Twins RUN in the Family

Cara and Hollie have been part of the RCs for a long time and I love hearing about how closely they work together to acheive their goals. For anyone looking for a little inspiration in the coming year, here's something to help keep you going. Thanks Hollie and Cara, Jessie

 Cara: I was not always a runner. In fact, I used to hate running. When I started law school about 5 years ago, I stopped teaching group exercise classes. I had to find something else to keep me fit, something I could squeeze into my crazy new schedule, and my life as a runner began. I didn’t know how to get started, so I printed off a schedule from the Hal Higdon website (Hal rocks!). I suppose I was thinking ‘go big or go home,’ because the schedule I decided to follow was the half-marathon training program. When I was a few days into my new training, my twin sister, Hollie, from whom I lived over 500 miles away, decided to join me on my running endeavor. Training partners from afar!

Hollie: I was not always a runner, either. I had established some fitness lifting weights (which I still love) and using the elliptical machine and stair mill for cardiovascular activity. In 2005 I was motivated to begin running by a runner friend (hi, Tori!) who was not very fast (she is now!), but had a wonderful love of running. It was contagious! I began to walk/run, and eventually worked up to running 10, 20, then 30 minutes at a time. I completed my first 5k in 2005 with my friend, and got the fever! My first road race was so much fun, and I couldn’t wait to do more. When Cara told me she was going to train for a half marathon I was very excited to participate using the training plan as well, especially when we committed to actually doing a race at the end!

Cara: After some discussion, we decided that we’d follow the training program to the letter and that we’d actually run a half marathon on the last day of our training. Hollie found out that the Omaha Half Marathon actually was on the EXACT day we were supposed to run 13.1 miles! I guess my random start-day was a good day to start. Our mom said we HAD to sign up for it, and we all thought it was meant to be. Hollie and I were thrilled to complete our first half marathon, and my first race ever, in September of 2006. We have since run the Omaha Half twice more—once in 2008, and most recently, this past September 2010. Training for my third half was not as much fun as training for the first two, because I got side-tracked a couple of times. First, I had such bad allergy symptoms I went to the doctor only to be diagnosed with “non-allergic rhinitis”, and next, I had my wisdom teeth removed two weeks before the race. I underestimated the pain involved and overestimated the speed at which I would recover—oops. So, on race-day, I hit the pavement with my non-allergies and my paresthesia, and did the best I could.

Hollie: I have had fun training for the three half’s Cara and I have run together! The most recent training was probably my best. Having completed it twice before, I knew what I was getting into, and knew a little bit more about what my body needed regarding mileage, fuel and rest. I think back to the beginning, when Cara and I started training for our first half, and remember how long four miles seemed (and how impossible 13.1 seemed!) Now I know that it is possible, with training. The ‘mantra’ I frequently think, and apply to goals such a long race, is ‘trust the process.’ I can’t set out to run 13.1 miles on a random given day. But after weeks of consistent training I can. I gain more confidence with each long run.

Cara: The race itself was so much fun! I have learned: 1) That I am generally stronger than I think I am, and 2) Never to underestimate the power of a good running playlist. I knew my training wasn’t as good as it should have been, so we started off conservatively. The mile markers passed by. I told Hollie that I’d start feeling more confident once we made it 9 miles. Mile 9 came and went, and we were doing well. We talked occasionally, ate sport beans, drank from our hand-held water bottles, and just kept running. Crossing that finish line felt great, and it was fun to see my bro-in-law and my oldest niece, Gianna, cheering us on. However, the second we stopped running, we seemed to lose the use of our legs. Our walk to Starbucks was just funny.

Hollie: I had such a good time during the race! At four miles I was surprised at how fast the miles were going by. I felt strong. I have had two baby girls since my first half marathon in 2006, which makes getting out there and running even more special to me. When I had my c-sections, I felt like I would never run again! But after recovering, starting slow, building back up and ‘trusting the process’ I have been able to keep going, and each half marathon has been better than the last. During the race I thought of all I love about running. Running keeps my body healthy, as well as my mind! It is my ‘me’ time. I love playlists, sport beans, running tights, timing chips, Smartwool socks, the post-run smoothie, seeing little improvements. I love running with Cara and creating memories, stories and, most importantly, lots of laughs when we run together. I hope to be an example to my girls (future Chicks!) to follow their passions, and that a person does not have to be the best at something to love it and call it their own. Close to the finish I saw my husband and three year old daughter who yelled “there’s my mommy!” when we ran by. Crossing the finish line after our third half marathon was an amazing feeling.

Cara: Although Hollie and I aren’t the fastest and don’t run the farthest, we are proof that anyone can become a runner and can experience the joys we’ve felt because we run. We love running. We love being RUNNERS. We love training runs with each other, pushing ourselves further than we thought possible, crunching along through fresh snow when no one else is outside braving the cold, and all of the funny and crazy memories we’ve created while on those long runs together. We appreciate waving or giving a nod to other runners who do the same as we pass, because we are all part of the same special community, and they get it, too. You don’t have to have a Garmin or expensive shoes to be a runner, and you don’t have to be fast or run far—all you have to do is get out there and run.

