U-Turn

My hiatus from writing has been a little selfish. I have trouble admitting mistakes, and it seemed that this cross-country trip had turned out to be a big one! But, with a new year upon us, it is time to write this page of the story so that I can start 2011 with a clear conscience and a fresh outlook.

Arizona was full of surprises. We made peace with the hot desert sun, who greeted us every morning on our run and played fireworks off the mountains every evening. We witnessed celestial and atmospheric wonders - cotton candy colored clouds, night skies awash in twinkling lights, shooting stars and never-ending rainbows. We came face to face with scorpions, rattlesnakes and javalinas - the wildlife of cowboy legends! We worked and played hard, exploring every corner of our tiny artist hamlet. We met fantastic people and shared fantastic stories. And, best of all, we realized that we are brimming with all the resources we need to live epic, meaningful lives, we just need to dig down and tap into them!

Looking back on it now, Josh and I can be proud that all of our decisions over the past year have been grounded in lengthy research and thoughtful deliberations. Maybe the 'U' in u-turn stands for 'understanding'. We gained a lot of that from this recent turn around. Sometimes, no matter how carefully you plan your route, the road of life hands you giant potholes and dangerous curves. When you hit a rough patch, is up to you to stay the course. We are ready to head full-speed into 2011, with the faith that following our hearts will never lead us to a dead end.

View from the valley

Evening rain set ablaze

A lost little friend

More magical desert weather

Ceremonial Tubac

Coyote moon

Biking into the great wide open

Casita kitchen

Casita living room

Our casita - Room enough for 2!

Chapel at the golf course

Turkey vultures waiting for prey

Chasing Desert Dreams (CO Continued!)

To all our family and friends who are anxiously awaiting the day when Josh and I will finally 'settle down', you should know that Colorado Springs is definitely on the short list of places we'd LOVE to live! 

We were lucky enough to Couchsurf with an amazing, energetic, athletic and like-minded couple who pointed us to the best running, biking and driving routes in the area.Val and Brenda are both avid runners and share our passion for exercise and healthy eating. They take their golden lab, Buddy on their daily jaunts. It seems pretty easy to stay fit when you enjoy a temperate climate that boasts 300 plus days of sun each year and you can drop down the bluff behind your subdivision and be instantly transported to a rocky, mountainous running trail!

Peanut gets comfy in Buddy's big dog bed!

Peanut's new pal, Buddy

Using their gorgeous house as a base camp, Josh and I woke early to get in our morning bike ride and run on the Santa Fe Trail. Working against the altitude change, we clambered up the rolling hills, waving at dozens of other trail mavens as we passed by.

Our fanciest Couchsurfing digs yet in Val & Brenda's basement suite

We cleaned up from our morning workout, strapped Peanut into his makeshift 'seatbelt' and set out for the drive up Pike's Peak. There is an old cog railway that makes the steep ascent to 14,110 feet. But, Josh and I figured we'd challenge our Mazda 3 warranty and take the scenic 19-mile road to the summit. I kicked it into low gear as we climbed up hills and around switchbacks. 

Winding road up to Pike's Peak

We marveled at the change in temperature and vegetation on the route. The brisk air and golden aspens gave us a taste of those apple orchard autumn days we knew we'd be missing in the desert this fall. 

Fantastic fall color!

We stopped for photos at the reservoir, where families and fisherman lined the shores. We made our way past towering evergreens up to the barren, rocky plateau at the summit.  

From the mountain top, on a clear day, there are spectacular views of four states! We peered out over the vast expanse at the Continental Divide, the cities of Denver, Manitou Springs, Colorado Springs and the historic gold camps of Cripple Creek and Victor. 

The road to heaven?

Peanut posing at the summit

On the journey back down the mountain, we made a mandatory stop at the ranger station. The brakes on the Mazda were burning and we were asked to pull over for a while and cool our heels! We shared a cup of Joe and soaked in some more scenery before making it safely back down to the Springs. 

Pike's Peak ranger station

Josh and Peanut in the evergreens

When we couldn't bear to leave Colorado just yet, Val and Brenda were gracious enough to grant us another night's stay! The four of us got dolled up and spent the evening out on the town. We sat on the patio at Southside Johnny's, eating, chatting, people watching and listening to live music. 

As we drove away the next morning, Josh was already on the phone, searching for jobs in Colorado Springs and planning a ski trip this winter. We can't wait to get back to catch up with our new friends!  

Chasing Desert Dreams (KS to CO)

We left Topeka before sunrise on Friday, September 15th. So excited to make our way to Colorado, we braved a torrential downpour that blew in sideways over the plains and split the sky with bright, crackling light. A few hours into the drive, the sky began to clear and we spent the day squinting over the dashboard at the horizon, waiting for a glimpse of the Colorado Rockies in the distance.

First view of the Rockies

A stunning sky

We finally rolled into Colorado Springs around 4pm, made a pit stop for coffee (Meg) and a glass of Soul (Josh) at Trinity Brewing Co. (www.trinitybrew.com). Geared up and ready to stretch our legs, we headed straight over to Garden of the Gods (www.gardenofgods.com). 

All 3 of us at Garden of the Gods

The national park is filled with the most fantastic red sandstone and limestone geologic formations! Miles of well-groomed trails allow you to hike, bike, drive or ride horseback around and in-between the massive structures.

Apparently, layers of sediment were deposited horizontally over the fault line eons ago. Then, serious forces deep below the earth pushed the layers of rock up and tilted them vertically on end.

Josh with the world on his shoulders

There are also giant rocks balancing precariously atop much smaller ones because, over hundreds of years, the sediment has slowly eroded away beneath.

Biking through Garden of the Gods

When you think back to all you learned about mountains, glaciers and erosion in grade school, these explanations seem to add up. But somehow, when you're standing in the shadows of this bizarre and beautiful arrangement, all scientific and geological reasoning comes up short!

Lucky Josh kept that helmet on!