How on earth did I forget my camera?

Actually, I know how I forgot my camera. I went to bed thinking that Ellen and I would start hiking at 7:00. I even got up at 5:45 and was looking forward to a leisurely morning reading the paper and drinking coffee. So I was surprised and not ready when Ellen knocked at 6:00. I threw everything together (except for my camera) and we left. First, we stopped at Einstein bagels and Starbucks for some breakfast food. Then came the hard stuff. We walked up Baseline to Flagstaff (if I had my camera, I could have gotten a good close up of a humming bird in a flower) and then we went up Flagstaff. We even walked some extra on that trail because I thought we were at the top and started walking on the road, but we were still a couple hairpin turns down and so we had to follow the road back to where it crossed the trail again. I'm glad we got back on the trail, we saw a group of 5 deer, including a fawn.

At the top of Flagstaff, we followed Ute trail over to Gregory Canyon. We then went up Ranger Trail (and saw real rangers, how weird is that?). We got to the top of Green Mountain at 10:30. That would have been a good photo-op too, but luckily the register wasn't missing or vandalized so our signatures are proof that we made it. We talked to the rangers there, and found out they were leading a group hike of all three mountains. I was all ready to follow them but Ellen gently put her foot down. She's smahrt like that.

I wanted to loop somehow, so on the way down we took the Green Mountain West Ridge trail. This was a very short (1.2 mile) mild trail that put us at the tippy-top mailbox top of Flagstaff Road. We decided our boys could probably hike Green Mountain from that trailhead, we'd just have to decide if we are up to it.

We walked down Flagstaff Road 1/2 a mile and then took the Long Canyon trail back to Gregory. Long Canyon was tough. It was just steep enough to really hurt going down. Gregory Canyon was long too. And to say how steep it is, the Flagstaff Road is 7 miles long, but the cross country hike was 3 1/2 miles. We went back though Chautauqua Meadow and then back down Baseline.

We had lunch at Einsteins and then headed home. We ended up being out for 8 hours and walking 13 1/2 miles (and we only had to walk 12, what over-achievers we are!)

Mileage: 327 miles, 102 to go
Pledges: $700

Devil's Thumb + Shanahan Ridge =

six miles. And not very interesting miles, but it got the job done. Finished up listening to the Second Sisterhood, I'm having a hard time finding a new book.

Mileage: 315 miles, 114 to go
Pledges: $700

snake!

Today we combined 2 walks/bike rides to make up 6 miles. First we went over to the 88th St. trail and then up past the mall and over to Wahoo's for dinner (where we met Oliver's family, all on bikes.) After dinner the kids wanted to go home 'the short way' so we all did (the long way would have produced a full 6 miles) and I did 2 more on my own after bedtime. Wahoo's was YUMMY.

I did too

But Ellen is way tougher, it wasn't raining when I left and I didn't think it would. I had been cleaning my desk all day and part of that was putting away a bunch of photos. I ran out of photo squares, so I decided to walk to Michael's and get some more. On the way home it started to rain, but it stayed pretty light and I didn't get too wet. But I started too late (I think around 7:30) and it was pretty dark at the end. Still listening to Sisterhood #2.

Mileage: 309 miles, 120 to go
Pledges: $700

Oh yes I did

A little rain can't stop me! (or Ole!) Tonight we did a simple walk, just up Rock Creek Parkway to McCaslin and back. It was dark and rainy, so I wanted to stay on the pavement and in view of lights. I saw quite a few toads on the wet sidewalk, which freaked me out. In this pic, I am modeling the "Just smile, even when you don't feel like it" look. I don't like my Brooks shoes...they make my ITB hurt. Drat.

Achy brain

Ellen, I'm glad you walked today though sad it didn't make you feel better :(

My body felt fine, but my brain was mushy after shooting and proofing two photo sessions today.

I did Lilianna at 9:00 and Hannah and Ariel at 10:30.

I didn't have a camera setting right with Lilianna and it added to the post processing time. Blech. And working with kids around is hard (I mean my kids and the post-processing).

So it was nice to get out for my walk after dinner with my headphone and escape to the Sisterhood. I did the Shanahan ridge loop, I need to think of another 5 mile walk.

Mileage: 305 miles, 124 to go
Pledges: $700

a bit too long...

