New states, old friends

My long awaited bike trip with Adventure Cycling from Savannah to Charleston finally arrived!  I rode as much as I could before, given our winter weather and I felt prepared! got an AirBNB room in Savannah for 1 night before and 2 nights after and I couldn't wait to see the South!....then that Nor'easter blew in.

The trip was quite miserable and one I don't want to remember much about.  The route was not good - no road shoulders and way too much traffic.  The weather was freezing!  Literally!  In the 30's in the mornings with highs in the 50's and some rain and wind. I never rode in 30 degree weather before & now I know I can.

Besides that trip, April included skiing, work for DPS, and lots of fun.

I rode in the same long pants over biking shorts, 2 long sleeved shirts and a down jacket, gloves, shoe covers, and gaitor every day!  You can see from the clothes that the South was cold!

A highlight was the night we spent in this plantation house.  It was warm inside and lovely.

Also in March and April....

Reunion with some AD12 librarians at Missy's place.  So fun!  with Trisha, Missy, Molly, Dana, and Rita.

Spice Girlz missing Diane.  But Roberta was visiting from Costa Rica.  At C.B. & Potts. 

Skiied two days with Scott's son-in-law and granddaughter, Rhiannon.

With Second Wind

 Finally, I saw lots of sheep in Wateron!  Very exciting

Start of the Colorado Trail - I plan to do some segments this summer.

Megan and new husband Rich visited as they drove to Alaska for summer work.  We rode in Waterton Canyon.

Ride from my house to Eldorado Springs....haven't been down to the town for 30 years!

Family Visit and outdoor fun!

February and March were warm in the Denver area and the snow lessened a bit in the mountains but the skiing was very good.  I'm happy to be skiing again, although I'm missing out on all that Cross Country skiing and snowshoeing, and maybe a winter hut trip.  Got in some rides and some runs and I tried to get to the pool but that's not happening very often.

It was a cold but fine visit with family in February.  My parents are still living in their home and not happy about being stuck inside all winter - understandable.  I got to see my niece, Jamie & family and my nephew, Craig and family at a birthday party for Craig's son, Colin.  Saw my high school friend Colleen Kestel too!  It was easy and great to visit with her after so many years of not seeing each other.  It's always good to visit with my sister.  Yay Vicki!

This fall and winter I worked for DPS Library Services (while they do not have a district coordinator), and for Ed Tech.  I'm starting to create trainings in Schoology for them as their district will roll it out in May.

I did my first ride to Jamestown this year.  I probably mentioned in this blog somewhere that Scott and I rode Super James - from Longmont to Jamestown and up to Peak to Peak Highway.  Grueling!  The ride down from there through Raymond and Lyons and home was pretty awesome tho.  All downshill!

Scott and I did a training mountain bike ride up Waterton Canyon and around Chatfield Reservoir - we signed up for the White Rim Trail ride in Canyonlands in May!    More mountain biking is in the future.  Life is good.

Great nephew Alex at the birthday party for Kohlie who turned 3.

We got outside one day! Rare sun in Illinois in winter.

McIntosh runs with Barb

Jamestown ride with John

Mountain biking near Scott's

February visit - we did a puzzle

Danyelle and Tyler in Malaysia

Teanna making cupcakes with lavender at my house

2017 Happy New Year!

January was a lot like December, and that's good. January included skiing with Scott on the Epic Pass, running on Sundays with Dirty Girlz, riding with Second Wind, visiting with friends, and looking for new couch, rug, lamp, etc for my living room update.

February was the same!  Warm weather, great activities, good friends. Zumba at the Rec Center has been a blast! I went to spinning a bit to get some miles in - getting ready for a bike trip in March.  Scott and I are going through our 60's Lists and planning things for this year that we want to accomplish.  That's fun!

My grandkids are all doing their thing.  Danyelle is travelling in Asia with Tyler and they got engaged!   Teanna is living nearby and working.  Jaymie is doing her 18 months of missionary work in Paraguay. 

Loveland Fire and Ice Festival in February - warm and beautiful night!  With Terry & Kent

Scott rode with Second Wind group

View from Hall Ranch run

Making the living room bright

First time skiing the East Wall at Breck.  

January - record snows in the mountains

Ulerfest in Breck

Jaymie found out that monkeys can be mean!  In Paraguay.   He wouldn't give that water bottle back.

a warm Sunday run in Boulder

2016 End of Year Stats

I started tracking my activity on Strava last January so I have a record and an accurate count of my miles, which was easy and is pretty cool since I've never tried to add anything up before.

