Snowy Green

This update was going to be my amazing athletic goals for the year - but I've been busy having a lousy stretch of luck. Nothing dramatic - just irritating

It actually began the Saturday before Thanksgiving when I hurt my right hamstring at a race doing a 6:37/mile pace. The next weekend I hurt my left hamstring trying to do a 5:59/mile pace (to win a 6-pack of microbeers)

The next week of running was fine enough - it did end a nice stretch of 12 weeks with at least 30-miles

Then - of course - my hard drive crashed. And my files on the external hard drive got wiped

On my birthday last Thursday my back scrucnhed up and my spine curved (probably related to those two bad hamstrings), which put me out action until today

Today was great. Hudson and I did our 2.1-miles at his park. He got to play with several dogs, including a Pit Bull and a Great Dane

After checking in on work - which is wrapping up real nice for a 17-day break - went to Green Mountain with my "spikes" (which I was able to wear the entire run)

It was a slow go but it was great to get back out there







At the summit. A bit psychologically sketchier climbing to the cairn



There's Longs Peak at the back, just left of center in the haze - "Hi Longs!"

Longs: "Hi stupid"



There's Sugarloaf where we almost lived, all nice and white



2 more days of work and it's Christmas vacation! Woo-hoo!!

Snow. And Technology Sucks

Longs Peak from Lost Gulch Overlook off Flagstaff Road



Next update will be my 2012 goals (mountains, races and running). Longs Peak will be the toughest on that list. Leadville Chuck, Melissa and Doug from Seattle have all expressed an interest. Me - not sure. Below is "The Home Stretch" on the easiest route - see the guy? Yikes



Anyways...Hudson is not interested



Hudson got "bad" as last week wore on (he did 21 miles). Early Thanksgiving morning he took off after a fox and disappeared for about 15 minutes. Friday he tried to take off after a Buck (but he was on leash). Saturday he was a grump as we went up Flagstaff Summit (below)



Wednesday night this week my AT&T hard drive failed. I moved all my files in "Safe Mode" over to an external hard drive - only to accidentally wipe the external hard drive clean

A year's worth of work gone - personal and work

I took Thursday off to sulk and buy a personal laptop from Costco. Tech companies are amazing - and they can go fuck off (especially Microsoft)

We also got 7" of snow



We got another 4" of snow Saturday. I ran on the Highline Canal trail just outside of Denver - apparently where Canadian Geese go for the winter



Horses along the trail



Today me and Hudson went to Chautauqua and were going to hike around a few hours. Unfortunately it was too cold (13 degrees) and his paws hurt. So he went home



I started up Chautauqua trail to the 1st/2nd Flatiron or 2nd/3rd Flatiron Loop trail





It was too sketchy to try Royal Arch so I went down to Mesa and over to NCAR





Great view of Bear from NCAR



We're supposed to get another 3" tonight with temps getting down to 4 degrees tonight (and 1 degrees tomorrow - when I need to go to Denver to see AT&T IT people)

Hudson's First Peak

Friday Hudson made it to the summit of Green Mountain on the Green Mountain West trail

Here he is with 0.2 miles and 450' to go



On the summit at 8,144'





Heading back to the car to celebrate with buffalo treats

Vacation!

Today was day 1 of Thanksgiving vacation. Hudson and I left early to go up the Mesa trail into the flatirons. 5 miles and he was ready for a nap



After breakfast - given it was sunny and 60 - I decided to do Bear Peak. From NCAR to Mesa to Fern Canyon



It was dry - until the final 400 yards up at maybe a 30 degree angle on snow and ice (wearing spikes). I followed this real nice guy with his two kids



Looking West to Eldora Skiing, Indian Peaks and Longs Peak







Looking East to Boulder



On the run back I took the long but much less steep way back down Bear Peak West and Bear Canyon. The first pic is looking back at Bear Peak (left), the saddle and South Boulder Peak

New Trails and Possible House

Sunday the 13th we went to Georgetown - cold with flurries. Below is Idaho Springs



Monday went up to Sugarloaf late in the afternoon. It's 1 mile and 477' to its cold and windy summit







Wednesday the family went to Betasso Preserve. This is Hudson looking puzzled after being dragged up to Bummer's Rock (a little scrambling required)





Sugarloaf in the distance



The Betasso family ran this area as a ranch until 1975



Friday afternoon at Wonderland. Prairie dogs and deer





Saturday & Sunday we looked at a house that was up for auction. Auction is an exaggeration - more like a marketing gimmick since the auction winner is not guaranteed the house

The agent told us that the bank (it's in foreclosure) will not sell for less than $300K - and she had it listed at $327K. Add the 5% "auction fee" and why bother paying $315K when you could have paid $327K max with an inspection and the ability to walk if the inspection was no good?

Blah blah blah we're skipping and seeing if it comes back on the market like it was (the auction ended with high bid at $245K). Here are deer roaming the property Sunday

Hudson in the Flatirons

This morning took Hud up a little into the mountains. We went up the Mesa Trail from Eldorado Springs Drive towards Bear Peak

It was a great morning after a windy Saturday - with winds hitting 84 MPH

The first two were "artistic" photos of the flatirons. Same shot, different camera settings





Same shot, with the dog. Hud was waiting patiently - but is about to take off with or without me















Hudson bringing it in and ready for the couch. 5-miles and about 425'! Next week maybe we'll try Green Mountain - assuming the Bears are hibernating