Holy shit… I'm a mom. … I never thought I would ever say those words. Since becoming a mom, I've been adapting to a new "normal." I've been surprised at how simple this has felt in some ways, as I've gotten used to my daily routine. On the other hand, I've also been surprised at how challenging this has been in other ways: resigning from my job, getting used to the loneliness (yet never being alone) that goes along with…
Our second day, we attempted to ride Long Canyon to Gemini Bridge, which is northeast of town. We headed out on Hwy 279, which takes off southwest along the Colorado River. The side of the highway is littered with rock climbers, as this is one of the best climbing hubs in town. It’s pretty amazing to watch them! Unfortunately, my carburetor plugged up right as we were passing the Poison Spider Mesa trailhead. I’m on a KLX250, which is turns…
I recently got to join Brian and his family on their sometimes-annual pilgrimage to Moab, UT. Brian’s been riding motorcycles with his dad and brother since he was about 5 years old. Moab is sort of a meet-in-the-middle destination, with his parents heading up from Arizona and his brother’s family/friends heading in from Idaho. Moab is just a short 4-hour drive for us from Summit County, but we might as well be visiting Mars for all the similarities it has…
Brian and I just bought a beautiful home in the country, north of Silverthorne, CO. We are next door (literally) to a trailhead, a creek and have a mountain range in our front yard. It’s an older home, but we are all set to turn it into the ski lodge of our dreams. Truly, we bought the place for the stunning views of the Gore Range and the Williams Fork Range. It’s an amazing place, both inside and out. With…
I’ve been a long-time Fit Bit user, thanks to a challenge at Title Nine where we all raced to the North Pole (and back) as part of a team. We watched our progress on the map. It was super fun. I started with a FitBit Zip, then graduated to a FitBit Flex when I kept forgetting to clip on my Zip. I always found it annoying with my Flex that I had to wear a watch to time my runs AND my…
In 2013, Brian and I were visiting friends and family in Montana. One of my all-time bucket list climbs for Montana is a burly mountain called Great Northern. It stands just beyond the southern edge of Glacier National Park rises to 8,705 ft. It’s the tallest peak in the Great Bear Wilderness, so the views into Glacier from the peak are fantastic. The trail isn’t maintained, or even marked. It’s kind of a local’s secret, so is more of a…
A while ago, I wrote about “Wilderness Jackwads” and how crazy they make me. So I figured I should address the idea of Leave No Trace… What is Leave No Trace? Leave No Trace is an ethical code of conduct for anyone exploring the wilderness or really doing any outdoor activities. Leave No Trace is also a non-profit that was founded as part of a conservation educational program by multiple government agencies in the early 90s. Why should you care…
Let’s face it: No matter how much you love backpacking or camping, sleeping on the hard ground is, well, hard. Really hard. It was way easier when I was younger and a full-time outdoor junkie. These days, I’m a 30-something, post-baby, weekend-warrior. Between a husband who snores and a 1-year-old who thinks it’s time to party at 2am, I barely sleep through the night in my own bed, much less in my tent. Add in my curvy hips, digging into…
This past weekend, I finally got back outside for a little overnight backpacking trip with Brian and Scotty dog. The last year was a little crazy for us with work, travel and moving to CO, so we haven’t been backpacking since an amazing long weekend trip in 2013. That year, we spent 4 days backpacking the southern and western slopes of Mt Adams in Washington. We didn’t see a single soul the entire trip, until the last 1/4 mile of…
According to the all-knowing Urban Dictionary (which I never in a million years thought I would be citing), a “Jackwad” is defined as follows: ” A person containing the attributes of both a “Jack ass” and a “Dick wad”. Having a inept attitude or ignorance.” ” The term Jack Wad is used to describe an uneducated, moronic, ******, with absolutely no regard for any other person. This term is mostly used to describe a law breaker or other low life…