...but still nice, especially since we had a rain and it was COOL. I kept smelling honey-what the heck? I've been feeling a bit 'wan' today and while I don't feel any better after my 5.4 miles, I don't feel worse. I broke in my new Brooks shoes today and they aggravate my ITB a bit, so I'm going to try my orthotics in them next time. Ole and I had a nice walk around Rock Creek, going pretty far east up the 88th street trail to the east end of the mall and then back west next to the Fire Station.

Double Post

Oops, I forgot to post about Sunday's walk. In the evening I put Alex on his bike and we did the campus loop. I'm not going to be able to do that much more, he was way ahead of me, even on the uphills. But it did get me to step up the pace, and it was nice not pushing Adam.

Today, I realized I had a busy day planned so Jeremy watched the kids in the morning while I did the campus loop again. I listed to all of Lean Mean Thirteen over the weekend, so now I'm on the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants #2. Other than that, not much to report. It was a pretty normal 4 mile walk.

Mileage: 300 miles, 129 to go
Pledges: $700

A different sort of 12 miles

Yes Ellen, I know it's hard to believe, but we only hiked 12 miles today. Actually, 4.5 was on sidewalks and 7.5 was on the trail. Much different than our 12 miles last week.

We started this morning again at 6:00am. We walked up to the Shanahan Ridge trail head, then headed up Shadow Canyon.

Here's Ellen pointed her thumb like devils thumb in the right corner.




And we thought this was an outhouse, but it was not. We don't know what it was, but it looked picture worthy.



Finally, the Summit of South Boulder Mountain at 10:30. The view behind me in north-west towards the Indian Peaks.



And behind Ellen is the South, with Golden way out there.



Then we hiked the short ridge over to Bear Peak.

And somewhere around that star is my house, where we started today.



And somewhere around that star is Ellen's house. We did not start there.



Such vandalism! The register from South Boulder was completely missing, and the one from Bear Peak was smashed and chipmonks ate the register. So un-Boulder like.


Ellen was feeling a bit nauseous and dizzy on Bear Peak.



Here I am, looking proud and strong.



A nice man gave us water on Bear Peak, we were way to low. The way down was hard too. We went down Fern Canyon, which is very steep at the top.

We finally made it to the bagel store at 2:00 and could only stomach 1/2 an Eggel each. We were out for 8 hours today. It was hard enough that Ellen won't commit to another hike next week. We'll see ;)

Mileage: 292 miles, 137 to go
Pledges: $560

Glad it's not like this much

I was out and about all day and had a Mom's Night Out potluck this evening, so I had to squeeze my walk in at 4:30 when Ariel went home. I got Alex and Adam in the stroller and we did the 5 mile Shanahan Ridge loop. The first half is pretty up and the second half is pretty down, so either I was struggling to push 75lbs up hill, or trying to keep 75lbs from rolling down hill. I did have my MP3 player on (finished the first Sisterhood, now reading Lean Mean Thirteen) but I had to pause it for Alex's incessant questions (Mommy, why do pirates have eye patches? Did a shark bite their eye out? Why do some pirates have wooden legs? What if a shark bit their nose off, would they have a fake nose?) I did mange the walk in 90 minutes and made it almost on time to the potluck.

Mileage: 274 miles, 155 to go
Pledges: $560

no packpack, mama

Mae did not enjoy today's walk. After dropping the boys at Sunflower, we took Ole to Teller Farms for our 4 mile hike. My stroller is broken so I put Mae in the 'pack-back' (i.e. the Ergo) and off we went. We were good for about 1/2 mile, til she started shrieking and kicking and crying. It was a looooong walk. I'm going to try and get the stroller in this weekend...what a nightmare.

4 miles = 3 hours

Oy. So we left at 6pm for the 4 mile Noodles/Wahoo's walk with the boys on bikes. It was fine getting there, but windy as HECK on the way back. We got back to my house at 9pm. On Thursday I am going to relish the speed I get with just one kid, in a stroller to boot! Geesh.

Another new record

A twelve mile walk and no Starbucks? What's up with that? I guess my cup of french pressed coffee before the walk was all I needed. Thank again, Ellen.

So Ellen and I started walking at 6:00am today. We did the same 12 mile walk as we did on June 10th. It was a nice morning and 4 hours goes by much quicker when you are chatting.

