So we went out to Estes Park again last week. It was awesome! I got to work for a full day (10 hours) and play for the rest of the week. Amos, Brent and I did some hiking one day to Chapin mtn. and it was beautiful. The view from the top blew me away.

The next day we took the family to a place called the Ironclads to climb. In 2007 we went there with Tyler and Shana, cousin and sister-IN-LAW. We hit some great climbs and had a great day. I climbed my first 5.11d on top-rope! That was probably graded a bit soft, but I'll take it.

Another day we went to a place right in Estes Park that was called the Thumb. Amos led the route and we all top-roped it. I made it to the top and stayed there while Isaac came up next. I could see a storm moving in from a few miles away, and by the time Isaac got to the top it was lightning all around. I decided to bail before I got smoked, so as soon as Isaac made it down, I had Amos belay me to the base. It was raining pretty hard by then and Isaac and I found a crevasse in the rock to hide in until it stopped. Pretty scary, actually. I didn't have my climbing shoes on at the top because it is a  flat pinnacle and you can just walk around up there. My feet got all scraped and banged up coming down, but it was all worth it.

Kari decided to take a few pictures to contrast her toes with the lichen on the rock.

Isaac, Owen, and I went down to Lake Estes (two blocks away!!) to chill and throw rocks.

Later in the week Brent, Amos, and I went to a place in RMNP called Fern Valley. It was about a 1.3 mile trek next to an idyllic stream with boulders strewn about the trail. We hiked in, bouldered for about an hour and hiked back out. I should preface this paragraph by saying that I hate flip-flops-the shoes. I can't walk right and they give me foot cramps. I have a hard time understanding how people can walk in them without looking like they've had hip replacement. That being said, we went to Estes Park Mountain Shop the day before and I found some on clearance cuz I really think the ease of wearing them overcomes all of my biases. I couldn't believe it, but I wore them that whole next day including the trek in and out. My feet have never been so happy. I was so skeptical and just let me say publicly that I'm sorry for making fun of all you flippers. (thats what I used to call you) I'm a changed man and I've hardly had them off since we left Estes. (wearing them now, FYI) 

The last climbing day we had available Amos, Brent, and I met up with Eric Morland and Travis Eiselstein (some old climbing friends) and we all  went down by Golden to a place called Clear Creek Canyon. It was great as well. We scrambled up to the climbs and jumped on some 5.10s and 5.11s. That place is great and I can't wait to go back. This is Brent about half-way up at Clear Creek.

Owen and Isaac have been talking about the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha for a long time so on our last day we decided to go. The weather was good and all the animals were up and about. We went to the IMAX theater and saw an underwater show narrated by Jim Carrey. It was the first IMAX I'd seen and my eyes weren't used to the 3D glasses, but it all worked out.

My last post consisted of plans to build a new home and all that. Those plans may be on hold. We are in love with the mountain lifestyle and to say that we are going to build here would solidify us here. We aren't sure what the future looks like, but living out there would certainly make us happy. We'll keep you posted with any news, but as I keep getting more work out there it seems easier to consider living there and here both.

Wild, I know.