Royal Arch

Poor Ellen showed up at my house at 7:00am and I was still asleep. But I had a very good excuse. The boys and I stayed out partying at Aunt Sarah's birthday and didn't get home until late. And THEN the power went out last night and my alarm was reset. But I got dressed and ready pretty darn quick.

We hiked from my house to Royal Arch. I estimated that it was an 8 mile walk, but with all the hiking it took longer than just a walk.

We got up to the Royal Arch at 9:15. Both Ellen and I had hiked this trail before but I had forgotten how much I didn't like it. The trail goes up for a while and then you get to a ridge and you think you are done. And then it goes down the front of the ridge and meanders another 15 minutes of steep up and down. But now I've done it from my house and I don't have to do it again.

When you finally get to the Arch, this is what you see (the opening is probably 20" high.



And then you go through it and can see all of Boulder. I drew an arrow from where we started, only it was a lot more curvy getting there:



Even the Ole-ster made it:



And then we had to hike back down to where Starbucks and bagels were waiting for us:



And this is what it looks like looking back through the Arch the other way:



At the top of the arch, a group of women and a weiner dog were having a birthday party complete with cake in tupperware. Apparently the dog hiked all the way up.

We got back down to Starbucks around 11:00, where we tried the new double chocolate light frappachino (not as good as a java chip one) and then got home at 12:00. I think this was the first serious walk of the year and I'm a bit sore.

Mileage: 64 miles, 365 to go
Pledges: $145