I didn't have my camera out much today. We did see this fox when we got to the campus. He was not afraid of us at all.



We both agreed that this was an "easy" 12 mile walk, our training must be paying off.

Oh, and we had to walk early so that I could be home by 10 so we could go to Longmont with Jeremy and watch him do a bike race. And the Alex (& Ted) got to do a race too.

Bike Race Pictures

Mileage: 265 miles, 164 to go
Pledges: $310

Shabbat Hike

Today I walked up to the NCAR trail head to do the monthly Shabbat Hike with Rabbi K. We got a bit sprinkled on, but the lightening wasn't bad. It's about 2 1/2 miles to the trail head and then we hiked about 1 1/2 hours and then I got a ride back down the hill, so I'm pretty sure I covered my 5 miles for today.

Mileage: 253 miles, 176 to go
Pledges: $310

the whole gang

Everyone melted down tonight when I announced I was off for my walk. So we put Mae in the stroller and the boys on their bikes and off we went. I took them on my 88th St. trail (I don't know what else to call it). Everyone did great and we tried to celebrate with gelato but the place was closed. So we made due with SuperHeroes popsicles (and 1 point Fudgsicles for me). Fun, but slow.

Apparently not a very memorable walk

I was bad this weekend and didn't blog this Friday walk until Sunday. And I'm having a hard time recalling what I even did. Ah yes, now I remember. After dinner, I walked around the block trying to finish up Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants #4. I only had 12 minutes left, then I came back inside and loaded up Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants #1. Then I did my 3 mile up the hill walk. And yes, it is strange to be reading the first book after finishing the last, but still enjoyable.

Mileage: 248 miles, 181 to go
Pledges: $310

ow ow ow

Well today was a good day. We biked from the East Boulder Rec Center to Horizons and then on to the library, about 3 miles round trip according to Wendy. Then after an early dinner we walked to Wal-Mart to look for special shooters our neighbors had (didn't find them but did find Rebel Soldier Guns...oh yeah.) So that added another mile. Plus I took a quickie bike ride with Mae in the baby seat, about 2 miles only, but I was with our neighbor and his 4yo biking maniac, so it was a FAST 2 miles. Plus anytime I'm walking while the boys are riding I have to walk way faster than I would normally. I'm tired and going to shower right now!

Look Ma, No Car

1:45 This morning we went to storytime at the library. Alex rode, I pushed Adam on his bike and Ariel was on my back. And oh yeah, this was not the close library. On the way home, we stopped at Horizons and played with Ted and Sam and Mae on the playground. So that was 4 miles down.

5:30 In the afternoon we walked to our close library and the store, adding another mile. But Alex was walking, so it was a ssslllooowww mile.

9:00 So right now I'm going through what most woman go through, only in the fall. It's "football" season, aka The Tour de France. Jeremy is streaming the verses channel at night and it frankly bores me to death, especially since the announcers are American instead of crazy Scots. I was feeling bad about that last slow mile, so I set off to do the walk I had thought I'd to today, my 5 mile Shanahan Ridge walk. I'm listening to The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants #4 and while I've missed the backstory of the first 3, it's really good. So I got in a good 5 mile training walk, plus my 5 miles of kids in the day.

Mileage: 244 miles, 185 to go
Pledges: $310

Home and back on track!!!

I am back and gosh darn it, I will not miss a walk again! I was really good last weekend, getting my long walk in on Saturday (thanks to a babysitter) and taking Mae out early on Sunday for the 4mile. On Tues & Thurs in Chicago, Rosa and I walked the 4mile walks (Tues around the Brookfield Zoo and Thurs to the library and back) but I petered out on the weekend and did nada. Well, I did have a chocolate malt, but I think that counts against me. This morning I took Wendy and her boys on my 4 mile trail to Starbucks/the park. It's a tough ride and Alex did great. He does uphills with a lot less whinging than Ted, that's for sure! So that walk is done! 5 miles tomorrow (our wedding anniversary!). I am also back to tracking my food...much damage was done on this vacation in the tummy department! I'm supposed to get my nose checked tonight but I think I'll do it a little later in the week since my 'menfolk' are due home late this afternoon!
I added a Sponsor Ellen link on the right, so if you're reading this because of me, please feel free to sponsor me! ;-)

Not Epic: Alex is a trooper

Ellen's got herself one heck of a 4 mile walk. As she said herself, growing up in Superior will make you strong. The path she took us on was either up or downhill (and then the reverse on the way back). Alex is not a fan of down yet and had to walk his bike on many of the ups, but he was a trooper. There was very little whining, though later he did say it was too hard. And oh yeah, the donut at Starbucks probably got him home.

