Great Sand Dunes National Park

Our final stop, and a great way to spend the morning before a long drive home.  Walking up the sand dunes was so surreal, especially with the mountains in the backdrop.  I can only imagine what the view from the top might be like…one day!

 I couldn’t be happier with how this spontaneous trip turned out.  It’s got me even more excited for the road trip up to Portland, and all the possibilities that lie there.  I’ve been taking a lot more video footage and am hoping to put something together covering the trip before I leave for Peru!

Telluride & Black Canyon National Park

I heard of Black Canyon National Park for the first time about two or so weeks ago.  Naturally, when we decided to road trip to Colorado, I knew we had to make a stop.  And I’m so glad we did, this canyon is unreal!  Maybe even better than the Grand Canyon, although they are very different and thus hard to compare.  We shared the park with leather-clad bikers and older couple and young families, so I feel like we stuck out a bit.  More kids our age need to get out to the National Parks!  If only they knew what they were missing!

We also ventured out to Telluride, hoping to see the balloon festival there that I’ve heard so much about.  Unfortunately, our timing was off, and we missed the early morning take off.  It was a great (hipster-y) little town, regardless.  With delicious food options. I definitely will be returning one day with more solid plans (maybe for the bluegrass festival, who knows…).

Hiking Breckenridge

My friend isn’t a big hiker, but she certainly appeased me by putting up with this particular adventure.  She followed me up steep hills and through trails covered in two feet of snow, and she was a trooper about it!  We heard about McCullough Gulch from our waiter at Breckenridge Brewery, and how his friend had hiked it recently, no problem.  But we failed to take into account the snowfall that occurred between the recommendation being made, and the recommendation being taken.  And on top of that, we completely missed the trailhead, and end up walking along the road for 2 extra miles before until the trail intersected with it once more and we were able to hop on there (this was my fault, I didn’t look at the map before we took off, leaving my poor, directionally challenged friend to make the calls…opps).

But even with all these incidental factors, it was still an amazing hike.  The views of the surrounding mountains from the road were outstanding, and we beasted our way through some very thick snow, which made for some funny memories of us struggling to get out of the holes we sunk into.  Plus, we got some pretty cool pictures, too.

I think the next time I visit these mountains, I’ll plan to go later in the summer, after the snow melts completely!

Red Rocks Amphitheater

I thought maybe this trip to Colorado would get some of my obsession with the state out of my system, but I was entirely wrong.  I 100% will live in the Denver area someday!  The Red Rock Amphitheater is just outside of the city, and it’s pretty cool.  We went on a whim, on the way-ish home from RMNP, and I’m so glad we did.  The Postal Service was actually playing a show there that night (soldout, unfortunately), and apparently the acoustics are amazing.  We weren’t able to explore much of the actual amphitheater since the were setting up for the show, but we did get a good workout and a good view from the trails around the venue.

Rocky Mountain National Park

“Travel far enough, you meet yourself.” – David Mitchell

I am officially a National Park Annual Passholder, and I’m pretty sure that purchase will have a very high ROI (I’m 1-2 parks away from getting my monies worth, and I’ve had it for less than a week).  Rocky Mountain NP was the first of many that I used it at.  I actually purchased it there.  The park ranger explained that it could be shared by 2 people, so I could always add my boyfriend to it at anytime.  That made me laugh.  I think I’m okay with being the sole name on it for now 😉  We also talked to her about how we had just graduated, and her word choice in reaction to hearing our majors will stick with me forever: “applicable.”  She wasn’t condemning us (or herself), and there is nothing wrong with a job that is means to an end, but it certainly made me think.  We may be able to afford a more expensive lifestyle, but what she has working at RMNP is, in my opinion (and I think her opinion, too), priceless.  I will never, ever forget that.

Rocky Mountain NP was wonderful!  I needed more than a day.  We didn’t even make it to Estes Park (the road through was closed due to snow), but the parts we did get to explore were breathtaking.  I felt entirely in my element.  We hiked some of the trail around Adams Fall, which I highly recommend if you are in that area of the park.

I can’t wait to get back, already!

Breckenridge & the Cabin

“We waste so many days waiting for weekend. So many nights wanting morning. Our lust for future comfort is the biggest thief of life.”

Post-graduation festivities, I was feeling a bit restless.  My early road trip plans had fallen through weeks before, but I still felt the need to go somewhere.  So I texted a good friend, who I knew was also feeling the same restlessness, and we made last-minute plans to travel up to her family’s cabin in Breckenridge, CO.  Gotta love friends who are game for spontaneous road trips (and who have grandfathers with the foresight to build a cabin with his own two hands in Breckenridge, years before it became a booming ski town)!

We were surprised to find snow this late in the spring, but that didn’t stop us from exploring.  Our first full day there, we hiked around the town, checking out interesting shops and the local Breckenridge Brewery.  I don’t recommend sipping an IPA or testing out some flights pre-slackline session, though.  It was a relaxing start, and we were able to talk to some locals and start piecing together an itinerary for the rest of the week.  I’ve never travelled with so little research done prior, and I may never again.

I took a bazillion pictures, so I’ve broken things up into multiple posts that I’ll schedule for throughout the days leading up to Peru 🙂

Lake Belton

            

“Acknowledging the good that is already in your life is the foundation for all abundance.”
– Eckhart Tolle

I don’t think there is a better way of spending Memorial Weekend than on a lake.  The weather seemed threatening, but when we got there the sun came out to celebrate with us.  It was so good to see these amazing, talented people one more time before I leave.  I’m going to miss summer days like these!

Not picture: jet skiing, island waterfalls, BBQ, puppies everywhere, and late night skinny dipping 😉

Camping along the Medina River

“Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you.”
– Frank Lloyd Wright

It was a spur of the moment, rainy camping trip in what may be my new favorite place in Texas.  We grilled up steak and s’mores over the campfire, drank beer, hiked to the top of the cliff face, rafted the river, and learned to fly fish.  It was a great start to the long weekend.  And yes, it was just the start.  More to come!

 

What Now?

“Do what you love. It’s going to lead to where you want to go.”

– Wayne White

And just like that we said goodbye.  Many of my friends have left town for their next adventures, and I’ve got a few weeks to fill between now and Peru.  And I won’t just be packing for the big Portland move.  I’ve got the travel itch, and I’m not good at resisting to scratch it.  So who knows what might pop up! 😉

And Then I Graduated College

“The beauty of things is that they must end.”
– Jack Kerouac

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
– Mary Oliver

I am officially a college graduate.  It’s funny, these past few months I was feeling so lost on what would happen after graduation, after I said goodbye to The University of Texas, to my home,  and to this chapter of my life.  It felt like a giant cliff, and I was being pushed off with no bottom in sight.  But now that it’s all over, really over, I feel much more clear on what I want.  I’ve landed safely on my feet.  For the first time, I have an inkling of a 5-year, even a 10-year plan.  I’m sure I can’t predict the specifics or how things will change, but I know I will travel, I will start my own business, I will enjoy the simple things, I will stay in touch with my college friends (because our goodbyes aren’t permanent), and I will meet wonderful new people to share my life with, too.  It’s going to be an amazing chapter.