism and the supposed fact that David Berkowitz, or the Son of Sam serial killer, hung out there and murdered dogs there, as he lived across the street.
Anyway, it was still a beautiful day so we took a stroll to the "Eagle's nest," a stone portico overlooking the Hudson. Apparently this park, while it claims to close at dusk, has no enforcement whatsoever because the place is a literal trash dump of beer cans and broken glass. We wandered down amongst this debris and I decided to make the most of the glass graveyard. I began constructing a small mosaic, which I thought looked rather pretty glistening in the midday sun. As it was getting cold, I did not spend as much time on this endeavor as I should have, and hope to possibly go back and create more of a permanent "installation." I have always been a fan of street art, and greatly admire my s.o.'s various projects, but I had never thought of using trash and other "found objects" to create art. So if I can find a way to make this particular project work I will, and I will now be on the lookout for interesting trash elsewhere in the world.
(I would love to post pictures here but am being thwarted for some reason...they will appear if I can figure out how to get them on here)

A love for cowboys

So I saw "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" the other night. I was very impressed- by the acting and directing, but also the use of bushy-eyebrowed, cockeyed glances to build suspense. For instance, for the entire first 10 minutes or so of the film there is no dialogue. It is fun to impart one's own dialogue into these scenes, as everything transpires with a stone-cold stare from under a wide-brimmed hat.The music really makes this movie, and also becomes stuck in your head for the remainder of the evening. If only all of life's encounters were scored so dramatically. I also love the costumes- Clint Eastwood's coattails billowing in the wind, the spurs that give away the sneak attack, the ponchos. I think this may be the beginning of a long and dusty love affair.

there's a itchy-scratchy monster sneaking up my throat...

So to take a quick break from the laborious process of recounting this past summer, I have to say that being sick is awful, but knowing you are ABOUT TO GET SICK is almost worse. I awoke today feeling stuffy and a little out of it, but shrugged it off to a poor night's sleep. As the day progressed, my throat became more sore and now it is ragingly painful. Otherwise I have no symptoms, besides general fatigue/achy. To top this off, tomorrow is my first day of work at a new job! (Trader Joe's). I am trying to think positive and bolster my immunity with healthy thoughts.
On another note, I recently saw "My Bloody Valentine" in glorious 3-D. The ticket was close to $15, but I have to say it was more of a cinematic "experience" than most films nowadays. Sure, it played the 3-D gimmick for all it was worth, but isn't that what my hard-earned (or in this case boyfriend's) hard earned money is for? I mean, how often does one get to dodge a pick axe flying at their face, or cringe as some poor teen's blood drips off the screen? Cinema at its best folks. The only downside is that I may need a small fortune to see all these 3-D movies coming out soon.