Mary's Fat Camp

LOOK, THERE’S A CHICKEN!

Inside joke, you had to be there to chuckle at that one.

Be where, you ask? Lucky duck that I am, I got to tag along with my sister Mary and her daughter, Kendra on an impromptu road trip to Colorado. The three of us hit the road at 5:30 last Monday morning. It’s amazing how quickly 14+ hours can fly by when you have three chatty women in a black jetta. It was a short trip, leaving Monday, returning to Minnesota Friday night. Since two of the five days were spent in the afore mentioned vehicle, we intended to made the most of the three days we had to play in the mountains.

Day one: Still a little beat from the drive, we slept in and lounged around in our PJ’s. When we were sufficiently rejuvenated with fresh brewed coffee, we headed out for an “easy” two hour hike. The effects of the altitude surprised me. It was an effort to drag air into my lungs. Despite the gasping and wheezing as we slowly ascended the trail. I was able to appreciate the 360 degree views of the mountain ranges encircling us. We were all giddy and silly and extremely happy to be out of the car.

Day two: Mary, otherwise known as tour guide extraordinaire…beloved Mary of Mary’s fat camp picked another scenic hike for us. This one was a paltry 6 hours. The path wound through a pine forest, crossed over a gurgling mountain stream sprinkled with ice, and opened into a meadow that would make Bambi jealous. The last quarter mile of the trail was straight up. Switch backs made it possible for us to scale the side of the mountain. Huddled in trees to break the wind, we hunkered in to take a breather and eat our picnic lunch. The sky was an amazing hue of blue, providing a dazzling back drop for the fields and peaks that spilled out before us. It felt like the Mother Nature was showing off just for our benefit.
We spent the evening at a local bar watching the presidential debate on mute, (I guess they were afraid of a political brawl breaking out!?!) chatting with some locals, swilling martinis and enjoying a delicious black bean soup.

Day three: Today was our “easy” day. Our hike this morning was only 1 ½ hours and as flat as you can expect for a hike in Summit County. We walked past Rainbow Lake where Kendra and her husband were engaged. The surface of the lake was glass and perfectly reflected the mountains and sky surrounding it. We came back home, switched into padded pants, mounted up and rode into Breckenridge where we snarked around the local stores for a while. Mindful of the Story of Stuff…we didn’t buy anything. Our last night was spent eating take out Chinese, drinking wine and watching Grey’s Anatomy. Darn near perfect three days if you ask me.

I got home at 9:30 Friday night to a dinner party in full swing. Brian decided to go ahead with it, knowing I’d be late and he would have to do all the cleaning and cooking by himself. It was bizarre to walk in off the road to 7 people drinking and eating appetizers in my living room. Brian had a gourmet dinner simmering on the stove. Have I mentioned how much I love my husband?

It was a magnificent trip. I truly enjoyed the opportunity to spend time with my sister and my niece, both amazing women. Each day in the mountains made me think of a quote a woman in my writing class gave me…

“Earth’s crammed with Heaven and every common bush afire with God. But only he who sees takes off his shoes” Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

Here’s to taking off our shoes, feeling the grass between our toes and generally basking in the glory that surrounds us. Wait, was that a chicken?

Peace-
Sandy