August - Leadville, Biking, Hiking, Kayaking with Scott

News Flash!  new man in my life.... 

We've biked, kayaked, had coffee and meals, and hiked.  Next adventure - Leadville 100 and meeting some of his family.

His niece, Megan, came here from North Caroline to do Leadville.  I went there for 4 days with Scott and met his son Jordan and his girlfriend, his brother Mike from Illinois, and some nephews.  Megan did not make it to 50 miles so I didn't get to run/hike with her.  But it was so cool to watch runners come in to the finish line.  The weather was warm and perfect.  Great experience.

Scott and I hiked and rode our bikes up from Minturn to near the top of Vail Pass on a tough but awesome ride.  

Sept. Bike Trip - Pre-trip to Wash DC to see Dave

I flew to Washington DC 3 days before my bike trip started to spend time with Dave Vecera from high school and his partner Richard.  The weather was warm and beautiful.  We walked around the neighborhood a lot, ate Thai food, saw a local stage play, got ice cream, and walked the National Mall to see monuments and museums via the Metro.  We also went to the Pentagon Memorial for 9-11 victims, which was peaceful and very nicely done.  And to the Beatles documentary called 8 Days a Week where a woman was going to ask me about her phone but then looked at me and said "nevermind, I need someone young".  Loved it!

Their cat, Spats, is not friendly and I'm careful around him and he didn't bite me! Yay!  I didn't run with Dave as I planned on their weekend run because I wrecked my lower back a few days ago!  Very bad timing for my upcoming bike trip.  But I went to the running group and walked fast and it was OK.

The bike trip starts just 15 minutes away and Dave and Richard will deliver me there on Saturday to meet the group.  We start riding on Sunday from DC. Next Saturday we will end up in Philadelphia and they will bus us back to DC.  I'll spend another night with the guys.  Great to see them again and I will do a run with Dave again soon (our tradition when we meet up).

Illinois trip in September

Collin and Kohlie...so sweet!

Sunset at Lake Mattoon

Vicki's birthday at The Creamery....Yum!

Vicki's banana tree at her house.

I  spent 10 days in Illinois visiting parents and some family. I got to spend two days at Vicki's Lake house with her Adventure Club friends.  Vicki and I windsurfed, each on our own windsurfer with no boat. It seemed like a good idea but we could not sail back to her house no matter how many times we tried. After almost 3 hours, she got a ride in a boat to get her boat while I waited in the water with the windsurfers....so we got rescued. I was so tired and cold too.  The next day we kayaked...peaceful and no need for a rescue.

I got to see Kelly and babies but not my nephew, Craig. Love those sweet little kids and my niece Kelly.  I wish I could have seen Jamie, Josh, Alex, and Andi but time didn't allow it.

Also went to Kay's with her brother John to visit with her, Mike, and Lorraine.  We laughed a lot!

My parents are doing okay at home with caregivers and I was glad I could be there to help them and give Vicki a vacation.  We celebrated Vicki's birthday with hot fudge sundaes! 

Weekend in September run & ride!

For my info:  Post via Go@blogger.com email from my tablet....

With Scott at Denver Animal Shelter on our ride from Chatfield Reservoir to REI to Cherry Creek.

Run at Betasso Preserve in Boulder with Leigh, me, Melinda, Ann (Mark was elsewhere)

Ride break: coffee with new friends and Scott at The Market on Larimer

Family things

I am oh so lucky to have family. 

Jaymie went to Paraguay on a mission and we had a nice goodbye get-together. She's gone for 18 months.
Teanna is working and living in Longmont.
Danyelle is saving to go on a 6-month Asia adventure with Tyler!

with Teanna at Tokyo Joe's

My first trip to the Denver Aquarium

Jaymie's going away to Paraguay party

Jaymie and Lynn

Surprise meet up with Danyelle at 4th Ave music.

Teanna celebrating grandpa's birthday  

Craig and Kelly are doing great with Michael (12), Kohlie, and little guy Collin who is finally healthy after many health issues as a newborn.  
Jaymie and Josh are doing fine and keeping very busy with Alex and Andi.  
Such a joy to see all those kids as they grow up!

Craig's famous and delicious BBQ ribs

Alex and Andi ready for school in August

Belom famly - life long friends who are family. 

  My long-time girlfriends since 1980 - so I remember how great it was that all of us (except Roberta) were able to get together this summer.   Roberta's in Costa Rica so we will catch her when she's back for a visit. 

Staycations in Colorado vicinity 2016

What a great summer in Colorado!  Lots of biking, trail runs, kayaking, outdoor music, and friends.  I'm trying to cram a lot of activity in to my time at home because I'm doing frequent visits to Illinois, so hopefully making every day count.  Including:

Full moon kayak on Union Reservoir - with a beautiful sunset but too many clouds to see the moon rise.  And my first time in kayaking at Barr Lake.  And several times on McIntosh of course, and Chatfield Reservoir in Littleton.  And at Lake Mattoon with Vicki - and in the rain to rescue things that blew away in the morning storm.

Kayaking at Chatfield, up South Platte River

Riding through Vail

Leadville 100 run, August

Ride to Masonville

New West Fest in Fort Collins with Terry and Kent

Ride through Red Rocks

Great Sunday trail runs with the Dirty Girlz.  Leadville 100 support for Megan. 

Several bike rides per week - and the MS 150 from Front Range Community College to CSU - with Patty. Venus de Miles in August with Terri. Great route with beautiful scenery, excellent support, and tons of food. And good weather.  Lots of rides with Scott, including from Grand Lake to near top of Trail Ridge road, from Minturn to near top of Vail Pass, to Dinosaur Ridge and Red Rocks Park. 

Some swims so I can do a lake triathalon next summer!  - outdoors at Sunset Pool is so awesome!  Also indoors at the Rec Center and in Lake Mattoon.

Windsurfing with Vicki at the lake.  We caught a window of about 3 hours of wind and I remembered how to do it!

Melinda and deer at Picture Rock

Wind River Range, Wyoming

Wind River, Base Camp at Big Sandy Lake

Sunday Run at Hall Ranch

Ride with Scott up Trail Ridge

Ann's birthday hike at Devil's Thumb Trail

MS 150 with Patty

Run at Heil Ranch

Backpack with An on Colorado Trail

Ann's birthday hike to Devil's Thumb near Winter Park with an overnight then back. A backpack trip with Ann and Mattie on Segment 4 of the Colorado Trail. And backpack trip to the Wind River Range in Wyoming with Ann, Steph, Nanci, and Mattie (the dog)

Outdoor music on 4th Ave, Niwot, Prospect, Longmont Parks, etc.  Love it.

Mom's fall and other Illinois trips in 2016

My trip to Illinois in April began as parent duty while Vicki and Scott went to Mexico.  My trip was extended when my mom fell and broke her hip and her arm...and many long frustrating hours followed at the hospital and then the nursing home for rehab.  Dad didn't do so well home alone, so my next trip in mid-June was timed to be there when my mom returned home from the nursing home rehab.  We had a 24-hour caregiver lined up, mom came home, and progress was up and down.  And the caregiver situation was also up and down while I had 3 weeks in Colorado.

This trip over July 4th holiday was to give Vicki a break with a week off her work at her lake house and to visit again with mom and dad.  I also got to spend a fair amount of time with Jamie's family: kids - Alex and Andi, and Craig's famlily: kids - Michael, Kohlie, and Collin. 

And I got two days at the lake house! With windsurfing!

My next trip will be over Labor Day weekend when  Vicki has some days off.  I hope to spend a couple days at the lake house again.