A few shots from our Europe trip last fall....such wonderful memories and great sites!
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Monday, November 1, 2010
Fall Snapshots
A few pictures of fall at our home...visiting the pumpkin patch,
selling our home, moving, and trail running.
Happy Fall Everyone!
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Peru - Cusco
This will be our last post before returning home to the states. Christine and I arrived in Cusco yesterday, after our private taxi/tour through a few of the remaining sites in the Sacred Valley on our way to the big city. We toured a site of Inka experimental farming as well as a place where salt ponds have been made to allow water to evaporate, leaving the salt behind. The pictures say it all, and we´ll post soon after returning home.
We toured around the city yesterday afternoon. I was definitely surprised by Cusco, as least the area we´re in. There are some beautiful old buildings and a very vibrant atmosphere. We took tons of pictures through the city streets, trying to capture the essence of Cusco. After a quick shower and putting the last of our clean clothes on, we headed to Los Perros Couch & Wine Bar. It almost seemed as if this place was plucked from New York City or San Francisco and placed in the middle of Peru. We lounged on sofas, read American magazines (we´re definitely getting into the Peruvian culture!!!), and ate amazing food. You probably won´t believe me, but I think I had the best burger of my life there. Other than being huge (we were starving from the day with only a Cliff Bar and some nuts we bought from a street vendor), it was bursting with flavor. We also had terrific wontons with various dipping sauces and Christine had a vegitarian stir-fry. We ended the night having fun and interesting conversation with a couple from LA who was on their first day of a year of traveling. They bought an around the world plan ticket and will be spending their first 3 months in South America. Of course, it had Christine and I talking about our own lives, as most every conversation here in Peru has.
We slept in today, this being the only day we haven´t set an alarm....something Christine lobbies occasionally. We had breakfast at the hostal then headed to visit museums throughout the city. We had lunch at Jack´s Cafe, with great coffee, coca tea, french toast, and soup. Now, we´re about the head to yoga. Yes, can you believe it? My first time taking yoga will be in Peru! After discussing how stiff and tight our bodies feel from not running, biking, or any of the other activities we typically take part in, we ended up behind a yoga instructor at the cafe. She told us she had a 3 PM class and we were happy to join.
We fly to Lima tomorrow, then home via Miami on Monday, arriving in Denver around 8 PM. We look forward to catching up with everyone in the coming days. Until then, take care.
We toured around the city yesterday afternoon. I was definitely surprised by Cusco, as least the area we´re in. There are some beautiful old buildings and a very vibrant atmosphere. We took tons of pictures through the city streets, trying to capture the essence of Cusco. After a quick shower and putting the last of our clean clothes on, we headed to Los Perros Couch & Wine Bar. It almost seemed as if this place was plucked from New York City or San Francisco and placed in the middle of Peru. We lounged on sofas, read American magazines (we´re definitely getting into the Peruvian culture!!!), and ate amazing food. You probably won´t believe me, but I think I had the best burger of my life there. Other than being huge (we were starving from the day with only a Cliff Bar and some nuts we bought from a street vendor), it was bursting with flavor. We also had terrific wontons with various dipping sauces and Christine had a vegitarian stir-fry. We ended the night having fun and interesting conversation with a couple from LA who was on their first day of a year of traveling. They bought an around the world plan ticket and will be spending their first 3 months in South America. Of course, it had Christine and I talking about our own lives, as most every conversation here in Peru has.
We slept in today, this being the only day we haven´t set an alarm....something Christine lobbies occasionally. We had breakfast at the hostal then headed to visit museums throughout the city. We had lunch at Jack´s Cafe, with great coffee, coca tea, french toast, and soup. Now, we´re about the head to yoga. Yes, can you believe it? My first time taking yoga will be in Peru! After discussing how stiff and tight our bodies feel from not running, biking, or any of the other activities we typically take part in, we ended up behind a yoga instructor at the cafe. She told us she had a 3 PM class and we were happy to join.
We fly to Lima tomorrow, then home via Miami on Monday, arriving in Denver around 8 PM. We look forward to catching up with everyone in the coming days. Until then, take care.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Peru Update - Ollantaytambo
Just checking in again from yet another place in Peru. From Pisac, Christine and I took a taxi to Ollantaytambo, where we boarded a train for Aguas Calientes, the gateway to Machu Picchu. Yes, just as it's name states, AC has hot springs. It's funny how literal names are here, as well as other foreign countries I've visited. We seem to spruce things up a bit in the States with names like Brushfire Springs.