The Alchemist Is For (outdoor) Lovers

 For those of you who haven't taken a few hours to read a book lately, check out The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo. It has been recommended to me several times over the years but it wasn't until RC Sara (who you will be hearing from in the next week or so) happened to mention it as the book that has been the most meaningful in her life, that my ears perked up enough to buy the book later that night.

 The story is billed as"a fable about following your dreams". It follows a Spanish shepherd through the process of figuring out how to become what he has always wanted to be, seek his "treasure" and overcome obstacles while receiving counsel along the way.

So, What does this have to do with hiking or Real Chicks?

 It has more to do with the RC philosophy than you might think. I have often heard you adventurous women describing how the thing that sets you apart from other women who aspire to be outdoorsy, is that you will actually go out and do it. This is the lesson The Alchemist reveals. In all realms of life, we make choices, we choose our own paths. Our protagonist learns that if you follow your dreams, all forces will conspire to help you achieve it.

 In reading this, I thought a lot about my journey to Kilimanjaro in 2006. I was just a broke nanny, looking for some adventure. I set my mind to doing it and I really did feel like the whole world conspired to make it happen. There were days when I didn't know how I was going to pay for my trek...and I would get a call to babysit later that night. There were times when my gear list overwhelmed me...and a family member would step in with a new Thermarest or hiking boots. I would weep to friends, unsure how I would make this trip work, and they would chime in with nothing but encouragement and love. When I shared my vision with others, they went out of their way to see that I accomplished my goal. I worked hard, sure. I believe that God (or the entity of your choice) helps those who help themselves and I was just as willing to step up and do what I needed to do. I worked a LOT of extra hours but when you are seeking opportunity for such things, they have a way of appearing (weird!).
  Anyone who knows me will know that my Kilimanjaro trip was by far the most life-shaping journey that I have taken to date. My life took a 180 degree turn after that trip. It was part of what Coehlo describes in this book as my "Personal Legend," which is still evolving.

 So our man, Santiago is a traveler, a man of the outdoors with an adventurous, industrious spirit. He is also a little bit me and a little bit you. I'm sure anyone, particularly with the mindset of personal growth, can relate to him and his seemingly unattainable goal. We all know about obstacles that force us to work harder to achieve the things we want in life. We all know about the people who come out of the woodwork to lift up and honor our dreams, sometimes more than we do ourselves.

I really feel this is a story about all of us and highly recommend it! It's a quick and worthwhile read (I finished in 3 hours while on a plane). It will encourage you to remember the dreams you have and to examine the importance they have in your life's journey.

Gone Fishin'

stock photo- picture it more wintery

 While in North Carolina, M and I joined his brothers and their wives for a family fly fishing excursion. I was pretty excited going into it as I have always wanted to learn to fly fish but the necessary skill (and expensive gear) have kept me away. Now that I'm living a stone's throw from the Colorado river, I really have no excuse for not picking up the rod and reel. Last winter, I went out ice fishing, which was new to me. I guess it's only fitting that this year, I take up the fly rod.

Jennifer, Sara and I

  I can't pretend that I really know much more about fly fishing today than I did a week ago. I can tell you that in Helton Creek, we fished for brookie, brown and rainbow trout and that my licence cost $20. I can tell you that neoprene waders SAVE your toes from falling off in the icy water and that I seem to be really good at catching rocks, logs, trees.

Which brother will catch the biggest fish?

 Between the 6 of us, we ended the day with 30+ fish, all of us catching at least 3. Not too shabby, eh? Let me just take a moment to brag about sister-in-law Jennifer's catch. This girl caught 7 fish in 15 minutes! She definitely beat us all out for quantity AND it was her first time fly fishing. Well done, Jen!

  I ended up with 3 for the day but walked away with the largest fish of the day, a rainbow trout at 22". Turns out I get a citation (the good kind) for that...sweeeeeet. I also won the award for most flies lost in the bottom of the creek/top of the tree as I had to have them replaced at least 5 times during the day. I'm a bit clumsy that way, as many can tell you.

Sara getting jiggy with it (HA!)

 If you're ever looking for a similar southern adventure, try Helton Creek. We didn't run into any other fishermen/women (although it is late December) and the area is interesting and beautiful. There are kajillions of Christmas tree farms out here, adding to the festive aesthetic. You should definitely check out the Creekside Cabins in the area. We stayed at one called The Homeplace and it was incredible...fireplace, full kitchen, hot tub (Virginia Creeper bike trail in summer) and fishing right outside your door. Does it get any better?

 My 22" Rainbow and with my goofy guy

 Helton Creek is all catch and release and we are law-abiding folk (we had a cop with us for extra encouragement) so I can't tell you how any of these fish tasted but in my dreams they were real tasty!

