So, I decided the burning desire to do another long trail is tearing me apart and I need to do something locally to quell that desire! Here is what I have in mind:
Golden Foothills Foot Tour!
On 16 September 2011, I will embark on my day long journey from my house and back! I know that sounds short; however, there is a large loop of ascents and descents in there!
Early on the 16th I will depart from my home (located near 6th ave & Simms street). From home I will head towards Colorado Mills Mall/Denver West. Behind Denver West is South Table Mountain. I will traverse that open space park in to Golden proper. Since that trail comes down to 19th street in Golden, I will then follow 19th across 6th avenue to begin my ascent of Lookout Mountain. Chimney Gulch Trail to Lookout Mountain Trail across the top to Apex trail where I will descend to Highway 40. I will carefully walk up Highway 40 to Mathews Winters Park where I will hike over the Morrison Slide Trail towards Red Rocks. That trail then joins up with the hogback which divides C470 from Red Rocks Amphitheater. In the middle of the hogback is the zorro trail which takes me over to the Rooney Road Parking lot for Green Mountain. My last ascent and descent of the day (other than the ascent up to my home) will be over Green Mountain. The total mileage I am assuming to be about 30+ miles. It should be a nice challenge to under take.
Currently, my training plan looks like this:
11 July; Monday - time/distance check south table, lookout, and apex. 15miles @ ~6hrs
3 August; Wednesday - time/distance check lookout, apex, mathews winters, hogback.
A couple weeks after the 3 August test, I will do a test of mathews winters, hogback, and green mountain. Then it will be time for all of it together. Once I have gotten a little more data from my tests, I will post estimated time and distance of loop! It will be pieced together by my readings from my Garmin, but they should be pretty decent!
The hiking makes me happy!
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
Wishy Washy
Today, I am hiking the Colorado Trail...or so I think!
Tomorrow, I am going to go an exotic vacation with my husband...or so I think!
Finally, I have decided it is time to give back to the community. So, instead of hiking the Colorado Trail this summer, I am going to help build/repair some of our major trails. American Hiking Society has what they call Volunteer Vacations. Basically, you pay money to go stay in the woods and build/repair some of the most beautiful trails in our country. I am looking forward to being what I always referred to as the true Trail Angels of the Appalachian Trail...the trail maintainer! It should be rewarding.
When I looked at the Colorado Trail and where my life is at the moment, I realized now is not the time. In another 4 years, I will be hopefully hiking the PCT, and right now I need to work on my finances to make such a journey easier. So, to be able to help maintain the trails and possibly in the future be a crew leader for such excursions would be a dream come true.
Every day is a journey of adventure. I meet people of all walks of life from my bus commute to my retail position. They all inspire me and touch me in some way whether they know it or not. I look forward to giving back to the world the true goodness of my heart! It is always obtained by helping share nature with others!
Tomorrow, I am going to go an exotic vacation with my husband...or so I think!
Finally, I have decided it is time to give back to the community. So, instead of hiking the Colorado Trail this summer, I am going to help build/repair some of our major trails. American Hiking Society has what they call Volunteer Vacations. Basically, you pay money to go stay in the woods and build/repair some of the most beautiful trails in our country. I am looking forward to being what I always referred to as the true Trail Angels of the Appalachian Trail...the trail maintainer! It should be rewarding.
When I looked at the Colorado Trail and where my life is at the moment, I realized now is not the time. In another 4 years, I will be hopefully hiking the PCT, and right now I need to work on my finances to make such a journey easier. So, to be able to help maintain the trails and possibly in the future be a crew leader for such excursions would be a dream come true.
Every day is a journey of adventure. I meet people of all walks of life from my bus commute to my retail position. They all inspire me and touch me in some way whether they know it or not. I look forward to giving back to the world the true goodness of my heart! It is always obtained by helping share nature with others!
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Wandering Heart
It is time for this wanderer to return to the woods. It is not as long as the Appalachian Trail; however, it should at least feed the need to walk amongst the energy of nature and find inner peace. Come this summer, I will find myself backpacking the entire Colorado Trail. Sometimes, it feels like it cannot come soon enough, but I know before I even have a real chance to plan it I will be out there doing the best I can with just the stuff on my back!
Now, many might think I am selfish for going out on this journey while my husband stays home and continues to fight the battle against his cancer on his own. On some level, you are correct! It is extremely selfish! At the same time, I am told I need to take care of myself in order to give my husband the best care possible during his fight. The day he was diagnosed with GIST was the day I died. Since that day, I have been basically worthless to him anyway. This trek along the Colorado Trail is part of my rejuvenation and strength building to deal with this terminal illness and hopefully chase it away all together!
Ok, so this still sounds like bull malarkey, right? Well, it is hard to keep spirits high and fight the depression that comes with learning you have a terminal illness when you yourself have been sunk by depression. In the first year and a half of his cancer treatment, I tried as hard as possible to run from it and keep my spirits up by simply avoiding. Now, I am waking up and realizing all that did was help to sink my ship in the swamp of sadness!