Aguas Calientes was like the Estes Park or Gatlinburg of Peru. From the moment we got off the train, people were everywhere, trying to sell a trinket or give a guided tour. Just walking down main street you would be bombarded by workers in restaurants trying to persuade you to come in side...."Happy Hour, 4 for 1!" Christine and I checked into our hotel then headed out to get a glimpse of the trail up to Machu Picchu. We planned to wake up early and hike up, rather than take the bus like most everyone else. We got up around 4 AM, had breakfast at 5, and were out the door by 5:15. We crossed the bridge and started the ascent when the first bus took off at 5:30. From the maps, the ascent was approximately 1000 vertical ft, but it definitely seemed much more. By the time we arrived at the top, there was already a long line of people waiting to enter the ruins. The reason everyone tries to get there early is a chance to be 1 of the 400 people allowed to climb Huaynu Picchu, the egg shaped peak you see in most every Machu Picchu picture. We made the cut!
While waiting in line, the rain started to fall.....and fall it did. It was pretty much relentless the entire day. We hiked through the ruins to find the entrace gate to HP, met a kid from Durango who was traveling through Boliva, Peru, and Ecuador, and headed up in the cold rain. When we summitted, we were in a fog. We did get a 2 sec window where the clouds parted and we could see the ruins, but it was gone in a flash. We hiked back down, walked to through the ruins, and decided to call it a day by 11 AM. There were no signs of the rain letting up and we were completely soaked and cold.
We headed back to our hotel for some hot coca tea. They let us use a room to change into dry clothes and we found a great restaurant with a fireplace, where we stayed for hours. The rains finally stopped in the late afternoon and we hiked around town taking pictures until our train left at 6:30. We dined on Nutella and crackers, while we watched a fashion show on the train.....pictures will come later!
We took the train back to Ollantaytambo and slept hard after arriving at our hotel. Olly is an end of the road town in the Sacred Valley, where most people come through headed to Machu Picchu. We decided to stay here 3 nights, as the ruins are said to some of the most preserved in the valley. We were greeted with rain again in the morning, so we took the opportunity to check email and then hung out at a great cafe called Heart. The quick and dirty is that a 76 year old lady from the UK came to Peru to learn Spanish. She left Cusco due to the altitude (approx 11,000 fasl) and came to the Sacred Valley where she opened a restaurant where all the proceeds go to helping native Quechua women and children. It's a pretty amazing story, which I'm sure we'll write more about in the future. The rian finally stopped around lunch and we headed out on a non-stop 5ish hour hike around the ruins and town. We topped off the night at supposedly the best restaurant in town, where we had Salmon Trout, Quinoa Soup and Alpaca Ravioli.
This morning, we awoke to yet more rain, but things are looking up. We came back to the internet cafe to get some information about where we're staying in Lima, as well as some airport information. We plan to promote Heart again for lunch, then head out on the Inka Trail for more hiking. If time permits, we may head out of town to the salt flats which seem to be pretty elaborate.
For those of you who are keeping track on our whereabouts, we will leave Ollantaytambo tomorrow, midday, and take a collectivo to Cusco, which is the biggest city in the region. We'll be staying there for another 2 nights, then flying to Lima on Sept 5th. We only get the afternoon in Lima, then we head back to Denver early Monday morning, Sept 6th, via Miami.
Christine and I continue to have an awesome time in Peru. I think this trip thus far, more than any other, has opened our eyes and given us a different perspective on life. One of the best parts of the trip has been the people we have met. Unlike any other trip, we meet new and interesting people daily, many of which we've seen before. They all have stories to tell. We're able to get a glimpse of who they are and hopefully they leave with a sense of who we are. We have many stories to tell and pictures to share when we return home, but rest assured we are safe and having a wonderful time.
Aguas Calientes was like the Estes Park or Gatlinburg of Peru. From the moment we got off the train, people were everywhere, trying to sell a trinket or give a guided tour. Just walking down main street you would be bombarded by workers in restaurants trying to persuade you to come in side...."Happy Hour, 4 for 1!" Christine and I checked into our hotel then headed out to get a glimpse of the trail up to Machu Picchu. We planned to wake up early and hike up, rather than take the bus like most everyone else. We got up around 4 AM, had breakfast at 5, and were out the door by 5:15. We crossed the bridge and started the ascent when the first bus took off at 5:30. From the maps, the ascent was approximately 1000 vertical ft, but it definitely seemed much more. By the time we arrived at the top, there was already a long line of people waiting to enter the ruins. The reason everyone tries to get there early is a chance to be 1 of the 400 people allowed to climb Huaynu Picchu, the egg shaped peak you see in most every Machu Picchu picture. We made the cut!