End of year stats:
Running Total - 322 miles
Ride Total - 2257 miles
Time Total - 320 hours
Swims - 6
Mileage Total (which probably includes walks, hikes, swim?) - 2689 miles

States Visited this year: New Mexico, Utah, Washington state, Maryland, West Virginia, Washington DC, Pennsylvania, Wyoming, Illinois, Nebraska, Iowa.

National Parks & Monuments:  Arches and Canyonlands Nat'l Parks in Utah, Bandelier and Petroglyphs Nat'l Monuments in New Mexico, RMNP in Colorado of course! and Colo Nat'l Monument in Grand Junction.

Organized Rides:  Tour of the Moon over Colorado National Monument, C&O Canal/GAP from DC to Pittsburg (1 week), MS150 with Patty, Venus de Miles with Terri. 

First Time Rides - Lookout Mountain, Mary Carter Greenway (Platte Trail), Bear Creek Trail, Waterton Canyon, Dinosaur Ridge, Cherry Creek Trail, Super James, Masonville, Mtn. biking in Salida, into Red Rocks, mtn. bike on Highline Canal, from Grand Lake up almost to top of Trail Ridge Road.

Organized Runs: January - Quaker Oats 5K in Lafayette, Feb - Old Man Winter in Lyons and Moab Half (did 10K) in Utah, March - Colorado Springs 20K (most painful run ever), Oct - Hot Chocolate in Denver, but no Bolder Boulder.

Colorado Trail backpack/hike:  Segment 1 from Waterton Canyon, Segment 3 from Little Scraggy Canyon trailhead, Segment 9 from Tennessee Pass near Leadville,  Segment 4 - Buffalo Creek area (in 2015).

New experiences:  Hike Rattlesnake Mountain behind Scott's house.  Run and ride on Two Brands Trail by Scott's house, Deer Creek Canyon 10 mile hike.

Triathalons: None  Boo....  But I windsurfed at Lake Mattoon

Backpack Trip:  Summer to Wind River Range in Wyoming with Ann, Steph, Nanci.
Hut trip: with Scott to Never Summer Huts near Walden.
Overnight and Hike trail from Devil's Thumb Ranch for Ann's birthday

Ski Places:  Breckenridge, Vail, A-Basin.  First time skiing in 20 years!

Birthday celebrations: Rode 60 miles for my 60th, happy hour with some girlfriends, and the customary Sunday Run of my choice with DGz (Picture Rock)

Trips outside the US:  None.  Boo....

.
What I accomplished from my 60 things to do when I'm 60 list:

Do a backpack trip with Scott - to Nokhu Hut

Hike to Boulder star for Christmas

Bike the GAP and C&O week long bike ride

Do the Celestial Seasonings Tour

Go to New West Fest music in Fort Collins

Do Tour of the Moon ride in Grand Junction

Run the Hot Chocolate in Denver

Ride a mountain bike trail - Salida for the weekend

Ride the Super James! Longmont, Jamestown, Peak to Peak, Raymond, Lyons, home.

Go to Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenesburg - they got more walkway

Clean my spare bedroom closet out & donate the clothes

Update this blog and keep it current.

End of 2016 and Christmas

I flew to Chicago again for a week over Christmas.  We had Christmas eve eve at Vicki's house with good food, good company, and the Santa Hat game (hat and oven mitts).  I got the prizes at the Good Will and wrapped everything tight.  It was a great game and we played again on Christmas Day at my nephew Craig's.  We also played Screw Your Neighbor, a card game that works for a crowd and involves $1 bills.  I won twice!

The visit was difficult in many ways - my parents are in their home, the caregivers don't come when I'm there so I'm the caregiver, the pace is slow, and things are tense and sad. But we did get to Taco Bell twice!

I'm glad I got to visit and see our immediate family and my cousins Ronnie and LeeAnn and my mom's cousin JoAnn. I also got to see the Terra Cotta Warriors at the Chicago Field Museum with Johnny Belom.  And then it was good when Christmas was over...

Hiked to the Boulder Star at night with Ann, Melinda, Terri, Kent, and Scott.  We got lost so it was long, but beautiful hiking and great when we got there!

Went to the Longmont Christmas Parade (as usual) and to Roosevelt Park lights afterwards.  Beautiful and a warm evening.

Phyllis had her annual breakfast for the men and women of Longs Peak.  So great to see everyone there each year.

I rang in the New Year's with Scott (good man) and good friends, good food, and good games!  And also started swimming, got in a few runs, and enjoyed being back in sunny Colorado to end 2016 - which for me personally, has been a good year.