Many are asking why such a long trip? Can't I just go out for a week? For me, there is no strength in a week long backpacking trip. There is something to be said for spending a month in the woods alone living off my common sense skills and the stuff in my backpack. On the top of a mountain, I converse with mother nature when the opportunity presents itself. From the valleys, I send her thanks for the nutrients she provides in her rivers and streams. Mother nature nourishes me through perseverance and beauty. She challenges me to focus on myself, which is a huge challenge in my life when surrounded by so many hurting and sad people. Within my soul, I am a happy person, but around others I am consumed! How is it there can be so much hurt and pain?
So, for this reason, I go to the woods to find solace in the warms of mother nature. She opens my eyes and makes me truly look within myself and walk away more connected throughout my body. It is through this I will be able to improve my care for my husband and stand by his side during this horrible battle! Through me I shall share mother nature's love with my husband!
Now, many might think I am selfish for going out on this journey while my husband stays home and continues to fight the battle against his cancer on his own. On some level, you are correct! It is extremely selfish! At the same time, I am told I need to take care of myself in order to give my husband the best care possible during his fight. The day he was diagnosed with GIST was the day I died. Since that day, I have been basically worthless to him anyway. This trek along the Colorado Trail is part of my rejuvenation and strength building to deal with this terminal illness and hopefully chase it away all together!
Ok, so this still sounds like bull malarkey, right? Well, it is hard to keep spirits high and fight the depression that comes with learning you have a terminal illness when you yourself have been sunk by depression. In the first year and a half of his cancer treatment, I tried as hard as possible to run from it and keep my spirits up by simply avoiding. Now, I am waking up and realizing all that did was help to sink my ship in the swamp of sadness!
Many are asking why such a long trip? Can't I just go out for a week? For me, there is no strength in a week long backpacking trip. There is something to be said for spending a month in the woods alone living off my common sense skills and the stuff in my backpack. On the top of a mountain, I converse with mother nature when the opportunity presents itself. From the valleys, I send her thanks for the nutrients she provides in her rivers and streams. Mother nature nourishes me through perseverance and beauty. She challenges me to focus on myself, which is a huge challenge in my life when surrounded by so many hurting and sad people. Within my soul, I am a happy person, but around others I am consumed! How is it there can be so much hurt and pain?
So, for this reason, I go to the woods to find solace in the warms of mother nature. She opens my eyes and makes me truly look within myself and walk away more connected throughout my body. It is through this I will be able to improve my care for my husband and stand by his side during this horrible battle! Through me I shall share mother nature's love with my husband!
Monday, December 21, 2009
Lost in a need for peace of motion
Reading my stories from the AT and working the industry I work fuel me more and more with the desire to lace up my shoes, pack up my pack, and take a walk. About a year ago my husband asked me about he and I going to do the PCT (pacific crest trail). I was overjoyed at the idea of him wanting to join me on such an endeavor. At the same time, I knew it was not something he really wanted to do and thus it would not happen. However, it has gotten the brain juices flowing.
Throughout my life I have always looked for the challenges to power myself forward. I cannot do things simply just to simply do things. Backpacking has been in my blood since birth. I joke about being born in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and how they drained the lower peninsula blood out of me and put that outdoorsy Yooper blood in me.
Never could my family keep me indoors. I'm still that way to some degree, but I find it harder to get out these days. Also, after having hiked the Appalachian Trail, getting outside takes on a whole different meaning.
As winter comes and summer is seen past that, I begin to plan my challenges for the year. Seeing as though I have been feeling overwhelmed with clutter, I am feeling it is time to take a long walk. It is not time for the PCT although I would greatly love to do that and think it is time to start researching that excursion. To keep my sanity, I am thinking of something shorter...the Colorado Trail. We will see whether that pans out of not.
All I know is that I need to get back to the simplicity of nature and living day to day versus caught somewhere between the pain of yesterday and the depressing hope of the future. I need to refocus and recenter myself. Now, to figure out the details of a short long trail hike!
Throughout my life I have always looked for the challenges to power myself forward. I cannot do things simply just to simply do things. Backpacking has been in my blood since birth. I joke about being born in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and how they drained the lower peninsula blood out of me and put that outdoorsy Yooper blood in me.
Never could my family keep me indoors. I'm still that way to some degree, but I find it harder to get out these days. Also, after having hiked the Appalachian Trail, getting outside takes on a whole different meaning.
As winter comes and summer is seen past that, I begin to plan my challenges for the year. Seeing as though I have been feeling overwhelmed with clutter, I am feeling it is time to take a long walk. It is not time for the PCT although I would greatly love to do that and think it is time to start researching that excursion. To keep my sanity, I am thinking of something shorter...the Colorado Trail. We will see whether that pans out of not.
All I know is that I need to get back to the simplicity of nature and living day to day versus caught somewhere between the pain of yesterday and the depressing hope of the future. I need to refocus and recenter myself. Now, to figure out the details of a short long trail hike!
Sunday, August 02, 2009
On the Trail Again
Argh! My heart aches to be hiking again. The pure joy of simplicity! Knowing I can handle anything that comes at me just with the use of those items I chose to put in my backpack! It is an amazing feeling to be so empowered!