While waiting in line, the rain started to fall.....and fall it did. It was pretty much relentless the entire day. We hiked through the ruins to find the entrace gate to HP, met a kid from Durango who was traveling through Boliva, Peru, and Ecuador, and headed up in the cold rain. When we summitted, we were in a fog. We did get a 2 sec window where the clouds parted and we could see the ruins, but it was gone in a flash. We hiked back down, walked to through the ruins, and decided to call it a day by 11 AM. There were no signs of the rain letting up and we were completely soaked and cold.
We headed back to our hotel for some hot coca tea. They let us use a room to change into dry clothes and we found a great restaurant with a fireplace, where we stayed for hours. The rains finally stopped in the late afternoon and we hiked around town taking pictures until our train left at 6:30. We dined on Nutella and crackers, while we watched a fashion show on the train.....pictures will come later!
We took the train back to Ollantaytambo and slept hard after arriving at our hotel. Olly is an end of the road town in the Sacred Valley, where most people come through headed to Machu Picchu. We decided to stay here 3 nights, as the ruins are said to some of the most preserved in the valley. We were greeted with rain again in the morning, so we took the opportunity to check email and then hung out at a great cafe called Heart. The quick and dirty is that a 76 year old lady from the UK came to Peru to learn Spanish. She left Cusco due to the altitude (approx 11,000 fasl) and came to the Sacred Valley where she opened a restaurant where all the proceeds go to helping native Quechua women and children. It's a pretty amazing story, which I'm sure we'll write more about in the future. The rian finally stopped around lunch and we headed out on a non-stop 5ish hour hike around the ruins and town. We topped off the night at supposedly the best restaurant in town, where we had Salmon Trout, Quinoa Soup and Alpaca Ravioli.
This morning, we awoke to yet more rain, but things are looking up. We came back to the internet cafe to get some information about where we're staying in Lima, as well as some airport information. We plan to promote Heart again for lunch, then head out on the Inka Trail for more hiking. If time permits, we may head out of town to the salt flats which seem to be pretty elaborate.
For those of you who are keeping track on our whereabouts, we will leave Ollantaytambo tomorrow, midday, and take a collectivo to Cusco, which is the biggest city in the region. We'll be staying there for another 2 nights, then flying to Lima on Sept 5th. We only get the afternoon in Lima, then we head back to Denver early Monday morning, Sept 6th, via Miami.
Christine and I continue to have an awesome time in Peru. I think this trip thus far, more than any other, has opened our eyes and given us a different perspective on life. One of the best parts of the trip has been the people we have met. Unlike any other trip, we meet new and interesting people daily, many of which we've seen before. They all have stories to tell. We're able to get a glimpse of who they are and hopefully they leave with a sense of who we are. We have many stories to tell and pictures to share when we return home, but rest assured we are safe and having a wonderful time.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Peru Update - Pisac
For starters, let´s just say that everytime Christine and I travel to another country, we contemplate never doing it again at some juncture of the trip. These thoughts came flooding over us as we´re laying on the floor of the airport in Lima Peru, having been awake for almost 24 hours and only knowing that one of our bags is somewhere between there and Denver. Although, give us a good nights sleep and multiple cups of coffee and we´re good to go!
We flew from Lima to Cusco yesterday morning and took a taxi from the airport to Pisac, a small village about 30 km away. Pisca is a town of only a few thousand, best known for it´s weekly markets in the square just outside our hotel. We´ll be able to experience this tomorrow, as Sunday´s market is said to be the largest. Yesterday was pretty much a blur, going almost 48 hours without quality sleep. We tooled around town, took a few pictures, and had dinner at the restaurant in the hotel we´re staying at. We did get to spend the better part of an hour talking to Jose, a hotel worker and Inca descendant. He told us all about the area, the country and his proud heritage.
