Celebrating 52 circles around the sun.

4 days after Sawatch madness I flew to Portland. It was pretty much a red eye flight, as I arrived close to midnight, and didn't get to my friend Natasha's house until 1 am. Which is 2 am by CO time, if I may add. My sleepless week continued. However, the next two days granted me a beautiful sunshine and upper 60's, which I totally appreciated. It was a great trip, as far as my Portland visits go last years. Morning walks with Natasha in her green neighborhood - she's the last friend standing in PNW still, and to think, I actually met her years after I left this city, and through my boys. So much for friendships withstanding years and miles...dwindling down to barely a handful. That's what happens when you move many times, I guess. But I digress. 

After breakfast, I got to visit my younger son Stephen, and then spent nearly a full day with my older son Alex. We did what normal families do - had lots of coffee in the park, went to random stores, I bought him a sketch book - he's a very talented artist (along with a very smart science guy), and I bought myself lots and lots of yarn - something I haven't done properly in a couple of years. I guess I was happy, because for me, yarn and knitting are signs of a passion coming from the heart. Lets the knitting commence...

Saturday, the next morning, was more of the same. A walk with Natasha, a chat with Stephen, and quality time with Alex. I was at peace, and after a quick lunch with Natasha's church friends, I was on the plane back home. As I flew over Mt Hood, I waved. It stood solo in the sea of green, as it always does, and I said to it, I'll be back. Of course, I will...

I got home just around 10 pm. Larry was visiting Harrison in Lubbock, so I made a quick decision to go for my 10th this year Pikes Peak, October edition. So, yet another sleepless night, 4 am wake up, though I took it slower in the morning hours, knowing I don't have to be in a hurry. I didn't set my foot on Barr trail until 5:30 am. It being Sunday, I passed many hikers, even though I committed to going nice and easy. It's amazing what the perception of "easy" does - my time was a bit faster than September, but I never even breathed hard. My legs did hurt, as it was a mere week after them cramping like there's no tomorrow, but it was worth it - the sunrise, a great weather above tree line, a top all to myself and first to get there (literally past last guy 100 yards before the cograil tracks). The Aspen were bright gold, and near the top there was dusting of snow. Hello, winter. On the downhill, I continued with the "nice and easy" slog, and mostly walked. I needed to preserve my body. October was just starting.

Larry came back in time for dinner, and the work week began. Once Thursday evening rolled, we officially entered my birthday weekend. I had big plans originally, climbing not one, or two, but 3 14-ers. It started with idea Grays/Torreys double (their tops are within 0.5 miles), then staying in Leadville, and going Huron next day. We studied the website, and decided we hate dirt bumpy road access to all those, and settled for 2 other (both with asphalt trailheads): Yale and La Plata. By Thursday, it was obvious we need to re-think it all for a totally different reason: Friday noon the front was coming and bringing not only snow, but, more dangerously, wind up to 50 mph. It would have been dumb to do it. So, I decided to go back to Grays/Torreys first day (hoping to hit both before the bad weather really comes full force), stay in Leadville (the hotel was pre-payed, so we were stuck), then lazily hike low trail around Leadville Saturday and drive home earlier. Well, that turned out to be not quite as wished.

Wake up at 3:30 am, and a relatively short drive (took us 1:40), we parked at the lower trailhead, still not interested in driving the 4WD 3 miles to the higher spot. We figured, we can add 6 extra miles to the trip. We started in the dark, and got to the TH proper as the light was getting grey. Both 14-ers stood in front of us, as we began our hike. Grays is onb the left, Torreys on the right. It was cold, but at that time, for the most part, the wind was at our backs - until we turned and turned and gained altitude, and had to put our Gortex jackets on. The hands quickly went numb. The last 600 feet of climb was packed snow, but on the way up it didn't really affect us. We kept passing people, slowly, and had a top ALL to ourselves! However, the wind began really affecting our temperatures and comfort level, so there was no time to hang out (we actually never do, come to think about it), Larry's phone died in the cold, mine was barely there, I took 3 shots around, including one with the path to Torreys (descending to the saddle and climbing steeply ip on the rock scree).