The Ferguson Fishers

A Real Chick Christmas Note From MJ

Today was a great day for this RC.


Saturday before our hike I spoke with Shannon Smith from HER Magazine who is doing a story on the Real Chicks. How cool! We spoke for a few moments before the hike and I mentioned how being a RC is really about a lot more than hiking. It’s about relationships, and attitude, and an adventurous spirit. Our friendships go beyond the outdoors to encompass jobs and kids and faith and more. She was intrigued and decided to join a few of us for lunch to get more details.

12/22/10

Lunch today was wonderful; we went to Ingredient at Midtown Crossing which is my favorite spot lately. Carla, Eleanor, Cara, April and I met Shannon and spent at least an hour telling her about our lives as real women who happen to have a common interest in outdoor pursuits and fitness.

I sat in amazement listening to our conversations.

I’m a Marian High School (which is all female) girl and to me that means I have always known that I have every reason to be a confident, capable leader (even in a male dominated field). It also means I come from a background of being around a lot of really strong, wonderful women. It’s just my expectation that women are capable of doing great things.

I was amazed listening today because it is really remarkable how a hiking group created such amazing friends, and how our friendships have greatly enriched and even changed our lives. Today made me celebrate this community for what it is and gain perspective that our group is unique and that a lot of women don’t have the amazing support system we do as RCs, or like I had in high school.

I love being a real chick because I am inspired by my friends to be a better person and to live life more fully. It is a blessing to be in a community where healthy eating is the norm, being active is a common pursuit and is fun, and chasing dreams is the only acceptable option. We get along wonderfully and we can count on each other for support – no matter how crazy our goals.

This Christmas season I have been frustrated with myself for rushing through my shopping and not stopping to visit with people I know that I have run into along the way. Christmas isn’t about getting stuff done or crossing items off the list. I want to keep perspective on the season. Spending the lunch hour being grateful for my friendships was the perfect way to get me back on track. Merry Christmas!

Exploring North Carolina

 I've been in North Carolina for the past 5 days, enjoying my bf's amazing family and friends...and doing a little exploration. His family owns 113 acres of woods, creeks and "kissing trees" in Eden, NC and, having never been to that area before, I took to the hills on several occasions to wander through the leaf-laden forest floor.

 In the rural south, one can find all sorts of treasure out in the woods...both wanted and unwanted. The homes around Eden are incorporated into the landscape in a way I hadn't seen before, which means that old tobacco barns and chimneys appear out of nowhere along trails. Unfortunately, so does a lot of illegal dumping.
  All of the pictures to follow were taken on the family land. I was able to collect a few interesting old glass bottles from the rubble I passed, although (as an avid fan of American Pickers) I didn't come across any priceless antiques. Dang! It was amazing to see the land taking over all of the discarded rubbish along the way. The bottles growing ferns inside, old shoes being devoured by moss and mold, young old trees overtaking an old hunting road.

 A great reminder that sometimes, the best adventures are right in your backyard.

Show Your Support

If you're in Omaha...and a chick (okay, a woman), hit the trail this weekend and show your support for the Backwoods Omaha Real Chicks Hike. This month's hike will be at Platte River State Park and we will be granted the opportunity to recruit more local ladies.

How will we be doing this? Well, this month's hikers will be joined by a reporter from Omaha's HER magazine, who is working on a story about the Real Chicks!!

That's right, we are quickly becoming a story to tell.

Women? Who hike?!? Consistently?!?!? Insanity!

It would be great to get a big showing of chicks despite the temps and impending holiday madness so tell your friends and grab your boots. Contact Backwoods direct for more information on the hike.

Air Rage

 
I'm traveling (again) this weekend. It will be a short flight compared to several I've been on lately but given the number of times I find myself on an airplane in any given year, this article on cnn.com struck a cord.

 I will be back in blog action next week but here's some food for thought for the weekend. A good read during the bust holiday travel season. Let me know your thoughts on the article.

Air Rage: Is reclining your seat a right?

In a two horse open sleigh

  Any time I hear the Christmas Song "Sleigh Ride," I am reminded of the Sleepless in Seattle scene where Meg Ryan sings along in her car on her way to dinner with her family. "Hawrses, hawrses, hawrses." I'm sure you can imagine how annoying I was at the Sleigh Ride I went on this past Wednesday night. Singing to myself as if our cowboy guides don't hear that song 50 times a day.
  M and I were invited to head over to Sombrero Stables for a 40 minute sleigh ride and dinner on Wednesday and jumped at the chance for something a little different outside. We arrived at about 5:10, signed our lives away, and loaded up in the sleigh. Pulled by two incredible draft horses, we enjoyed talking with the other passengers, singing Christmas carols and taking in the brilliantly clear night sky and snow covered Spruce. It could have been a very cold experience but the crew at Sombrero plans ahead and hands out cozy fleece blankets to curl up with on the ride. We rode through forest and past old homesteads, the nearby hillsides looking decked out for the holidays as house lights flickered in the distance.



