Monthly Archives: December 2012

Weekly Photo Challenge: Delicate (2)

Here are a couple of photos which capture the concept of delicate for me!! Hope you enjoy them.

The first one is from the glaciers of Kilimanjaro. I think of these as delicate because their future appears to be very precarious and it is believed that they will be completely gone within the next 20 – 30 years. Despite their massive appearance, their existence is really in a very delicate balance.

These photos come from a beautiful snow day at the magnificent Chautauqua Park in Boulder, CO. This park lies at the foot of Boulder’s famous Flatirons. In Colorado, big snows are usually followed by magnificent blue-bird days. Delicate icicles and ice formations like these typically don’t last very long in this intense sun. This last photo is from Arches National Park in Utah. This is a photo of the very thin Landscape Arch. I am amazed by these formations and the geological forces that it took to create such amazing natural wonders.

Top 10 Essentials for Surviving Everest Base Camp

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3 days to go before I set off to Kathmandu for my epic trek up to Everest Base Camp. Packing for a trip like this is intense as there are so many unknowns – Will it rain or snow? How cold will it be? Not to mention I have a 30 lb weight restriction for my checked bag on the flight from Kathmandu to Lukla – the starting point for the trek. Of course I have all of the gear I need to make it through the next 3 weeks, but thought it was worth mentioning a few of those items that will allow me to survive the trek without a hitch!

Top 10 Essentials (in no particular order)

1. -20 sleeping bag – Temps could be freezing at 15,000 feet and above. This bag, in addition to a nightly hot water bottle should do the trick!

2. Ciproflaxin – Also known as Cipro. Every time I go on one of these trips, at least one person comes down with an intestinal issue and what a drag it is. Keeping my fingers crossed I don’t draw the short stick this time….

3. Down Pants – Bought a good pair on sale from Mont-Bell this year. I most likely will not hike in them, but I do think they will come in handy post trekking while we are all shivering around the dinner table.

4. Nook – Finally broke down and bought one. Books are so heavy and with a weight restriction, I thought this was a good option – I got one with the backlight so I could read in the darkness of my tent.

5. Camera (of course) with a few extra batteries/memory cards and 3 different lenses (50, 24-70 and 70-200). I will also have an extra Point and Shoot for those days I don’t want to haul the big DSLR around.

6. Freshette – What is this you ask? It is an AMAZING gadget for women as it allows us to urinate standing up! It is the best invention. No more sitting on unsanitary toilet seats or having to squat in precarious situations – don’t leave home without one!

7. Hand Warmers – To go inside my mountaineering mittens. If my hands are cold, I might as well go home. Cold hands to me are like death and I will avoid them at all costs!

8. Sunscreen – I learned from an earlier trip, sunscreen/lip protection 3 miles + above sea-level is critical. One year, my lip got so burned, I couldn’t drink hot drinks for a week. Every time my lip touched the side of a hot mug, the pain was unbearable!

9. Gummi Bears – This is one of the simple pleasures I am bringing with me….can’t help it – LOVE them and figure they will bring me comfort in times of need. Gotta have simple pleasures!

10. Good bath salts, body lotion and a razor for AFTER the trek. The first thing I am going to do when we finish up is take a long, hot bath. I long for it already!

What am I missing??

Travel Theme: Transportation

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I am officially joining the growing ranks of the Where’s My Backpack weekly travel theme photo challenge! This weeks theme is transportation.

Remember when you got your first set of wheels?! Oh the freedom to explore the world and become completely independent! This is an image of my hubby’s daughter in front of her ‘new’ car…it was an exciting day indeed.

This second image was taken in Mui Ne, Vietnam…the guy was apparently exhausted from hauling people around in his rickshaw!

The car below looks like something out of Back to the Future! It was actually taken this past year in Los Angeles, CA. Loved it – thought it was totally cool.

Last Minute Holiday Shopping with SkyMall Magazine!

