Colorado: A First Look (after only 5 mos.)

It's taken quite awhile for us to get settled and for me to get acclimated to the new pace and volume of work so I've been a bit slow updating the blog. However, I've gotten all the pictures edited and I'm compiling below a synopsis of our first few months in Colorado. I hope you enjoy. Look forward to more frequent posts over the summer as we start traveling again.

First outdoor activities in Colorado: snow hiking in the Flatirons only 10 minutes from our house.  We made a trip to REI so we could buy the extra small Yaktrax which allowed Maddie to get some traction in the snow.  Clear sunny skies and temperatures in the 40s make for some decent winter hiking.

Indian Peaks views near Brainard Lake and the Snowshoe Trail

Devil's Thumb in the Flatirons on a snowshoe trek up to Bear Peak

Flatiron Winter Hikes

We had the luxury of joining Uncle Bob and Aunt Michelle at the Ritz Carlton Bachelor Gulch Resort at Beaver Creek for a few days.  Luckily, my first vacation week matched up with their time exactly and they invited us over.  Rather than spend a few hundred bucks on ski rentals, Em and I bought our skis for half of what they cost at the start of the season during the "end of season sale" that takes place during prime spring skiing.  No arguments here. 
I went to Beaver Creek a few days early and hit some decent powder alone while the girls caught up later and we taught Maddie how to ski.  The first day of ski school was ok, but the second ended after half a day with Maddie in tears as she shuffled unhappily through the Beaver Creek ski school mill.  Not wanting her to associate skiing with crying and unhappiness, we bought a harness and taught her on our own.  By the end of the day she was all smiles, cruising with little help though her stopping ability (none) could use some work next season.

 Maddie gets some pampering after a hard day of extreme skiing

Maddie's been extremely active here taking advantage of all that a larger, kid-friendly town has to offer.  Ballet, gymnastics, rock-climbing, soccer, parks, zoo, butterfly exhibit, guided kid hikes: you name it, Maddie's probably tried it.

I got a few post-call days to take advantage of unbelievable late season powder at Loveland where I skied anywhere from 6-17 inches of snow with no liftlines midweek.  Colorado had a record-breaking snow year and still the snowpack is around 200% of average meaning there will be snow on the high peaks essentially all year long.

 Naked Butt (what else is there to say except she's a cutie)

Typical evening at the park

 Maddie free-soloing (climbing without a rope) the red rocks at Settler's Park 5 minutes from home

 With Maddie's newfound climbing interest, Em and I had to join in the mix.  We took lessons, got gear and joined the rock gym where we hone our (poor) climbing skills a few days a week.  Conveniently, I can get a work out while on-call and still be within my required half-hour response time.  Soon, we'll be outside climbing without the confines of a gym.  Aside from convenience, there's no reason to climb indoors when you live in the nexus of the climbing universe.  Fun fact: Lynn Hill, probably the best climber of all time, climbs at our gym.  You think there might be some incentive to get better here?  By the way, if you live in Boulder, you can forget about looking good doing any outdoor activity.  Even if you're a high-level amateur, some sponsored pro is going to smoke your ass on that road ride that makes you nearly throw up from exertion.  The way I see it, the pressure's off.  I won't be the best, but I'm already better than 5 mos. ago.  With the outdoor community being so prominent here, it's hard not to pick up some cycling/hiking/climbing buddies.  Thankfully, I found some good guys that won't beat me up too badly on a ride.  Such as our recent 32+ mile 5500 ft. elevation gain mountain bike ride starting from Boulder and finishing in Lyons at Oskar Blues Brewpub.  Ahhhhhhh, the nectar of the gods after mountain bike ride like that, it can't be beat.

We traded Kukuiolono golf course for a different sunset view

While it's certainly been an adjustment moving from Kauai to Boulder, it's been mostly...Awesome!  Not to downplay Kauai's part in our life (because it was amazing), but Boulder fits our lifestyle much better.  The people and their personalities are very similar to us and ours...and what's not to like about walking distance to about 100 different craft beer taps?

Totally unrelated, but totally awesome (in a "ruining your kid for life" kinda way)