  After the ride ended, we entered our quaint dining hall and stepped into a Cowboy Christmas. Christmas lights hung around horseshoes and picnic tables were already set for dinner. We were all relieved to be greeted by large thermoses of hot water and an assortment of beverages. Our cowboy crew served us our selection of Chicken, Steak, Trout or Veggie Burger, with baked potato, salad, beans and garlic rolls. Our cook came to each table offering her large urn of cowboy coffee. After dinner, we were served some warm peach cobbler and ice cream, tempting even those of us who thought we had stuffed ourselves to the brim.
  The whole event took about 2 hours and while we were offered this excursion for free, Sombrero's rates are pretty reasonable, especially in light of the fancy-pants dinner we were all served. For those who aren't looking for the big dinner ride, they also offer a S'mores and Cocoa ride, where participants stop at a campfire that has already been built out at the homestead and roast marshmallows and sip hot chocolate. The Real Chicks did this last year on our March trip and it was a HIT! It's amazing how long you can hang out in the cold with a campfire roaring nearby. So, if you find yourselves in Grand County, CO, check out Sombrero Stables for your friends and family. It also makes a great date night activity.

They do offer special rates for groups, but you'll have to take that up with Brian and his crew.

Outdoor Movie Review: 127 Hours

  I am waiting for the day when they make a movie about people who have great outdoor adventures and ALSO make good choices. I would much rather see those people rolling in money and book deals. Sure, we can all learn something from the poor choices of others but when do we get the opportunity to learn how to be smart, intelligent, appropriately trained outdoorsmen and women?




  Last weekend, I went to see the movie 127 Hours. For those of you who have been living under a rock (HA!), this film is based on the book Between a Rock and a Hard Place by Aron Ralston. The book recounts his 2003 experience in the canyons of Utah, when his arm became trapped between a large boulder and a canyon wall. He hadn't told anyone where he was going. He hadn't even communicated that he would be gone. He didn't pack his ten essentials or nearly enough water.

 Here's the thing...Aron Ralston had a loooong history of really poor outdoor choices. Not only did he consistently put his own life at risk, but he has talked openly about needlessly putting the life's of others in jeopardy for a quick thrill. He lost a lot of friendships for what I can only describe as being an outdoor idiot. In fact, there is now a whole movement that refuses to support Aron or his book/movie because of these choices. Because for those of us who recognize that we are not invincible outside and who work tirelessly to train ourselves and others in proper protocol, Aron Ralston is not someone to be admired.

  The movie itself, is beautiful. This is no surprise as it's directed by Danny Boyle, who has given us some of the most stunning filmwork to date with Slumdog Millionaire and Trainspotting. It says a lot about both an actor and a director that a guy stuck in a crevice can stay interesting for 2 hours. A similar feat was achieved in Cast Away...thank you Wilson! Danny Boyle does a fantastic job of making both the setting and sound their own characters as once again, his music choices were spot on! Utah doesn't need a lot of dressing up to be spectacular in theory but as anyone who has ever attempted to capture its beauty with a camera can attest, it takes a keen eye to truly capture its spirit. The canyonlands are both mystical and ominous and Mr. Boyle was able to convey these characteristics very well.
 
And then there's James. Oh, James Franco! How far you have come from weeping over your dying Green Goblin of a deadbeat dad. Seriously, he did an amazing job in this movie! His performance is worth seeing even if you don't agree with supporting Aron Ralston...support James Franco. We can pretend he needs the money. I digress. He really does give a powerful, insightful performance here and he's not bad to look at for a few hours (although I'm more of a Jake Gyllenhaal girl), even covered in dirt and drinking his own urine.
  Finally, let me just warn you that if you have a squeamish stomach, there will be about 5 minutes that show off some CSI-type special effects, involving an amputation. It's rated R for a reason even if I did see the same thing last week on network television. And if you have an eye phobia, like my boyfriend, there's a part where he has to adjust his dried out and dusty contact lens.

So, all in all, I'm glad I saw it. Movies that give the scenery as much screen time as the actors are always worth it. They make us dream up our own adventures and show us places we couldn't have imagined. I would recommend the movie but I would ALSO recommend that you keep studying up on how to be as safe and smart as possible while sporting through the world.

Arthur's Rock

  Despite my role as a blogger, I am terrible at remembering to take pictures of my various adventures. I was forced to hijack a few of these from the State Park website.

This weekend, M and I drove over to Fort Collins for a weekend of fun and frolic with friends. Friday night we went to see 127 Hours (review to follow later) with RC Lindsay. Saturday, we kicked M out of the house to hit the REI member garage sale with the guys while good friend, Lisa and I scurried to prepare a big breakfast for 15!