We awoke this morning to beautiful skies, huevos, and more coffee. We met a few other folks staying in the hotel and discussed our various travel itinerary´s for Peru. We then geared up and headed up the mountain to view the Pisac ruins. It seems most tourists take a bus or taxi up a mountain road, dropping them off to either tour the area, or, if they are really adventurous, walk through all the ruins back to town. The guide books slated this mostly downhill hike as roughly 2 hours. Christine and I headed straight from town up, which enabled us to visit most of the archeological sites prior to the bulk of the tourists. When we arrived at the halfway point of our hike (the top) we were greeted by the hoards and they were greeted by many a street seller with anything from beaded bracelets to handmade instruments. We mostly stayed in the background, eating the snacks we brought, then headed back the way we came. The hike totalled 4.5 hours, including stops for pictures, snacks, and a brief rain shower which cooled things off quite a bit.
Now we´re back at the hotel. We´ll probably shower, have an early dinner, and prepare for the masses of the market tomorrow. We are bracing ourselves for a large number of people, as all the books and websites say Sunday is the day. We may do another hike tomorrow afternoon, in an attempt to escape the chaos. Our plan is to leave Pisac for Ollyantatambo Monday morning, catching the train for Aguas Calientes. We will wake up early on Tuesday and try to be at Machu Picchu for the sunrise.
Overall, the trip is turning out great. At no point have we felt unsafe. Everyone has been extremely friendly and it seems there´s a photo opportunity around every corner, from the colorful dress of the natives, to the towering mountains all around us. We look forward to sharing pictures and stories when we get back. Until then, we hope this finds you all well.
We flew from Lima to Cusco yesterday morning and took a taxi from the airport to Pisac, a small village about 30 km away. Pisca is a town of only a few thousand, best known for it´s weekly markets in the square just outside our hotel. We´ll be able to experience this tomorrow, as Sunday´s market is said to be the largest. Yesterday was pretty much a blur, going almost 48 hours without quality sleep. We tooled around town, took a few pictures, and had dinner at the restaurant in the hotel we´re staying at. We did get to spend the better part of an hour talking to Jose, a hotel worker and Inca descendant. He told us all about the area, the country and his proud heritage.
We awoke this morning to beautiful skies, huevos, and more coffee. We met a few other folks staying in the hotel and discussed our various travel itinerary´s for Peru. We then geared up and headed up the mountain to view the Pisac ruins. It seems most tourists take a bus or taxi up a mountain road, dropping them off to either tour the area, or, if they are really adventurous, walk through all the ruins back to town. The guide books slated this mostly downhill hike as roughly 2 hours. Christine and I headed straight from town up, which enabled us to visit most of the archeological sites prior to the bulk of the tourists. When we arrived at the halfway point of our hike (the top) we were greeted by the hoards and they were greeted by many a street seller with anything from beaded bracelets to handmade instruments. We mostly stayed in the background, eating the snacks we brought, then headed back the way we came. The hike totalled 4.5 hours, including stops for pictures, snacks, and a brief rain shower which cooled things off quite a bit.
Now we´re back at the hotel. We´ll probably shower, have an early dinner, and prepare for the masses of the market tomorrow. We are bracing ourselves for a large number of people, as all the books and websites say Sunday is the day. We may do another hike tomorrow afternoon, in an attempt to escape the chaos. Our plan is to leave Pisac for Ollyantatambo Monday morning, catching the train for Aguas Calientes. We will wake up early on Tuesday and try to be at Machu Picchu for the sunrise.
Overall, the trip is turning out great. At no point have we felt unsafe. Everyone has been extremely friendly and it seems there´s a photo opportunity around every corner, from the colorful dress of the natives, to the towering mountains all around us. We look forward to sharing pictures and stories when we get back. Until then, we hope this finds you all well.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Rainier
For a full report of Shane's Rainier trip, click the following link:
http://bradleyswilson.blogspot.com/2010/05/rainier.html
http://bradleyswilson.blogspot.com/2010/05/rainier.html
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Backyard Project
For those of you who know me, know that I actually don't have a real backyard. Although, after working in Lyons for the past 4 1/2 years, I've come to think of the surrounding open space as my own backyard playground. Within a few miles from work, you have Rabbit Mountain, Picture Rock heading to Heil Valley Ranch, and my favorite of all, Hall Ranch. All of these provide great hiking, mountain biking, and trail running, with great views from the Front Range to Longs Peak. I've spent so many hours on these trails, I have become well acquainted with almost every switchback, rock, root, and sweeping view. Even still, I truly cherish each minute I get to spend moving through these hills and valleys.
