Red Rocks and White Snow

     Maybe and two weeks ago Amanda, my new friend, Molly, and I went and ran the trails at Red Rocks. I had forgotten how much I love running trails compared to the streets. The day was clear and the trail was the kind that you are able to jump off rocks and logs which makes it that much better.  I had been to Red Rocks only once before to go to a concert but had never run the trails. They aren't too long but the hills that the trails follow make you do work. 

     For the last month I've kicked the idea around in my head to run a 50 mile race or even a 50K. There are a few in Colorado but they are all during the summer or early fall so I would still have a bit to train if I decided later that I want to do it. Running a ultra somewhere like Red Rocks would be amazing. 

     We each took turns leading the way out from the parking lot. The elevation gain right off the bat is around 830 ft. which leaves you trying to catch your breath once you reach the top. It levels off and from there on out, It's a easy run. We ran out for about 20 minutes since we had to be back for the Lion King show that we were going to and then headed in. It felt good to be running outside somewhere other than Cheesman Park.

     So today was my day off and I decided that I wanted to go running at Red Rocks again. For the last five days there has been serious snow on the ground and it has finally started melting so I figured today would be a  good day. A few days ago, Amanda and I went shopping at REI and another outdoor equipment store. I ended up getting some YakTrax. Super glad I did. I tested them out two days ago at Cheesman and they worked great. I used them again today. I love them. The trail was snowy and still a bit icy so it was perfect. I wasn't a fan of running in the snow at first, but I'm learning to love it. 

  

Rock Mountain NP

So back a few weeks ago before all the snow, my friend Kaleigh came to visit. She'd been traveling around the entire US. Cali, Texas, Colorado, Ohio, North Carolina, and Hawaii. I don't know how she afforded it, but she made it happen. So on one of the days that she was in town, she, Amanda and I went and hiked in the Rocky Mountain National Park. I think that anytime that we get together and go play in the forest we always feel that we are the most athletic people in the world (see "Yeah, this is happening"). Wrong again. We planned for a day of hiking around the park, climbing mountains, and chasing elk. We would have been successful, but the elk were lazy and weren't up for it.

As soon as we started out on our hike, it started raining. Not hard but enough to make us freezing and not like being outside at the time. But after about 20 minutes it stopped and we continued on looking for more adventures. The sights were amazing and the river that we followed made it that much better. 

The river that we followed while it rained on us.

We continued on and it opened into a clearing that was surrounded by mountains calling our names.

I want to climb the mountain in the background so bad. 

Such the adventurers.

 The hike ended at around 9 miles and many hours later. As we got off the trail and to the rest stop we noticed the sign that showed what people like us are suppose to carry.

We clearly had none of these things! Ok maybe water, but topo map? Really?

It's like a Bob Ross painting. Complete with "happy trees."

Aspens. So beautiful. 

Baby elk just hanging out next to the road.