 The guests, all good friends of Marty's (and becoming good friends of mine) came, each bringing at least 1 dog and something to share for breakfast. We laughed, we cooked, we talked. These are things M and I don't seem to get enough of in Grand County. We have a great community in Winter Park but it's very different than our FoCo community and doesn't often lend itself to large group gatherings, just for fun. By contrast, the FoCo crew almost always has a long list of events and activities planned for any given day. They are active, outdoorsy and spontaneous and it's fun for us to enfold ourselves in that for a few days.

After breakfast, we piled 9 people and 4 dogs into 2 cars and drove over to Lory State Park for a 3.5 mile hike up to Arthur's Rock, boasting an incredible overview of Fort Collins. On this hike, you gain over 1100 feet of elevation which allows for these views from 6780 ft. The trail was in good condition and well marked, although a bit icy. We ran into very few people and our well behaved mountain dogs had a great time scrambling up rocks with us and watching for wildlife. For those with more time, look into the campsites in the area. There were also some mountain bikers cruising around, although I don't know just how many bike trails they have at Lory.

  We finished off our weekend exploring Old Town Fort Collins and I am excited that I was able to find a few great local/fair trade Christmas gifts. I always struggle with holiday shopping at Big Boxes.

Thanks for a GREAT weekend Lisa, JV, Christa, Dave, Greg, Amy, Molly, Rob, James, Mike, Trinity, Elliott and Drew (and dogs: Emma, Lola, Bodie, Fiona, Mia, Roxie)

(Bodie and Bracco WORN out after our hike)

Real Chicks Hike: Colorado Winter Edition

The fact is that we get way too much snow in Grand County, CO for consistent "hiking." We have lots of outdoor activity at our disposal but unless you want to post-hole your way up a mountain, other mechanisms for movement are necessary. They might be skis, snowshoes, snowmobiles or snowboards but when our precipitation falls...9 months of the year, it will be snow.

I have had several women I work with and in the area ask if I would start a hiking group here. In over a year now, I haven't figured out just what that would look like or how best to pull it off knowledgeably and safely. Now that enough snow has covered the ground to officially pull us out of mud season and into our full-fledged winter, let the skiing begin!

My place of employment grooms over 100k of cross-country ski and snowshoe trails. Looking for ways to start RCH Colorado, we have started a women's cross-country ski lunch break. The goal is that 2-3 times per week, we walk away from our desks for an hour and break a sweat on the ski trails. Some are on classic skis, others on skate, but together we motivate each other and ourselves to carve out some time for health and Vitamin D during the work day.

I have heard many comments expressing jealousy over where I live but the realities here are no different that your responsibilities and realities elsewhere. I go to work and by the time I'm home, it's dark out. I have a dog to take care of and business trips to take. I travel an incredible amount for pleasure (this is great but mixes up any routine I have) as well. One thing that I KNOW will happen Monday-Friday, 8-4:30, is that I will go to work. So, if I want to build some consistency in my health routine I should set it by the "death and taxes" parts of my life. This is what our little group of outdoor-loving women are hoping to do.

I'll let you know how it goes...

Kangakid to the Rescue

  I am not a parent but there has been a single piece of gear that I am so completely amazed by that I could be talked into parenthood just to receive and use this item. The kid carrier! When working at the shop, I helped a lot of families choose their kid packs and I knew the ones we carried inside and out. No matter how much I knew them though, it's still very different than being the owner, strapping MY child into a piece of outdoor equipment.
  And since I am not really irresponsible enough to have a child in order to accumulate any thing...I have taken it upon myself to subject my best friend's newborn to gear testing. B is less than 6 months old and a true nature girl. Since she lives several hundred miles away, I don't often get to see her awestruck by nature. Her mom tells me that she could sit under a tree for hours, watching the leaves blow in the wind. Seriously, just the thought of this makes me emotional.
  Recently, little B made her first of what I hope to be many treks to Aunt Jessie's place in Colorado. To assist in our outdoor endeavors and as an early Christmas gift, I gave B a Deuter Kangakid. There are lots of great child carriers but I chose this one for a few reasons:

* B lives in Omaha and while I know firsthand that there are plenty of hiking trails in that area, her parents are more likely to be "urban active." B gets outside plenty but as many who have kids probably know, it takes a unique individual to load up a baby for an extended backcountry trek. B is far more likely to be playing in the backyard and strolling through the neighborhood parks with mom and dad so a lot of those big pack bells and whistles just weren't necessary.
* Grandma loves to walk! B stays with her athletic minded Nana several days a week and I wanted something that would be easy to transport to/from Nana's house. Something less cumbersome than the big packs when it came time for Nana to walk with B. I don't know if B's grandma (or grandpa) will ever really use it but I wanted to keep that in mind...just in case.
* Mom and dad travel. A big pack, loaded with metal stands and sunshades are awesome on trail but would you really lug one through an airport? I didn't think so. The KangaKid looks just like a backpack, but with better stability and more comfort. A great alternative to even a stroller while pacing the airport halls. It is small enough to fit under the seat in front of you or in the overhead storage on a plane, eliminating one of those in-transit annoyances...no stroller to check at the gate.
* Storage. There's plenty of space to stash bottles, snacks, diapers, toys etc.
* It's sleek. While appearance should be way lower on the priority list than say...safety, it does matter. I purchased a nice looking blue/gray version that I felt either mom or dad would be comfortable carrying on trail, in the airport or cruising downtown. It's nice when technical gear can have some level of fashion sense.
* SAFETY! Deuter is a reputable brand and this pack has a 5-point harness system similar to most carseats. I would never put B in an unsafe pack and while all kid packs are held to strict safety standards, I felt the KangaKid met these standards while being a great combination of everything else I have listed here.