As we pointed our shoes down to the saddle, the wind REALLY got bad, gusting to 40 mph, everything was frozen, plus we were on packed snow/ice covering sharp rock. Of course, I slipped. Of course, I hit my tailbone, exactly smack in the middle of the top of my butt crack, on a (of course) rock standing like a shark fin. I am not kidding. I rolled to the stomach, waling, yelled at Larry a few words of choice, got myself up. He wanted to turn off the mountain right away, I got angry and wanted to give my best shot for Torreys. We got down to the saddle and began the traverse. The wind was knocking us off pretty bad, and neither one of us felt our hands or faces. I looked up, at the much more steep scree than Grays had - and thought to myself: fuck this shit, I hate going down it as it is, and with these gusts, I'll be risking sliding down. On my birthday! Who needs this misery? I turned to Larry, and motioned to go back. He was only happy to oblige. 

We met so many people, once past the intersection of two trails, still going up Grays, and Larry, my social butterfly, told everyone how we had to abandon the second peak. Mostly, folks are thankful for the information (though I am one of those who barely nods my head on the trail, pardon my seemingly unfriendliness). Once about 1,000 feet below both summits, the wind was comer, we peeled out jackets off, and jogged/hiked all the way down, to the upper TH, then on the dirt road to the lower. These peaks will be here next year, and my ass was really hurting me, so all in all, it was a good decision.

On the road portion, we passed by an old building, and explored it a little. As we got to the car, there was no way I could sit down in it. Oh, man, memories of my Cactus Rose 100 in 2009 flooded, and I inspected the damage. The top of the tailbone was screaming in pain to touch, and I had a bloody bruise on the side of the top of my butt. 

I hit it for real. Half-laying on my side in the passenger seat, Larry drove me to Frisco's Safeway, where I hobbled and bought a big bottle of Advil - and some chocolate. 4 pills took an edge off the pain, and I was able to actually enjoy our favorite coffee shop in Leadville, City on the Hill. After that, we checked into our hotel (gosh, Leadville needs better accommodation, their better option we keep staying in is just bad, really bad). For dinner it was another local favorite, High Mountain Pies. Before dinner, we (finally!) hit a Melanzana store, and finally got ourselves Mellies! I know, how pathetic, we got to have a popular thing. But really, support the locals - they sew it, literally, in front of your eyes (we got overstock, not personal order), it's fun, and the quality turned out to be exactly what people are raving about. Super-soft and super-hot! I was sweating in it, sitting outside the pizza in a drizzle.

We woke up to a total misery of the weather in Leadville, and very quickly decided to forgo local hiking trails. Muddy and wet, what kind of birthday would that be? Indeed, it was my official birthday. I called my sister, we packed, and hit City on the Hill coffee place one more time. The drive was uneventful thanks to lots of Advil, and once we passed Buena Vista, the sky cleared up. Oh, if only...but we did check the mountain weather, and for sure, it had those 50 mph winds and snow as promised. As far as I saw on FB for 14-ers, no brave souls summitted in Sawatch/Front range on Saturday. The rest of the day I did absolutely nothing, which was different from every other celebration I had before - I love adventuring on my birthday. It was a first when the weather didn't cooperate on October 9th, I swear.

But, I was ok with that, too. I guess I am truly getting old. On Sunday I managed to jog 4 miles with the support of more Advil. Larry blew our sprinklers lines (winter is coming fast), and then we picked our apples.

Now, I have a decision looming in front of me: next Saturday I have my last race for this year, I am all signed up for. Sage Burner 50k in Gunnison, CO, 4 hrs away. By Tuesday evening, there are 3 options I have to chose from. #1 and most sane (especially according to Larry) is to cancel this whole thing, get 50% credit for future racing (which I don't know if I want any of Mad Moose races as of right now...). My butt hurts, and my whole body is tired (see Sawatch report). #2, relatively tame: drop down in distance to 28k. I hate shorter stuff, I am so bad at speed, and now that I am tired, I wouldn't even be able to count on attrition rate...#3: walk it in. I mean, it'll hurt, I'll be pathetically slow, it'll be bad for my ego, but I'll finish what I signed up for, while Larry hangs out with Annie after her Moab 240 (and gets to fly-fish). 2 more days to decide. For tonight, we're going with our friends/neighbors to Patty Jewett Grill for some food and maybe even a drink to celebrate 52 more properly. Hello, year 53! Welcome to another circle!