Despite the late start to 14er season this year, due to the massive amounts of snow over the winter, my friends and I managed to get in just as many peaks as in other years. Dedication to the cause! Not that I ever plan to hike them all—Class 4s with full climbing gear are definitely … Continue reading The 14,000 Foot Summits of 2019
Tag: 14ers
Well I Would Hike 500 Miles
My two year unofficial hiking project is complete. Yeah, I missed my mark by a few weeks (February 19, 2017 to March 9, 2019) but close enough. In just about two years, I've completed 100 distinct hikes. I use word "hike" loosely in this context to mean anything from a two mile stroll up a … Continue reading Well I Would Hike 500 Miles
Conceding to Mother Nature
Summer may be perfect time to play in the Rocky Mountains, but there's so much happening that time of year that I sometimes have a hard time getting out of town. So while I did some camping and hiking 14ers in July and August, when fall officially arrived, I suddenly panicked that I didn't get out … Continue reading Conceding to Mother Nature
When Things Aren’t Quite Like They Should Be
The second half to the title of this post is: ...roll with it! ...who cares! ...they're even better! The impetus for this post is the four days I spent in southwestern Colorado last weekend. Several friends and I went to run another half marathon (something I swore I would do only once), spend time enjoying … Continue reading When Things Aren’t Quite Like They Should Be
Am I a “Runner”?
In 2013, I griped when my then-partner wanted us to run the mile to the gym and back for our workouts rather than drive. In 2014, I participated in my first 5k. I brought my dog, who is not built for running, so I'd have an excuse for stopping frequently as he pooped, sniffed, and … Continue reading Am I a “Runner”?
The Point of Travel
Travel used to have a purpose - to find trading partners, to cure disease, to scout out fertile land to homestead on. According to my favorite modern philosopher, it still should. Travel should be about more than gaining social media followers and checking items off a clichéd bucket list. It should feed your soul and … Continue reading The Point of Travel
Feats of Endurance
Big Bend is the least visited of our national parks. In 2016, it saw just 388,290 visitors, compared to the 11,312,786 who went to the most visited, Great Smoky Mountains. This is not a surprise, given its location in an almost-forgotten corner of Texas, an 8.5 hour drive from Dallas, if you speed and don't stop … Continue reading Feats of Endurance
But Is That Butts or Butts?
English has no shortage of homonyms that can easily cause confusion for someone trying to learn this language. But they can almost as easily cause confusion among native speakers as well. On our way into mountains last Sunday to hike Grays and Torreys peaks, my two girlfriends and I saw a sign on I-70 just … Continue reading But Is That Butts or Butts?
Jen Climbs a 14er, a Tragicomedy
Of the many ways in which my body has started falling apart as I enter middle age, the knee pain I recently acquired has been the most unexpected. I’m not a runner, nor am I terribly athletic or active in any way, so it’s not as if my knees have taken a pounding over the … Continue reading Jen Climbs a 14er, a Tragicomedy