But what did out biggest critic think of her inaugural trip in it??
After a little squaking while being loaded, as soon as we started moving, she slept for 2 hours. And since you all don't know B, I will tell you that she does not often nap for that long. If that doesn't say something about the combination of warmth, comfort and a cool breeze in her face, I don't know what could.

 The KangaKid's load will max at 33 pounds so this should last them for a while.

As for mom, she felt the KangaKid was comfortable although it was a bit tricky to carry a pack with sleeping weight favoring one side. Once we tightened up a few of the straps it eased the shoulder stress (shame on me for not remembering those load lifters!). It will take mom and dad a few times to practice getting B in and out of the pack safely as there is no frame to set her down on. And while mom might have chosen a more stable activity than cross-country skiing for our first go-around with the pack, we were all able to enjoy a full day of outdoor activity...with a 6 month old. And really, that's what owning a kid carrier is all about!

To you and yours...

I am thankful for amazing friends and family. For faith. For my job. For a nice place to live. For health. For my dog. For all of my Icebreaker and quality gear in general (yeah, yeah). For scrumptious vegetarian food. For incredible office view.

For GREAT SKI TRAILS!!

I hope you have a wonderful holiday and take some time this weekend to enjoy the outdoors!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Tradition!

  A week or so ago I sat down to read through some recipe magazines, anticipating and planning for the big gathering my boyfriend and I will be hosting this Thanksgiving. As I thumbed through, I came to an article about family holiday traditions. I have always found this to be an interesting subject and find it fascinating to hear how traditions that others share have come to be.



*Ornament Exchanges
* Fabulous light displays
*Saving the stump from every Christmas tree for 30 years
*Certain dishes that are made

 Of course, my family has some traditions around the holidays but not many. Friday Pie-day at Aunt Cathy's after Thanksgiving. Extended family gets together on Christmas Eve for a potluck and small gift exchange. Christmas morning just for the immediate family (even this has shifted in the few years since my parents divorced and my brother married...immediate family has gotten much larger and spread out). A few years ago I started a pre-Christmas girls night celebration, just in time to move out of state.

 After reading the article on tradition, my boyfriend and I had a long discussion about our respective family customs. I then realized that now that I am here in Colorado, I'd like to create some holiday habits here, especially since I cannot always make it home to participate. But...what to do?? If it's to be a tradition, I suppose I'd better like it. If it's to be a tradition with my fella, we should probably BOTH enjoy it. After some discussion, we came up with some options:

* I've always liked my friend, Sarah's, family tradition of a Christmas morning walk through the park. A perfect option for Colorado.
* A staff dinner. We have a huge number of international and seasonal staff that work here, most of whom work over the holiday. It would be nice to have an event to host those staffers. I'm not exactly sure how this would look, but I like the idea
* Taking the walk up a notch, we could cross country ski or snowshoe. We'd still be able to include the dog, which is important.
* This year we have family visiting for Thanksgiving and I think we may ask them to join us in the woods to find our Christmas tree. This is another tradition that is ideal for Colorado but it would be nice to find a tradition that could move...in the event that I ever do.
* It's tradition for a lot of people in Omaha to see A Christmas Carol around the holidays. Every year. I wouldn't mind some sort of cultural exposure. We don't get enough of that up in the mountains anyway

 SO there are a few of the practices up for consideration but let me ask my ladies for a little guidance here. I know you all have great family traditions this time of year.

What are they? Would you be willing to share them? Do you have other cool ideas you've heard and think could work for me? I'd love to hear them!

Go Get 'Em!

“Seek out that particular mental attitude which makes you feel most deeply and vitally alive, along with which comes the inner voice which says “this is the real me”, and when you have found that attitude, follow it.” William James



Strength and Gender

  A friend from college recently wrote a blog post on struggling with gender roles and children. She is about to be a mother for the first time and, in choosing not to find out the gender of the baby, has had difficulty finding gender neutral clothing for her son/daughter-to-be. In her post, she also referenced this interesting article about gender roles at Halloween.

