Travel Bug - Biting Again

I want to couchsurf my way around the world. I get the impression that this is something Randy thinks I will grow out of, but this desire never goes away. Stupid day job and medical issues. I wonder how other people get around this stuff to make it happen.

Pike's Peak Photos

Oops! I am very very very late in posting these photos from the Pike's Peak climb. It went much better than I thought. I made it in the first half of the group and although it was very hard, it was very beautiful!

My day started with a 3:30am wake up and a van ride to the trailhead. Miles Zuniga (Fastball) who had played a set for us in the hotel lobby the night before (much to the chagrin of the wedding party who had reserved the adjacent space in the bar), sat next to me in the van and we chatted about guitar practice discipline and songwriting stuff and a bit of personal get-to-know-you kind of stuff. It was kind of cool to have a rock star conversation when I was too sleepy to be nervous about it. If I had been smart, I would have gotten a picture...but did I mention it was not even 5:00am?

At lunchtime, I arrived just a few minutes off the leader pace--at least that's what they told me. We had a nice long break here for food and rest and music. A folk singer played a few familiar songs and then John Common and Blinding Flashes of Light played. I was soooo impressed by them. They are really fantastic and to see a cello being played in the middle of nowhere with a beautiful view is an experience I won't soon forget.

I left with the first group from lunch because I knew I would need to go slower and didn't want to fall to the very back. When I couldn't keep up with the leader pace, I fell back but was still quite a way ahead of the next group. I was all alone in between and it was very solitary--in a good way. I put the Alarm on the ipod and thoroughly enjoyed that phase of the climb.

Speaking of the Alarm, I am in this video though you can't see me. I can make out Mick Thomson who was standing right next to me during this show back in January at the Gathering.)

When we got to the summit, Chris Carraba from Dashboard Confessional played us a few tunes, and it was pretty good. "Vindicated" was my favorite since it's the hit and the one I recognized. I confess that I'm not too familiar with DC.

The ride down was actually the hardest part. I made the mistake of sitting in the back seat of a large van on a long and winding downhill climb. My new friend Alan, who grew up in Wales til he was 9 and the only other Alarm fan on the trek, offered support, but I was just trying not to embarrass myself by hurling. I must have looked greener than my shirt.

I went to the after-party at Red Rocks and admit to being "not disappointed" when Brett Dennen could not perform due to the late arrival of the party bus and his impending stage time as opener for Michael Franti. We were entertained by an 8 year old named Jordan, who plays very well! After the party in the Rock Room, we walked the prayer flags down to the stage through the crowd where they were hoisted up to fly just before Michael Franti and Spearhead took the stage.

This was a fascinating experience for several reasons:

1. It was quite a trip walking through the crowd at Red Rocks at a Michael Franti show where many people's experience was, um, enhanced. They thought the pretty colors of the flags were irresistable and were dancing around us touching the flags, etc.

2. Usually, when I sneak through the crowd at Red Rocks to get closer to the stage, security gets involved.

3. It is fascinating to look up at the crowd from the Red Rocks stage. I felt a sense of sadness that I probably will never be able to sing from there to a full house, but it was nice to see what it might have been like.

4. Most importantly, it was moving to know that we were carrying the names of so many cancer survivors, cancer victims, and those whose fate is still undetermined to send up prayers for them.

That's the report, folks. Thank you again for all your support and encouragement. I can now say I've climbed a 14'er in memory of my friend Bryan and for a great cause.

Pikes Peak Looming...

Ok, I am officially nervous. Two days to go - 1 and a half really because it's already Thursday night, isn't it, and we start at 5am on Saturday. Eek. Tonight, I borrowed a Camelbak for water, a rain jacket - I left mine on a Delta flight a few days ago and it never was found.

The best way for me to prepare and wind up on the pre-climb stuff here on the blog for tonight is to post this...

a photo of Bryan Mitchell, in whose honor I am climbing. I don't want to repeat myself because I know anyone paying attention has read my letters about who Bryan is/was to us. Say a prayer for his wife and kids left behind if you think of it and say one for me too!

I am pleased to have raised, with your help, over $1800 to help fight cancer and will post pics from the top once I get there.

SPONSOR LIST (in no particular order with amounts not given for reasons of privacy):

tippers @ Laughing Goat show (CO)

Fiona Templin (CO)
Jodi Thomson (CO)
Lindy Cichowitz (CO)

Mick & Jeanette Thompson (England)

Willie & Isabel Smith (Scotland)

George Mamo (IL)

Kelly Creek (KS)

Al Tauber (IL)

Deane & Erika Johnson (GA)

Gary & Melanie Aronhalt (CO)

Laith Keilany (TN)

Mark & Kathy Swezy (CO)

Ramsey & Therese Marzouk (CO)

James Craig (IL)

Jon & Weez Borchardt (IL)

Daniel DePriest (IL)

Sarah Hemingway (SC)

John & Michelle Thompson (TN)

Josh Hemingway (CO)

Doug Davis (NC)

Melissa Niccum (CO)

Ron & Margie Hemingway (SC)

Phil & Suzie Bauer (?? - Where are you these days Sooz?)