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Commuting to work on an airplane week after week provides one with ample opportunities to peruse the stunning SkyMall Magazine – “located in the seatback pocket of the seat in front of you.” Since the holidays are just around the corner, thought I would share some of my favorites! God bless people with the creativity and drive to actually invent something…

First on the list is the ever-popular “Slanket” not to be confused with the “Snuggie”, though I am not really sure what the difference is between the two. According to reliable sources (my good friend Lisa), you can wear it and use the TV remote at the same time without exposing your arms to cold temperatures. Apparently, they have recently invented a ‘Slanket Siamese for Two’ – wow – what a great idea. The only downside to the Siamese version is that it only comes in 2 colors. Given it’s made out of a ‘polyester fleece’, I am guessing this thing should not get too close to an open flame.

Moving along to the ‘Litter Kwitter’ which claims to allow you to teach your kitty to use a human toilet in 8 weeks or less. Now this one I might just have to buy myself. If I never have to clean another litter box in my life, I would consider it a Christmas miracle.

For the regular traveler in your world, might I suggest “The UpRight Sleeper”. As an added bonus, you have the option of purchasing a cover for it and by the looks of the purple one in the picture, I am sure that thing is flammable too.

Is there a man (or woman) who is interested in seeing themselves with facial hair? Specifically a mustache? Well, don’t allow the “Mustache Mirror” pass you by! It’s a keeper!

Last but not least, introducing the “Dress-up Squirrel Magnets”. These bad boys are delivered with 5 different outfits – how clever – paper dolls in the form of a varmit magnet.

Ahhhh, SkyMall Magazine…one more benefit to a weekly work commute…Which one would you pick?

Weekly Photo Challenge: Delicate

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This weeks photo challenge is Delicate….I have a few versions of what this means to me – enjoy!

See the Word Press Weekly Photo Challenge – Delicate site for more beauties!!!

Hummingbirds are one of the most delicate birds on earth….I was incredibly lucky the day I captured this little guy (or gal) in Palm Springs, CA. There are 17 species of Hummingbirds…who knew?

Ever found yourself in a delicate situation? This image was taken on the top of Half Dome in Yosemite, CA. The rock pile looks a little delicate to me….certainly felt that way when I was sitting on top of it!

Even though we humans are relatively large creatures, sometimes we find ourselves feeling delicate when our surroundings are larger than life! This is the hubby near Vogelsang Peak, Yosemite, CA.

Lost in the Woods …. Now What?

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Have you ever wondered what would happen to you if you were lost or injured in the wilderness and just who those people are who would come to rescue you at all hours of the day or night? If you happened to be in the wilds between Denver, CO and Summit County, CO, there’s a high likelihood that it would be the Alpine Rescue Team dispatched to help you out of your situation. [slideshow]

As I’m sure you will glean rather quickly, Alpine Rescue Team is something about which I’m extremely passionate. First and foremost, it is a group of about 60-plus, all-volunteer members who train constantly and go out into the elements any time of day or night and in any type of weather to help those having a really bad day in the woods. Since it’s founding in 1959, Alpine Rescue Team has responded to thousands of wilderness emergencies. In a typical year, Alpine will respond to somewhere around a hundred missions. Alpine Rescue Team

Alpine Rescue Team’s response area includes Jefferson, Gilpin, and Clear Creek Counties. This is an extremely large response area with some extremely popular wilderness areas attracting both the avid outdoorsman as well as the tourist who just flew in from some place like Atlanta. Clear Creek County alone has 4 of Colorado’s most popular 14,000 foot peaks: Grey’s, Torrey’s, Evans, and Bierstadt.

Alpine is a proud member of the Rocky Mountain Region Mountain Rescue Association. Rocky Mountain Region MRA The member teams of the Rocky Mountain Region MRA are the “best of the best” and prove it on a regular basis. Every five years member teams are tested extensively in 5 areas of expertise: search, high angle technical rescue, scree evacuation, winter rescue, and avalanche.

