Once Upon a Time I Went on a Little Hike

So the anticipation is over. I went on my first CO hike last weekend. (Well, 2nd. I can't forget going up the side of a mountain with 500 high school kids/leaders a few years ago...even though I'd kinda like to. I don't want to forget the beautiful views and the time spent with kids conquering it blah blah...but still. I digress).

One of my new friends and I (who will be appropriately referred to as "SC friend" because she is from SC) decided to go on a mild 7mi hike on Saturday called Waldo Canyon Loop. It was pretty touristy with plenty of company, but still some good exercise. You go for roughly 1.5mi then you come to the loop and a decision. Left or Right. It "loops" back onto itself so it really doesn't matter which way you go. However, I did want to point out that it actually looped because I do like when hiking trails back up their name. I looked and was unable to find "Waldo" but that should've been expected. He's that good. Or I was that bad at those books. Either way, based on a suggestion from a friend we went Right. I don't regret this decision but in retrospect his logic doesn't make sense so I kind of wish I would've just gone with my trusted coin-flip method. Anyway, it was good for the first couple miles of the loop but then we ran into some fellow hikers who had chosen to start left:

Hikers: Is it icy up ahead?

Us: Umm.. a few small patches but nothing treacherous

Hikers: OK, good. Well, good luck...it's pretty sh*tty for the next mile. Lots of ice. We were sliding a good bit. Nothing but ice...

Us: ...thanks...awesome...whoseideawasthishikeanyway?

Needless to say they were right, but we made it after only one legitimate fall each, some squat-shuffling and other adaptive hiking-on-ice maneuvers. I'm just glad that I decided to eat my banana and cheese crackers snack before the icy part or Henry would've been pissed the entire time.

I wasn't really sore the next day which is a bummer but it was still enjoyable. I'll try to remember to put up two pictures later. (don'tcountonit)



In other news, yesterday I discovered I was inadvertantly wearing the middle part. I know I recently got my hair did but maybe the highlights went straight to my head (I'll take credit for that pun) and it thought it could pull it off. I don't know what my hair was thinking, but it goes without saying that I'm no Jennifer Aniston:

Me with a wavy-hair-middle-part

So Jealous.

Well that's all for now. I just signed up for a "Learn to Curl" clinic which I'm really excited about.

Colorado Springs score: 1 (which is +2 from before...I gave it a bonus point because I could wear whatever I wanted on the hike)

Once Upon a Time I Got Sent Home

OK you're in luck. Something already happened to me. I'm not ashamed to admit publicly that I have to go home and change because I violate dress code. I didn't know they sold "inappropriate" pencil skirts (which is what I'm wearing at least for the next 15 minutes until I find a nice pair of pleated, tapered slacks). I guess this makes up for my lack of rebellion in high school. Can dress code violations be the new after school detentions?

I love old ladies, but not the ones who complain to HR about my inch above the knee professional skirt.

At least I can still wear "gauchos" and "skorts" (because they make a lot of knee-length skorts) as those are explicitly listed in the "acceptable" column. Phew.

At least we still have casual Fridays....for now.

Colorado Springs score: -1



***DISCLAIMER: If you work for the same organization as I do (specifically in HR) please know that I do respect the dress code and understand. This is just for a chuckle for those on the outside who know me and would think I'd get sent home for things like eating all of the M&Ms and raisins out of a community bowl of trail mix leaving only peanuts and a few pretzels instead...not inappropriate dress.

Once Upon a Time I moved to Colorado

...from Hawai'i. In December. I hate the cold. This should be fun.

Remember the old Hawai'i blog back when I moved there and it was fun and I did cool stuff like skydive and backpack a treacherous coastline and fly a plane? (Probably don't know about the last two because I never wrote about them...but they happened)...well, that is a blog of the past. Just like Hawai'i is now in the past. I've been to Colorado in the summer and enjoyed it and am determined to find things to do/try in the winter. I even have approx 2 friends now. My friend (not CO friend but childhood friend who moved to HI with me) and I joked about having a "BYOF" (Bring Your Own Friend) party back when we found ourselves in a similar predicament but we never followed through (typical). I might revisit that idea and require my friends to bring a new friend for me. Double my number of friends? Yes, please. But I'll have to cap it at 4 friends total, because my car only seats 5 including me.

I obviously don't have anything interesting right now. But my newest friend and I are planning to try hiking in 50 degree weather this weekend. If we don't just end up hiking to the nearest Starbucks/trashcan fire then I'll tell you about it.

For now, some videos:

...but wait there's more!

...no worries there's still more!

...and still one more!

...it's over!