So, the other day, I met friends who are currently hiking the entire Colorado Trail (~500miles from Denver to Durango) and brought them their resupply food. I got there a day early with the idea that I would meet them on the trail and stay the night with them before bringing them back in to resupply! After about 10miles out, I found myself extremely exhausted and worried about missing them. So, I turned around, drank the coke I brought for them, and headed back towards their car. In total, I did 20miles of backpacking that day only to end up back at the car, where I spent the evening, more or less!
The next day, I woke up early to make sure I was at the trail head to meet them bright and early. By 10am, I had not seen them and began to worry a little more. Having read a couple of short Stephen King stories and eaten tons of cherries, I decided it was time to get in motion again. So, I headed back up the trail to meet them. This time, I did it in my flip flops without a pack! It made me chuckle a little! :o)
At the pass and junction with the Colorado Trail, I once again met up with Apple, a trail angel for both the Appalachian Trail as well as the Colorado Trail. He is a retired IBM employee who enjoys assisting those who attempt the craziness of long distance hiking. At Lujan Pass, he had a cooler, tent, and chairs waiting for those hiking the Colorado Trail at this time. It was neat to read his log book and talk to him about the AT. We knew some of the same people and then one of the guys I met on the AT in 2005 had actually been through on the 5th of July. It was amazing and brought tears to my eyes as I remembered old times.
During my backpacking on Thursday to meet my friends (whom I never did meet that night), I found myself overwhelmed with emotions of wanting to be back on a long trail. The simplicity and the respect one receives by taking on such endeavors builds enormous amounts of self-esteem. I found myself breaking into tears and forcing myself to turn around for fear of never leaving the woods again and knowing I need to go back for my husband! Life feeds us a lot of responsibilities and challenges and we are not always lucky enough to be able to step outside of those challenges and take the outside view of it. Sometimes, we just have to jump in blinded by the unknown and hope for the best. The future is what we make of it and sometimes we just have to make it!
With that in mind, it is my intention to be back on a long trail again before I grow too old. Once you do one natural journey, it soaks through your veins until it causes you such discomfort that you have to go out again! The trails breed such communities one does not find in cities of any size! It reminds you of the humanity of people and we are not doomed to tragedy! Hiking and finding selfless people wanting to hear your story is where the honesty and integrity of a nation is seen first hand! The beauty of each of us is still there if only we all believe and embrace it.
That is why I long to be out again among those full of the love of nature and what it was truly given to us to teach...peace, love, and understanding...not to mention patience and kindness!
So, the other day, I met friends who are currently hiking the entire Colorado Trail (~500miles from Denver to Durango) and brought them their resupply food. I got there a day early with the idea that I would meet them on the trail and stay the night with them before bringing them back in to resupply! After about 10miles out, I found myself extremely exhausted and worried about missing them. So, I turned around, drank the coke I brought for them, and headed back towards their car. In total, I did 20miles of backpacking that day only to end up back at the car, where I spent the evening, more or less!
The next day, I woke up early to make sure I was at the trail head to meet them bright and early. By 10am, I had not seen them and began to worry a little more. Having read a couple of short Stephen King stories and eaten tons of cherries, I decided it was time to get in motion again. So, I headed back up the trail to meet them. This time, I did it in my flip flops without a pack! It made me chuckle a little! :o)
At the pass and junction with the Colorado Trail, I once again met up with Apple, a trail angel for both the Appalachian Trail as well as the Colorado Trail. He is a retired IBM employee who enjoys assisting those who attempt the craziness of long distance hiking. At Lujan Pass, he had a cooler, tent, and chairs waiting for those hiking the Colorado Trail at this time. It was neat to read his log book and talk to him about the AT. We knew some of the same people and then one of the guys I met on the AT in 2005 had actually been through on the 5th of July. It was amazing and brought tears to my eyes as I remembered old times.
During my backpacking on Thursday to meet my friends (whom I never did meet that night), I found myself overwhelmed with emotions of wanting to be back on a long trail. The simplicity and the respect one receives by taking on such endeavors builds enormous amounts of self-esteem. I found myself breaking into tears and forcing myself to turn around for fear of never leaving the woods again and knowing I need to go back for my husband! Life feeds us a lot of responsibilities and challenges and we are not always lucky enough to be able to step outside of those challenges and take the outside view of it. Sometimes, we just have to jump in blinded by the unknown and hope for the best. The future is what we make of it and sometimes we just have to make it!
With that in mind, it is my intention to be back on a long trail again before I grow too old. Once you do one natural journey, it soaks through your veins until it causes you such discomfort that you have to go out again! The trails breed such communities one does not find in cities of any size! It reminds you of the humanity of people and we are not doomed to tragedy! Hiking and finding selfless people wanting to hear your story is where the honesty and integrity of a nation is seen first hand! The beauty of each of us is still there if only we all believe and embrace it.
That is why I long to be out again among those full of the love of nature and what it was truly given to us to teach...peace, love, and understanding...not to mention patience and kindness!
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