Alpine is more to me than the sum of all of these statistics. Alpine is a bond that connects all of us Life Busers together. It is how we all met and have become so close over all the years. We have spent hours together training, out on missions, laughing, attending each other’s weddings, comforting each other, recreating together, and even having to throw modesty out the window when nature calls. I have had the honor of being part of this group for 8 years now. It is pretty amazing to find a group of people with whom you would literally trust your life.

Don’t get me wrong, there are times when you get dispatched in the middle of the night, say 2 AM, when you question what the heck you are doing. That feeling typically subsides rather quickly as you realize that you are being summoned because someone’s loved one(s) is lost, hurt, or even worse.

Now you know who some of those people are who show up any time, anywhere. Please have fun out there and remember to be safe. For more information and some safety tips please visit our website or our Facebook page. Alpine Rescue Team

All member teams of the Rocky Mountain Region of the MRA stand solidly on the principal of “No Charge for Rescue”. Our member teams have never charged for their services. Alpine exists purely by the time and financial commitment of its members as well as by the charitable donations of others.

Chasing the Bear

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Not many feelings compare to the one you get when, with thirty-five miles of running to go, you reach behind you for a drink of water. And realize your water bottle isn’t there.

Running the Bear Chase 50 miler was somewhat of an impulse decision. Located in Bear Creek State Park in Lakewood, CO(www.bearchaserace.com), it was a mere fifteen minutes from home. With a price tag of $65, it is cheaper than most marathons I’ve run. Besides, I was still smarting from missing the last fifty miles of Leadville.

Nicely organized, the 50 mile runners began right at 6:30, with the 50k, half marathon, and 10k starting at intervals after. While the trail never felt crowded, there is something demoralizing about watching runners fly by, even knowing their race is half or less the distance.

The second loop was a bit more solitary, making it easier to settle into a pace, but also meant there was no one around to let me know my water bottle had slipped the bonds of my waist pack. The morning cloud cover had kept the temperature a pleasant 60ish degrees, but it was threatening to warm quickly.

I didn’t mean to sound quite as panicked as I did when Randall, the photographer from Running Guru, asked how my race was going. He dug in his pack and pulled out his spare bottle. A Nalgene never looked so beautiful.

At the end of the second lap, I handed back the bottle, grateful and hopeful mine was still on the path. I was saved by a thoughtful spectator in case it wasn’t. As luck would have it, it was still there.

Most GPS devices have a battery life of ten hours or less. My beloved Garmin 310XT has twenty. Three runners had given up finishing in time after their devices died and their morale waned as they had no idea the time. One told me I had already inspired her to keep running just by running myself. She, I and Ben, on his first ultra, came around the last stretch together. I had “pulled” Ben up the last hill, and he repaid the favor by encouraging me to run across the finish, he last and me next to.

But never mind that. A race that long isn’t about winning or losing. It is about what it takes to even show. Finishing is a bonus. Helping someone else is icing on the cake. The amazing thing about small races is that your victory is everyone’s, especially the under-applauded volunteers, who were still at the finish line, junk food and beer in hand. Thank you.

Found: Unexpected Beautiful Nugget in Houston, TX

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Do you ever find yourself in a place that just doesn’t float your boat? I travel frequently for work and was recently commuting to Houston, Texas. Don’t get me wrong, I lived there for roughly 13 years and have many wonderful friends and family there. I just don’t have a strong appreciation for Houston the city – it’s big, hot, humid, traffic is insane and clearly there are no mountains close by.

Now that I have just slammed this vast city, I have to say, last Monday night I had an amazing experience in Houston. I ended my long work/travel day and shuffled my way from the office to the Hilton hotel located near the convention center in downtown. My work buddy Lisa and I mustered up some strength and ran at Memorial Park (an excellent 3 mile loop should you make it to town). Afterwards we decided to check out a great restaurant called The Grove (across the street from the Hilton) in search of some good grub and a juicy glass of wine. We found both of those things, AND came across one of the coolest art exhibits I have seen in a long time.