Mileage: 239 miles, 190 to go
Pledges: $185

How daring of me

I'm actually deviating a bit from The Training Program. First, the long walk moved to Saturday so I could ride on Sunday (which was very nice, but hard, by the way. We rode to Jamestown, which is very uphill and the ride was 36 miles). So today, Monday, I had to make up the 4 miles from Saturday. On the ride yesterday, I hooked up with a woman who is hiking Monday mornings, so I went out with her today. We started at 6:45 and hiked for 1:15. I'll count that as 4 miles, though it was probably less. I'll still walk Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday this week in the evenings.

Mileage: 235 miles, 194 to go
Pledges: $185

An early long walk

Even thought today was hotter than hades, it was still a nice day to do a long walk. The boys are still at Grammie's house and Jeremy took a bike ride. Jeremy wants me to do a team ride with him tomorrow so that was another reason to do the long walk today. And I've had several comments from various people telling me that a 3 hour team ride will do as cross training and I don't need to walk 4 miles tomorrow, but I'm not sure about that. I guess I'll see how I feel by tomorrow evening.

Anyway, today I did 16 miles around Boulder, similar to what Ellen and I did on June 10th. Except I stopped only at Starbucks for a grande frappachino and then at the Pearl Street Farmer's Market for a lemonade. Oh yeah, and then I had a sprite and a bag of chips at Subway. I spent 3 hours finishing up Anyone But You by Jennifer Crusie. I thought it was a chick lit book but it was more of a romance novel. And a slightly racy one at that, hee hee.

I was out for over 5 hours, but that included my drink stops, a library stop and a stop of the packaging store to retrieve my lost camelback. Even though I started at 7am, I was out at noon when it was close to 100 degs, not fun.

Mileage: 231 miles, 198 to go
Pledges: $185

Morning Walk, for a Change

Since I only had one kid this morning (and none tonight) I did my walk in the morning. Ariel and I walked to Starbucks, then to Horizon's playground. Even though we left at 8:30, it still was pretty hot.

And today is an exciting day in the training program, we have finally walked farther than we have left to walk. And yet, it took 10 weeks to reach this point and 8 are left...

Mileage: 215 miles, 214 to go
Pledges: $165

Square

Judy and I walked a square today at Turkey Toe. We waited until after dinner and it was a bit cooler. The hay is doing well. Really well. I sneezed a lot.

Here's a little seen shot of the back of the ranch with the Wet Mountains behind:



And a square is 5 miles, one more than I needed, but I figured that would help if Sunday was a bit short.

Mileage: 211 miles, 218 to go
Pledges: $165

Rosita

Today's walk was so crazy, I'm surprised I didn't think of it myself. It was actually the brainchild of my dear husband. Sunday morning, we were still in Colorado Springs, but soon to be at the ranch in Westcliffe. Jeremy found a dirt road 12 miles from the ranch and dropped me off at mile marker 1:



I listened to my book and walked pretty fast to mile marker 2:



And then I never did see mile marker three, but my book ran out. And then I saw mile 10, which was really confusing. But I seemed to be walking in the right direction, so I plugged on. It was cool to see the Sangre de Cristos hiding behind the wet mountains:



The mile markers seemed to want to stay at their new number, so I took a picture of number 8:



And number 7 was in the "town" of Rosita, which just seemed to be a higher density of houses than the rest of the road.



Rosita, what's it all about?



And I swear I missed mile 6, but then found 5.



Somewhere after 5, my dear husband found me and brought me some much needed water. He also said that I had missed the turn about 1/2 mile back and so he drove me up the right road. The rest of the walk was on a much more remote road where the houses looked more like this:



I'm not sure if I quite hit 12 miles, but I walked for 3 1/2 hours. It was really hot and I was quite bored with myself at the end, so I called it good enough.

Mileage: 207 miles, 222 to go
Pledges: $165