Mike DeLong (CO)

Chris Bland (GA)

Randy & Laura Zeron (SC)

Terryl Lofgren (CO)

John & Sarah Warne (CO)

Regina Olivero (CO)

Margaret Vitalis (MN)

Matt & Kate Hemingway (KS)

Jeff & Jennifer Daniels (TN)

Allen & Amy Persons (IL)

Marolyn Kinnie (CO)

James & Celie Addy (SC)

Jerry Chapman (NC)

Dave & Deb Beckman (in memory of Debra Elaine Beckman) (CO)

Roxborough State Park

This morning, Regina & I met up near Roxborough State Park for a short hike before the workday. The trails we hiked were a combo of the Willow Creek/South Rim trails. It was supposed to equal four miles, but it felt like way less. Am I getting more in shape or did we read the map wrong? Btw, if my mother is reading this, she just fell over as I referred to a four mile trek as a "short hike." Study the map while she regains consciousness.

Roxborough is beautiful with similar formations to Red Rocks and Garden of the Gods.

At one point on the trail, we had a view that went on forever and hungry hawks circling overhead closer than I'd ever seen before. They're huge!

...and a very blue sky too!

After all that, we went to Panera for brunch, put on our uniforms and loaded some very grumpy (and some nice) people into buses following their attendance at a 5-hour meeting! I'd be grumpy too--but mind you, I would not take THAT TONE with me even if I were that grumpy. Ok, I'm done venting...and glad to be working.

Meanwhile, Randy was taking Diego to the vet. He is forbidden to exercise over the next few weeks as he had to have his injured dew claw removed today and has several other nail issues. The nurses say he did very well and sent him home with painkillers, anti-fungals, and lots of instructions. :(

Pikes Peak Summit!

Hey, did I tell you that I made it to the top of Pike's Peak the other day????

It was just on a train with a tour group, so it doesn't really count. There was a lightning storm and my group couldn't even go outside the Summit House and check out the view. They were happy enough despite their views being of t shirts and coffee mugs but it was snowing and crazy up there. I hope the weather holds for the 7.31 trek.

Here's something cool that happened: Two of my tour guests--a mother/daughter from Adelaide, Australia gave me a $40 tip and said, "That's for your Pikes Peak hike." Lauren, the daughter, is a cancer survivor.

On Friday, I met up with Regina in Boulder to hike up the West Ridge of Green Mountain. It's about 3 miles round trip with some challenging climbs. It was not as hard as some of the other trails we've done (or the one Regina actually had planned), but I had limited time because I had to study for a 4-hour city tour the next day.

Route Description

The shortest path to the summit of Green Mountain. (Beki: Well, THAT makes it sound easy)

From the trailhead on Flagstaff Road, follow the Green Mountain West Ridge Trail for 1.2 miles to the junction of the Ranger Trail on the left and the Green Bear trail on the right. Continue straight another .2 miles to the summit.

Distance to summit: 1.4 miles
Roundtrip (assuming descent of same route): 2.8 miles
Elevation gain: approx 600 ft

This summit has the distinction of being the second summit register I've ever signed...and if you don't count that time Melanie and I wrote our names on the top of Arthur's Seat in sharpie (Edinburgh 2006) then it's my first.

Regina & me at the summit.

I can see for miles and miles and miles...

To top things off this week, MY FUNDRAISING GOAL OF $1500 was reached--tonight actually while I was volunteering for Love Hope Strength at Red Rocks.

This was the second time I went to Red Rocks this week--the first time was on that tour mentioned above, and I took time to do the stairs for a workout while my tour-ees took their photos. Tonight, I got a great sunset as Kris Allen opened for Barenaked Ladies. I also signed up several people to be on the bone marrow donor list. Life is good, but I'm super tired.

I'm going to bed, but you go ahead and enjoy the links above.

Day Off!

Today I got a day off from hiking/working out to flex my vocal muscles. Randy & I worked on a previously unrecorded song called "Lay It Down," which we hope to have posted somewhere soon for downloads.

I am overwhelmed with gratefulness to all who have sponsored me. I am almost at my goal for fundraising. If only my body would cooperate with the physical demands of the mountain climbing goal that accompanies those gifts.

Tomorrow, I am back on the trail with Regina...this time I will remember my camera.

:)