(not really Frank...but he reminded me of him)

Why does my brain never cease working? Sometimes I get tired of thinking abut the endless possibilities of what is going to happen.... you would think that eventually it would turn itself off just to keep from overheating (a brain IS supposed to be smart)! Then I might be able to get some good, deep sleep and wake up feeling refreshed...

My Boyfriend, The Lion Tamer

We were up in Mountain Village today and Jeremy was asked to do a favor for this lady...

Nature Upclose

Not the greatest quality, I know... but nevertheless they captured the moment.

I was leaving my place for dinner Thursday night when I encountered nature up close. It was that beautiful time of day when the sun was just going down... and when all of the hoofed animals are coming out to feed. I opened my front door and found two deer literally standing on my front porch! We stared at each other for a long while, before it finally occurred to me I should run and get my camera to record this odd happening. Of course, by the time I got the camera out and ready to go, they had moved on down to the snow covered ice rink that lies beyond my front porch, which is where they are in the above pictures.

Drastic Weather Change

After an amazing week of 50 degree temperatures allowing for wonderful hiking conditions, I decided to take the weekend off from skiing. After all, 50s may be great for hiking, but it was simultaneously melting the snow on the slopes which would then refreeze at night, creating icy conditions. Instead, I've spent the weekend catching up several aspects of my life (relaxing, cleaning, homework, taxes, etc.).

We spent Saturday journeying far and wide to the grocery store (a place I hadn't frequented in over 2 weeks, leaving my cupboards and refrigerator rather bare). On the way out, we stopped to take pictures of the storm brewing over the Telluride area (see below) which finally dropped another 6-8 inches of fresh snow on the mountain.

Noticable Improvement

Yesterday was what has become a typical Saturday for me... up on the mountain pretty early for a day of skiing! However, I usually spend most of the day by myself and then do a few runs with Jeremy. I've been making slow but steady progress, and this weekend I was able to spend the entire day skiing with the rest of the group!

I did several new blues and felt comfortable for the majority of the day. For my last run, they took me to the top of the mountain to do "See Forever." It was absolutely beautiful...seeing the snow capped mountains completely surrounding me, but I was a little uncomfortable up there on the precipice. Even though the trail was pretty flat for a while (and at least 15 feet wide), I felt like I was going slide right off the edge! I felt much better after the trail dropped a little and there were huts and snow along side of me. It was then that there were some pretty steep pitches (one in particular). Luckily, they were wide enough that I felt comfortable making my turns without worrying that people would crash into the back of me. I took my time and made it to the bottom without falling or even losing control! I was proud of myself, and I could definitely tell I was skiing with a bunch of teachers...they were so encouraging! Next time, I'll definitely have to take my camera up so the rest of you can see how amazing it is!

Last night we also took advantage of my prize from December's Teacher of the Month...dinner and and a night at the Sheridan (one of the oldest and most expensive hotels in Telluride). After skiing we checked in and were able to take advantage of the rooftop hot tub before our dinner reservations. It was nice to experience the more expensive side of Telluride for once!

Today it has finally warmed up again, so I'm off on another hike! Hope everyone has a wonderful Super Bowl Sunday!

An Excellent Day for Hiking!

I've been wanting to get out and hike for the last week or two. It's been warm (upper 30s and lower 40s) and sunny, but I've been worried about hiking on the snow packed trails. However, the recent demise of my trusty elliptical forced me to look for alternative forms of cardiovascular exercise. So I borrowed some yaktrax (like tire chains, only for your shoes) from a fellow teacher and headed out this afternoon armed with my camera, sunblock, and a bottle of water. I felt very comfortable in just a long sleeve shirt, yoga pants, and a vest. I walked along the Galloping Goose trail, which I hadn't attempted since the fall. It was just as beautiful and even more peaceful walking along the river. It was obvious several humans had passed along the trail (the snow was packed, making it much easier to walk on), but I saw no one else along the way. There was also evidence of another kind (it shows up much better in the white snow than on the typical dirt trail!) telling of four legged creatures enjoying the day. The birds singing and the sound of the river water rushing under the ice serenaded me into a meditative state. It felt amazing!

Snow Fest

Snow Fest in Telluride...absolutely awesome! Friday night we were up in Mountain Village watching snow mobiles jumping off ramps and doing tricks, a torchlight parade snaking down the mountain, and fireworks lighting up the night sky.

The guys on snow mobiles were driving off ramps and flying through the air doing all sorts of tricks with their feet legs before landing on a downhill slope and driving on to do it all again(these people MUST be CRAZY). One guy did have to bail in the middle of the jump but remained unhurt. As we were watching the snowmobile spectacle (bundled in our ski pants, down vests & coats, and snow boots) the torchlight parade started down the mountain and the firworks began. It's pretty cool seeing torches (held by skiers of course) snaking down the mountain on a slope where you can't see anything else. And I've never experienced fireworks while heavy snow is falling from the sky either. I didn't know what to watch...there was so much going on!

We called it a night pretty early since everyone wanted to be on the slopes early this morning to catch the powder before it was all skied off. I had another good day skiing and am feeling pretty confident on all the double greens. I've taken a few blues, but my form isn't usually too pretty.

I did have a spectacular fall today... some kid ran smack dab into the back of me while I was making my way down my first blue of the day. I managed to lose both skis and both poles! Luckily some guy skied all over the face of the mountain to pick up all of my things and bring them to me, because it was definitely spread all over. I was a little shaken, but I heard my dad in my head, so of course I had do the run again immediately...after all, I ALWAYS listen to my parents! The worst part about the fall was that I ended up with snow on the inside of my warm clothing, which made it hard to get warm for the rest of the day, especially after the clouds rolled back in.

I can't wait to get back up there on Monday with my kids. Sally has promised to ski with me in the afternoon, so it'll be like yet another free private ski lesson!