Just a "Light Hike"

Take one out-of-shape, fat boy who lives at sea level and take him on a "light hike" at altitude after a week of no sleep and this is what you get.

Gorgeous ins't it? This was the start of the hike.

There's a snake in this shot! And Jeff is deathly afraid of snakes. He was jumjpy for quite a while after seeing it :-)

There had been a fire the previous year and the mix of charred trees with living trees made for a dramatic view.

The final stairs down from the peak to the lookout point.

Pictures just don't do it justice! The sounds, the smells, the sheer experience of "being away". The top of those rocks in the center of the shot was the lookout point we hiked to. Jeff said he thought were at about 8,000 feet. Who needs oxygen?

Press play for instant serenity.

Down from the mountain and enjoying the view. It is just so feakin' peaceful up there.

I decided I couldn't go all the way up into the mountains and NOT put my feet in the stream. Tricia would have nothing to do with it, citing her upbringing. Apparently as children, she and her siblings were only allowed to look at the stream. After trying a littl mountain top therapy, I was not able to get her to reframe her beliefs, so Jeff and I went boldly where Tricia would not go.

And here's the miracle shot. Why a miracle? Because this was our second trip into the stream. The first 8 shots Tricia thought she got turned out not to exist. The family sitting on the banks watching us, though, thought we were quite comical treading in and out of the ice-cold stream as our feet quicly went numb.

After the mountain hike, it was off to another quick little hike. This was the view on the drive over to the next spot.

What didn't turn out very well is the view of the tiny little waterfall in the center of the pic. There just wasn't much water flowing that day.




This happy little guy was smiling at us on our hike. I particularly liked that he had eyebrows.

LOVED this barn. I don't think you could have staged this shot...the paint on the barn, the color of the trees and grass.... J&T were great sports and actually pulled over on the highway to let me take this shot.


On our way out of the mountains, we stopped at Jeff's second office in Conifer, CO. I like his office :-)

And here's the view from his corner office! :-)

And finally a shot of my room at Chez Wimpy. They are very aware of my cat allergies and were thoughtful to give me Fabreeze Allergy reducer and my very own box of Kleenex. What great hosts!