  Reading her post struck a cord for me. As a child I had a moderate Barbie collection and a pink room for a while. That's about as far as my youthful femininity extended. My Barbies played in the street water and gravel in front of our house, not in dream houses. My pink room was littered with small pets, trolls and seashells. I was a child of the 80's and while cabbage patch dolls (which are surprisingly gender-neutral in design) were all the rage, I don't remember identifying with "playing house." I don't think this aversion was from lack of influence. I watched Snow White and Aurora wait for their Prince Charmings like all of the other girls in elementary school.

  You see, I have a brother. And while I am the older sibling, he seemed to have the personality that dictated our childhood interests. When other girls were watching My Little Pony, I was finding female role models in X-Men and old Batman reruns. Even when we'd watch Rocky and Bullwinkle, I found a strong, independent female in Natasha...she never took flack from Boris...and had IDEAS...even if her proportions were a little too...errrr..Jessica Rabbit. I digress. After watching the aforementioned Sleeping Beauty, we would play Sleeping Beauty...only my mom was the "beauty" (she is), the family cat was the "spindle" and I was...well, I was the witch (no jokes please). Even in playing Disney, I played "strong female." We watched Top Gun (strong female), made up dances to the Back to the Future soundtrack, acted out plays and had dirt clod fights in the backyard. Somehow I feel as though my family celebrated and expected independence from both my brother and I. We were both taught gender equality (and let's be honest, there are just as many horrible stereotypes for men as there are for women). It was just the right thing to do.

Boris and Natasha

   I also have a fiercely independent mother, who broke norms in her life and in the way she raised us. My grandmothers were all (I had FOUR. long story) loving but also confident and opinionated. They were (are) interesting and that is what I loved about them. Sure, my Grandma C. had cool costume jewelry but I loved her jokes more. Grandma B made AWESOME blueberry pancakes but I love that I can talk politics with her more than her breakfast-making abilities.

To give equal credit, my dad has always been supportive of my athletic endeavors and love of learning, however I choose to pursue them.

  So, while I am right there with my friend in wanting to banish the "princess" and  "diva" from the female gender role, I think the community that surrounded me made much more of an impact than any Barbie ever did. This is a critical element that often gets overlooked. Who we become should have less to do with toy advertisements and sitcom stereotypes and MORE to do with being surrounded by great people who will love and encourage us no matter what. This is where we all hold the power...and I'm appealing to you women out there, here...to encourage and support each other no matter what. This is where we can put an end to judgement and "norms." This is where we can stop buying sparkly pink princess t-shirts for our girls and teach them that there is NO word to contain their personalities and passion.

  Even now, I try to continue breaking down these social norms. Mountianeering and Carharts were never "female" things on my radar as a kid and yet I enjoy them both immensely now. I am an outdoors woman but I know that there is no label, princess, hiker or otherwise, that I would feel comfortable defining me. I am a lot of things (not all of them good).
 To conclude this soapbox, let me tell you that in 6th grade, my school had a Halloween parade. My mom made me a costume (at my request) that I can only imagine would bring a heckuva lot of judgement and ridicule if I were a 6th grader wearing it today. It never occurred to me that there was anything different about my costume choice. It was just a fun idea. But I had a great community of teachers, friends and family that encouraged my thinking outside the box. Because being something other than a Hannah Montana or Belle was okay. No one tried to define me based on that one costume I wore that one year.

 I came to school dressed as "half man, half woman."

Take that gender roles!

Winter Is Upon Us!!

 Snow in Omaha. Snow in Wisconsin and Minnesota and OH SO MUCH snow in Colorado.

 This week marks opening day for Winter Park Resort and the nordic center where I work. Ladies and gentlemen, the groomers were out last night, prepping the 80k of nordic trails outside of my office for cross country skiing. I saw a couple out snowshoeing on property yesterday!

 Yes, winter is upon us and I couldn't be more excited!

2 Steps forward, 1 step back

 I returned from my great European getaway to two full weeks of software training and data entry. We are switching over our entire system and the powers that be moved up the launch date while I was out of the country (or..I missd an email somewhere). So, for about 20-25 hours a week for two weeks, I have been trying to keep my head above water and my desk from collapsing from the weight of unreturned messages/emails.
  Feeling overwhelmed at work has always been hard for me to separate from my home life. In theory I "leave my work at the door" at the end of the day but while I may not carry specific gripes home, I can sense my motivation in other areas draining as a result of office situations.
  I came back from vacation feeling recharged and rejuvenated. I joined the gym, started eating healthier and hiking again. I read a book. I felt as if I was a better friend, girlfriend...even a better dog mom.

I felt good about myself.

 This week I have been terrible about all of the things I was proud to have accomplished last week. I have been to the gym once. Have stopped reading and hiking (I partially blame this on daylight savings). I've been lame about my blog posting. I ate Oreo Cakesters for breakfast, PEOPLE! And those are just wrong on SO many levels and against every value I hold with regard to diet...they're what I would call a "mutant" food.

So, these last two weeks have brought me two steps forward and one step back. I guess I'm still ending up on the right side of that equation but it's frustrating and I'm ready to be done feeling this way.