The Grove sits in the middle of Discovery Green Park which was built to provide a little oasis for those visiting downtown Houston. There is a pathway lined with century-old live oaks that cuts through the park. Given winter never really arrives in Houston, all of the trees are still a deep, velvety green. Now for the good stuff: Hanging like ornaments in the trees, were incredible balloons of all sizes adorned with images of people from all walks of life. It was a stunning and powerful exhibit and one I could not get enough of – I passed through this park every day that week I was in Houston (too bad all I had with me was my iphone camera).

The exhibit is called “Through the Eyes of a Child” created with images by the talented artist David Graeve and those taken by children who participate in a program called Change Happens. Change Happens is a 3rd Ward based non-profit who provides various programs for adults and at-risk kids in the Gulf Coast region of Houston – probably one of the poorest in the state. Their new facility in the 3rd Ward stands where crack houses and condemned properties once reigned supreme.

Even though Houston doesn’t float my boat per se, this creative display will stick in my mind for years to come and for that I am grateful. Just goes to show, there are nuggets of beauty no matter where you are in the world and in unexpected places!

Weekly Photo Challenge: Changing Seasons

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We are so lucky to have 4 seasons in Colorado – The Life Bus looks forward to each and every one! The images below represent 2 things, 1) The most significant season for Colorado – the Winter, and 2) My favorite time of the year to dust off my camera – late Spring.

Check out other amazing entries Via the Word Press Weekly Photo Challenge!

This image below was taken on the Gore Creek Trail in Vail, CO in Late November. This was one of the first snow falls of the 2012 season.

I spend hours and hours at the Denver Botanic Gardens in the late Spring months! After a long winter, I crave the color of the gardens.

Wonderful Team Member Readership Award

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Pam and I feel blessed that our little endeavor called The Life Bus has gotten some great people to climb aboard and along the way nominate us for our second award, the Wonderful Team Member Readership Award. This generous award nomination comes to us from the Les Petits Pas de Jules who has been a true champion of The Life Bus and we are truly thrilled that she has found our writings worthy of a blog award. If you haven’t had a chance to check out her blog yet, I highly recommend you do so. It is a wonderful blog with great content as well as photos. She does this in three languages no less.

So here is what WTMRA winner must do as a recipient of this award:

Display the logo on his/her post/page and/or sidebar
The Nominee must finish this sentence and post: ”A Great reader is…”
Nominate 14 readers they appreciate over a period of 7 days (1 week) – this can be done at any rate during the week. It can be ALL on one day or a few on one day and a few on another day, etc., naming his or her nominees on a post or on posts during the 1 week period.
The Nominee shall make these rules, or amended rules, keeping to the spirit of the Wonderful Team Member Readership Award, known to each reader s/he nominates.

Here goes for what I think makes a great reader …. it’s really more a little story so I hope you enjoy!!

My definition of a great reader is probably not much different than that of most people. So, instead of plagiarizing what others have articulated so well, I thought I’d rather share some thoughts about a great reader I know quite well. My mother is the person who comes to mind immediately. Since my earliest memories, my mother has never been without her nose in a book or without stacks of books all over the house. The best part is she actually reads them all and does so quickly. She is almost thrown into a panic when she runs out and doesn’t have a book on hand. My mother has no limits on subjects about which she will read. She reads biographies, mysteries, and novels. She reads about history, science, geography, mythology, and too many other topics to list all separately. As a result of this massive amount of reading, my mother is quite frankly one of the most intelligent human beings I have ever encountered. She is a repository of an amazing amount of information. I think what makes her, and others like her, great readers is that insatiable thirst to soak up as much about life and the world as possible. I think my mother has been able to live a thousand different lives and adventures through all of the stories she has read. I think these are the qualities that drive great readers.

14 Readers I Appreciate

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