Friday, August 15, 2014

Winding It Down

Hike up Tenderfoot Mountain
August 2014
 
Hey y'all! I just got back from the Farmer's Market here in Dillon. It's been one of my Friday highlights. Love, love a farmer's market! I've just bought some of the plumpest corn I've ever seen. The farmer said, "This corn is the bomb! It's from Pueblo." HaHa! Hope it doesn't explode in the microwave. Have you ever microwaved your corn, shucks and all? I'm telling you, it's the way to go. Just throw a ear of corn in the microwave, left completely in the shucks, and heat for 3 minutes. It will be steamy hot when you pull it out. I grab it with a paper towel and peel back the shucks and the silk just pulls right off. Perfection!
 
Anyway, I was actually going to keep this post short, but as it turns out, I have lots to tell you. Cliff and I are winding down our Colorado trip. I know I sound like a broken record here, but this place is breathtakingly beautiful. There is 360 degrees of pure gorgeousness! I love how one minute you are in long pants and a jacket and the next, you're in shorts and short sleeves. I've learned to be prepared when stepping out the door. I've gotten caught in the rain several times, also. As a matter of fact, right now, the sun is shining so brightly and it's misting rain. We have slept with the windows and doors open every night. And let me tell you, it's been in the 40's every night. But, we just snuggle up and enjoy it because we know before long, it's back to the heat and humidity. I could definitely get used to the climate out here. However, the thin air is another thing. I am looking forward to being able to breathe again, without effort.
 
Last weekend, Whitney and I did our last long run....9.1 miles. We ran down the second crookedest street in the world.....and of course, it was all downhill. Remember, the one I called switchback city? So anyway, we went 5 miles out and turned around at Cliff's triathlon spot and headed back. The closer we got back to the condo, the more the clouds were rolling in. And just when we got back to switchback city, Cliff and Jason pulled up to take us home. I really wanted to finish the 10 miles, but they insisted that we were getting ready to get caught in a big storm with lightning. So Whitney and I called the long run, done!
 
On Sunday, Whitney, Jason, Cliff and I went on a short hike up Tenderfoot Mountain. It was an easy hike, and once again, so beautiful! This trail has reported bears in the area. I'm sure glad we didn't see any, but I was hoping to at least see a moose. They frequent the area around Lake Dillon. But, no moose sightings, either. The picture above is one from the hike with Lake Dillon in the back ground. You see what I mean? Isn't it breathtaking?
 
Here are a couple more pictures from that hike:
 
The Tenderfoot Mountain Trail meandering off into the distance.
Tree stumps, wild flowers and the lake in the background. Ahhh!
 

More wildflowers. I love purple flowers of any kind! Oh, by the way, do you see the fallen trees in the background? There's a pine beetle infestation here that's killing off the pine trees. I don't know how they are treating the problem, but we have seen so many dead trees standing and some cut down. It's so sad!
 
 
 
Oh, wait! On a run the other day, Cliff and I saw runners coming toward us with numbers on. We saw a group cheering on the runners and stopped to ask about the race. As it turns out, there was a Ragnar 200 Relay Race going on.  The leg these guys were running was 10 miles. They began at Copper Mountain and raced all the way around that chain....through Breckenridge, Keystone, Dillon, Frisco and I think, finish up at Vail. Two hundred miles of running hills is not for the faint of heart, but it was a relay race so I guess it wasn't too bad. They seemed to be having a ball.  This particular group was from Utah. I don't know any of them in this picture, but who knows....maybe someone reading this blog will. I wish I had gotten their email so that I could send them the picture....it turned out pretty good. And of course, that's Cliff in the back.
 
So, that's it for today. The Revel Rockies Half-Marathon is Sunday.  Ready or not, Whitney and I will be there. To top it off, I have been battling a cold all week. I could barely breathe, yesterday, on my run. I hope this won't be an issue. But honey lamb, nothing is keeping me from this race. I've been looking forward to it all summer. Worst case scenario, I won't have a PR (personal record). I am feeling better today, fingers crossed that I'm on the mend. So, it's off to Denver tomorrow for packet pick-up and then to The Old Spaghetti Factory for dinner. Yum!!!
 
I'll be back with another post highlighting the half-marathon next week. For now, have a great weekend!
 
Running the Rockies,
Laurie
 
P.S. On one of our rides, Cliff and I found a cemetery unlike any I've ever seen. I'm going back to take pictures. I'll post those soon, too.