Our training should be over by the time this posts.
Here's to a new week and the power I have to change the way I'm feeling.

Getting Outside the Italian Toursit Way

One of the goals for our trip was to explore the lesser seen countryside of Italy. Usually, Italian tourists see three cities during their stay. Any guess which ones? Rome, Florence and Venice (and Verona surprisingly in 4th place. I guess we're all romantics at heart.). Each of those cities have an immense amount of art, culture and history worth exploring, almost overwhelmingly so.

To set up the trip, we only planned our first night hostel stay. We had a general idea of things we wanted to see but no set structure to our itinerary...Clark Griswold would have hated this trip. We wanted to incorporate equal parts history/sightseeing, relaxation and outdoor activity. All in all, I think we did a pretty good job, especially considering the still healing broken left foot I was burdened with for the trek. I will delve into the history, relaxation and general travel tips in another post. Today, we're going to talk about the great Italian Outdoors.

  Once you get out of the city, it's pretty easy to find beautiful, quiet places to explore. It will become even easier if you're up for an adventure on the bus (harder to navigate than trains) or are willing to jump off in small towns along the regular train routes. Our first outdoor experience caught us quite by surprise, in Sorrento. We hadn't been planning to hit the Almafi Coast on our tour but after hearing about the tourist horrors of both Naples and Pompeii (the town), we decided to take the train a little further south and explore an area we knew little about.

  Sorrento is a seaside town built right into the cliffs, near the island of Capri. We were fortunate enough to spend a lot of time walking around the town, getting off the beaten path, sitting by the ocean and hiking back up a long and steep hill toward the city center. While this city didn't provide a lot of seclusion, particularly as the throngs of cruise-goers set in, it was a beautiful, clean and well-loved place. Like many resort towns, I'm sure the locals love it when tourist season ends and they get to take full advantage of their own residency again. In short, Sorrento is a place to be visited in the off-peak season.

 While in Florence, we decided to bite the bullet and pay 70 euros (about $100) each to take an all day bike tour of Tuscany. The tour included bike rental, lunch, a stop at a villa that makes its own red and white wine as well as olive oil....and, of course, our guide. This was an AWESOME experience. Being able to ride our bikes through the city was interesting in its own right (lets just say I was glad not to have had to drive anywhere) but there was something particularly special about biking through and then OUT of the city. An interesting tidbit about Florence is that you can actually see the transition from city to countryside. Once you hit the river, the city just stops. Beyond the river are olive groves and grapevines as far as the eye can see. Now, I'm not going to pretend that this was a leisurely bike ride by any means. Tuscany is HILLY! In fact, from Florence, it's straight uphill to get into the countryside. This caught us by surprise and ended up being a great, albeit unexpected, workout. It was totally worth it though! It was incredible to get up above Florence and see a view of the city that few tourists get. It also didn't hurt that our guide and the other couple who joined us were fantastic.

  From Florence, we were off to the Cinque Terre. Theses are 5 coastal towns, inaccessible by car. The five  are connected by a train and...a hiking trail. We slept in the westernmost town to start, Monterosso. Here we splurged to stay in a hotel right on the beach where we could fall asleep to the sound of waves crashing. We planned a whole day to hike from town to town and it  did not disappoint. Again, being there in off season afforded us a lot of privacy on the hiking trail. The trails can get pretty narrow, steep and muddy while also incorporating quite a few stone steps. In some places it reminded me of the Inca Trail in Peru. I had a hard time imagining what that trail would have been like at the peak of tourist season. No thank you! The whole trail takes about 5 hours and while it's challenging (particularly on the west end), it is certainly worth it.

  The last adventure I'd like to note was another, self-guided tour through Tuscany. We stayed in a small town called Greve, in the heart of the Chianti region. Here we were able to rent bikes, helmets and locks for a half day and about $15 each. We were given a map and it was suggested we take a 12k loop route through the town of Panzano before rounding back toward Greve. Well, this sounded great and off we set. Here, we found ourselves biking through fabulous scenery but along a narrow and busy highway full of drivers headed to/from Siena. Of course, this ride was also entirely uphill...how does that even happen?!?! While this was a physical challenge, our larger obstacle came in figuring out where the roads were that we needed to take to complete the route. We ended up just retracing our steps back halfway through the ride as there were too many unlabeled farm roads/lack of signage to continue in the direction we had been heading. Still, a great adventure.

  I was thankful on many occasions to have packed mostly outdoor clothing for this trip. It's easier to wash out in the sink, less likely to stink and provides excellent versatility for a variety of excursions, including those I've mentioned here. It will be no surprise to most of you that I wore a lot of Icebreaker clothing. I also purchase a new pair of REI Rendezvous hiking pants, which looked nice enough to wear to dinner, had a nice long inseam for this leggy gal and were more insulated than my other Patagonia favs, providing a nice option for chilly days.