July Adventures

There's been a lot of action in the past few weeks. Since July 1 I've climbed 5 14ers, camped, hiked, trailrun, wrestled hoarded dogs, drove (rode) all around Colorado and got a promotion at work.

I've yet to see the increase in pay on that last one, but the fitness is making me happy. And having gone to seize dogs was quite the experience.

I probably am not able to provide a whole lot of details, but it was intense. I've seen the show "Hoarders" and its animal counterpart, but that didn't prepare me for the smell. Twentyish dogs inside a house for however long. The house was stuffed full of all sorts of junk as well as the dogs. The fences were covered in old, rotting clothes. The dogs were all terribly thin and mostly unsocial. And they were all unusually quiet. Even on the 3 hour drive back to the shelter there wasn't so much as a whine out of them. It made for a long day. I had no prior warning that I was accompanying Colorado Humane on this trip. I was told to go and so I did. But we didn't go right away. I waited around for about an hour. Then the 3ish hours driving. Then more waiting as it rained and the officers assessed things. My coworker and I were told to wait at the truck until they made sure the resident of the house wasn't home. They all wore bullet-proof vests. More waiting. Then we put together a bunch of crates as they broke into the house and started bringing dogs out on control sticks. There were a few in the yard that we baited with cat food and trapped pretty easily. Then after we caught and kenneled about 15 of them we waited some more. Then more dogs were found in various closets and barricaded nooks and crannies. The total came closer to 20.

All this waiting added up to a 14 hour day. Because my day wasn't over when we arrived back at work. Instead of being able to pass the dogs off to another team, we remained to complete their intake because most everyone else was gone for the night. So I got even more sweaty and stinky while holding the dogs as others vaccinated and photographed. It was all quite fun really besides all the waiting. Perhaps I'll apply for a position in that department.

As for hiking, after the two on Tuesday, my boyfriend and I have hiked 3 fourteeners in as many weeks. We've basically run out of "easy" mountains and I can certainly feel the steepness of the last few. They haven't given me any trouble while actually climbing, but the next day my calves are so sore I have trouble walking down stairs. But our 14er total is 10, only 42 or so more to go! Hahah.

Trail Tuesday

Today was something new. I hiked some 14ers, but they were not new. It's just that I hiked with someone other than my boyfriend for the first time since I can remember. It was sad to be without him. I love sharing those experiences with him. But it was fun to hike with a new friend.

6 am clouds covering the peaks

We hiked Gray's and Torrey's Peaks. I've done them both before, but never both at once. I really like that trail. For the most part it's very gradual. The views are astounding. Except for today.

There was a bank of low clouds shrouding the peaks as we ascended. Nothing dangerous, basically just fog. It obscured the top of Gray's to the extent that we suddenly found ourselves on the top with no more trail to climb. But we broke though the haze before the summit of Torrey's and had some great views. By the time we'd descended back to the valley, the cloud bank was gone and the peaks were pristine.

"view" from the summit of Gray's Peak.

Summit of Torrey's (have I mentioned I love these shoes?)

We made excellent time for a 14er, summiting Gray's in two hours and Torrey's in an additional 30 minutes. The whole hike, breaks included, took about 4 and a half hours for ninish miles.

we did find some friends along the way

Pristine peaks.

Flash Fiction

I wrote a piece of flash fiction for a contest my friend began.

The Peak

It wasn't that it was actually difficult. It just took time. So much time. One foot in front of the other. The trail went on forever, a steady, winding incline bordered by jagged rocks and sparse alpine flora.

Their breath was ragged, not due to effort, but because the air was so thin this high in elevation. Kal stopped to breathe. "You know, they say we're going to die soonest because of the elevation. We get more radiation than people at sea level."

"But we have so many other good things going for us. This is the healthiest state." Dani replied, taking a sip of water from her CamelBak. "No earthquakes, hurricanes, volcanoes or tornadoes either."

"Yeah, only flash floods and wildfires." Kal agreed, and started forward again.

Their pace was slow but steady. Behind them, the grays and browns of the trail and rocks gave way to dark evergreens interspersed with lighter aspen stands; ahead, only stunning blue sky above the never-ending trail.

They had begun at sunrise, watching the new day touch the peak in golden alpenglow. Down below timber line the hike was actually easy and they had made good time. It wasn't until they left the relative protection of 12,00 feet that the thin air slowed them down. But they were used to this; they'd been hiking peaks all over the state.

Kal glanced at his watched as he trudged. "We'll summit by noon for sure. Not a cloud in the sky."

Dani only nodded, saving her breath for the climb.

The view didn’t change much above 12,000 ft., just more rocks and small tundra flowers. Some pikas yelled at them as they passed through a field of strewn rocks.

"Looks like a bomb went off." Kal chuckled.

They summited just before noon as Kal predicted. As they topped the last rise, the world opened up around them. Dani sat and ate a sandwich while admiring the views. Below them on every side were the broken rocks of the peak. Further out, other mountains rose above tree line, vying for the highest point. They could see the tallest to the west. It was roiling with dark clouds.

"Looks like Elbert is making some weather."  

"It looks really dark, will it come this way? Should we head down now?"

"It's not the end of the world. Just a little storm." But as he said it, Elbert grumbled and woke from its dormant state.