14 comments:

  1. Laurie, I hope you recover from your cold quickly so you can have your PR!

    Even though I live in the mountains of Southern California, our climate is like the mountains of Colorado (I live up near the 7,000 foot level, but our tallest mountain in California is Mt. Whitney, 14,505 feet, the highest peak in the contiguous United States). Our forests have lost over one million Ponderosa Pines to pine bark beetles since 2001. It's heart breaking. I see it happening in all the great alpine forests of the world. There is really no way to treat the problem because warmer and dryer climates in these forests, caused by Climate Change, have weaked the trees so much they can't withstand bark beetle attacks any more.

    I look forward to your post about the half-marathon and the interesting cemetary!

    Blessings,

    Victoria

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    1. Thanks Victoria. I hope to have that post ready tomorrow. I recovered enough from the cold to run the race without much trouble. And I don't want to spoil the PR thing just yet. Saving it for the race report. I was talking with someone here about the pine beetle devastation and they told me, which I was unaware until now, that this has been going on for years. They've clear cut a lot of the trees and are hopeful that the Aspens will fill in. I'm sure they will and they are certainly beautiful, but it is still just so sad about the pines. Thanks for commenting.

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  2. Laurie, I have really missed being able to check in on you as often as I would have liked because of arthritis in my hands. I am so glad to see you are still going strong. The pictures really are beautiful. It is sad about the beetle attacks. It seems every so often they pop up and start doing a lot of damage. Once they get in a tree it bring swift death to it and, as you say, it is very sad. We take a lot of the beautiful things God has created and this is a stark reminder that things can be gone in a flash. I hope you will have a beautiful Sunday tomorrow!

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    1. Don't worry Lynn, I haven't checked in as often as I would like either. It has been so busy for me this summer. I'm sorry to hear about your arthritis. Hope you get comfort. I know it can be debilitating at times. Yes, I hate to see the devastation from the beetles and you are right about how quickly things can be gone. I hope we as a nation or even world for that matter have not waited too late to start taking better care of what God entrusted to us. Take care. I'll catch up with you soon.

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  3. Hi, Laurie - that top photo might be one for the Christmas Cards! Glad you have been enjoying yourself this summer. As for the Beetle Kill on the trees, I am SO sad everytime we drive back home, to see the vast amount of trees that the beetles have gotten to. Sadly, the state caved in to the "tree huggers" years ago, and decided not to spray to stop them. They created devastation in no time. I also can't believe that the forestry department is now not thinning them out, with how fast they burn. The aspens will take over now, but it's a shame they have lost all those beautiful pines!!! Yeah, don't get me started. Hope the rest of your vacation is as wonderful - XOXO

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    1. I'm right there with you Tanya. It's a shame about the pines. I have see some clear cutting around the area, but the dead trees that remain is far greater. A tinder box for sure. The Aspens will be beautiful when they fill in. Maybe when I visit again I'll see more and more Aspen growth to replace the pines. We've had a wonderful vacation in Colorado and will be leaving for Louisville, KY, Friday. My husband has a triathlon there on Sunday and then we'll be heading home on Tuesday. I'm kinda ready to get home. Miss my grandkids! Talk soon!

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    1. Thanks Sara, I did. And I'll be posting about it soon. Take care!

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  5. I was only in Colorado once, in the winter, for skiing. It looks gorgeous in the summer. We need to make a visit.

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    1. You would love it, Carol. The temperature in Dillon is divine. I'm not sure if it gets very humid where you live, but it sure does back in SC. This has been a welcomed break from it....not to mention how gorgeous it is here. It's amazing how one minute the sun is shining and everything is so clear and then the next it's cloudy and the clouds cast shadows on the mountains, making them look totally different. We've had the best time exploring, hiking and boating on Lake Dillon. And I'm sure it's a whole different kind of beautiful during snow season.

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  6. Wow if I run 1 mile I think I'm doing good, don't think 9 is in my future but impressed by your ability. Haven't tried the corn in the microwave but I will soon. Lovely photos too. Best, Sharon

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  7. what an amazing trip, the view from up there is beautiful, you must be in great shape to be able to run in the thin air too! I will have to ty that way to cook corn, thats so easy!!!!!

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  8. Wow, those are some great views! I love Colorado scenery. Wish I had more vacation time to visit the places I love.

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