With my upcoming climb of Mt. Rainier, I needed some fitness goals to help ensure my preparedness to tackle the highest peak in the continental United States, standing at 14,411 fasl. With a little inspiration from Anton Krupicka (http://antonkrupicka.blogspot.com/2010/01/green-mountain-project.html) I set a modest goal of running the first section (to the first bench) of Hall Ranch 30 times in 30 days. I also set a few rules to ensure I stayed on target. One complete run was from the outhouse to the first bench, which is right at 4 miles and 700 vertical feet. I could run further (which I did quite often) but it only counted as one single climb. Although, I could complete what I called '2-fers' which meant I could complete 1 full run in the AM and another in the PM or perform back to back runs (to make up for any missed days).
A surprising warm day after recent snow on Hall.....not a soul on the trail!
This goal was just what I needed to stay on track with training for Rainier and I found that I felt better and better each day. No day was ever the same. When I began this little project, the weather would swing drastically from day to day. I ran in 12 inches of fresh snow, in rain, with 40 mph winds and with the sun beaming down. Christine joined me for many of my runs and we enjoyed running together, sharing our joy of movement while being in the mountains we love so much.
Christine heading to the top...falling in love with trail running with each stride.
So, today marked my 30th and last day of the Backyard Project. It also marks one month before I depart for Seattle and set out to achieve yet another goal in front of me. It was a modest goal that I had set for myself a month ago, but one I felt would cement a solid foundation of fitness. During this time, I ran 143.8 miles and climbed approximately 24,100 vertical feet. There was only 2 days in which I didn't run....1 because I forgotten my shoes so I went on a bike ride and the other because Christine and I were in the mountains (tele-skiing cross-training).
To somewhat celebrate the completion of my project (my 30th was on Sunday), I decided it would be fitting to run Green Mountain in Boulder, in honor of the guy that gave me the inspiration. The run this afternoon truly showed the modesty of my own goal compared to that of loftier runners, but no less diminished what I had set out to do. So, from 8,144 ft atop Green Mountain, I took a deep breath, thankful for the ability to move, blessed with the opportunity to run in the mountains, and in awe of the beauty surrounding me. With that, I sped down the trail toward yet another goal, another mountain, another dream.
From atop Green, looking west toward Bancroft.
With my upcoming climb of Mt. Rainier, I needed some fitness goals to help ensure my preparedness to tackle the highest peak in the continental United States, standing at 14,411 fasl. With a little inspiration from Anton Krupicka (http://antonkrupicka.blogspot.com/2010/01/green-mountain-project.html) I set a modest goal of running the first section (to the first bench) of Hall Ranch 30 times in 30 days. I also set a few rules to ensure I stayed on target. One complete run was from the outhouse to the first bench, which is right at 4 miles and 700 vertical feet. I could run further (which I did quite often) but it only counted as one single climb. Although, I could complete what I called '2-fers' which meant I could complete 1 full run in the AM and another in the PM or perform back to back runs (to make up for any missed days).
A surprising warm day after recent snow on Hall.....not a soul on the trail!
This goal was just what I needed to stay on track with training for Rainier and I found that I felt better and better each day. No day was ever the same. When I began this little project, the weather would swing drastically from day to day. I ran in 12 inches of fresh snow, in rain, with 40 mph winds and with the sun beaming down. Christine joined me for many of my runs and we enjoyed running together, sharing our joy of movement while being in the mountains we love so much.
Christine heading to the top...falling in love with trail running with each stride.
So, today marked my 30th and last day of the Backyard Project. It also marks one month before I depart for Seattle and set out to achieve yet another goal in front of me. It was a modest goal that I had set for myself a month ago, but one I felt would cement a solid foundation of fitness. During this time, I ran 143.8 miles and climbed approximately 24,100 vertical feet. There was only 2 days in which I didn't run....1 because I forgotten my shoes so I went on a bike ride and the other because Christine and I were in the mountains (tele-skiing cross-training).
To somewhat celebrate the completion of my project (my 30th was on Sunday), I decided it would be fitting to run Green Mountain in Boulder, in honor of the guy that gave me the inspiration. The run this afternoon truly showed the modesty of my own goal compared to that of loftier runners, but no less diminished what I had set out to do. So, from 8,144 ft atop Green Mountain, I took a deep breath, thankful for the ability to move, blessed with the opportunity to run in the mountains, and in awe of the beauty surrounding me. With that, I sped down the trail toward yet another goal, another mountain, another dream.
From atop Green, looking west toward Bancroft.
Looking Southeast over the Flatirons with Denver in the background.
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