Happy Valentine's Day!

 

In celebratation of the infamous Hallmark holiday Jim and I decided to partake in the  "Totally Inappropraite Date Night" hosted by the Durango Discovery Museum.  The evening included beer, wine, desserts and sheep hearts.  After the hearts were passed out, we were turned loose with scalpels, scissors and other small intruments of destruction.  Our hostess gave a description of the anatomy of the heart and the function of the parts before we began.  The hearts were fresh from a local butcher, it was nice not to have the yucky formaldehyde smell and stiffness.  These muscles were gorgeous and pliable with just a hint of lamb odor - mint sauce anyone?  After about an hour of playing with our sheep heart (I know, it's not nice to toy with someone's heart), we put away the messy stuff and were treated to wonderful desserts and a lecture.  The lecture was on the chemistry of love.  Yes, the actual chemisty - hormones and chemical reactions and such.  It was definately a memorable evening.

 

 Me and the lovely fresh (no preservatives here) sheep hearts.

Eat your heart out!

I was careful to keep a valve intact. 

So delicate and beautiful, amazing that it preforms such a demanding job a gazillion times through out a lifetime.

 

Hope "Ewe" had a lovely date, too!

(pictuers by Jim 'cuz he had clean hands)

Colorado Trail Series

Colorado Trail Series

Day 3- Part 2

Lunch to Blackhawk Pass Camp

 

Hiked: 2.5 Miles

Camped: 11,700 evelvation

 

After lunch we continued on our way south towards our camp for the night.  Moseying along with no sense of urgency we took many more pictures that afternoon.

 



(as always click to enlarge photos - it's worth it!)

 

Another stunning view.

One last look back to the mountains we left behind to the north yesterday.

 

Then a look forward from the same point and catch the first glimpse of the ridge line we are headed to for the night. 

 

Amazing what you come upon while silently passing through the woods.  I stepped right into the middle of a small ptarmigan family.  The hen and her four young seemed rather indifferent to our presence.  They scooted just far enough off the trail to feel safe but not so far that Jim couldn't get some great pictures.

 



Mother Nature knew exactly what she was doing when she painted these lovely ground birds.  Can you see why I almost stepped on the little brood?

 



Closer... we're getting closer!

I can the saddle we will be sleeping under tonight.  Just on the edge of the treeline and hopefully next to a stream according to the guide book.

 

Camp!

Backpacks are dumped out.  A clothesline is strung. 

Laundry is washed. 

 

There was a stream! 

So after laundry and a frigid mountain stream bath, I set my chair in the sun to soak up some of the last warm rays on my bare skin.  Of course I wasn't idle in my sunbathing, there's always something to be done such as the filtering of water for the night's dinner and tomorrow's breakfast.

Albino hairless Sasquatch?!

Oh no, that's just Jim taking his turn in the icy waters doing laundry and freshening up.

 

An early moon rise over the sensationally striped bluff to the east of our camp. 

 It was a short relative easy day.  An early arrival at camp allowed us to unpack, clean up and cook at a leisurely pace.  I had enough time to fry up enough fresh corn cakes for dinner and leftovers for lunch the next day.  These served alongside hot minestrone soup with bite of chocolate and a cup of wine for dessert (or a shot of bourbon for Jim) made for a nice end to a nice day.  Although, camping on the north side of a mountain means a false sunset that comes quite early and brings with it the chills of the shadows.  So it was early to bed for these weary travelers.

 

Good Night from Day 3!

(but remember there are 4 more days of trails, trees and trials....)

Colorado Trail Series

Colorado Trail Series

Day 3 - Part 1
Celebration Lake to Lunch at the saddle below Section Point

Hiked: 4 miles
Lunch: 11,810 elevation

Day 3 was a short day, only about 6.5 miles to our planned camp just below Blackhawk Pass.  So we lingered in camp and enjoyed a hot breakfast before setting out on the trail.  We hiked a bit slower and Jim took more pictures.  Hence, Day 3 is broken into two parts in order to share so many photos.
  I should also mention that the trail stays above 11,500 feet the entire day. 
Got Oxygen?!

(As always click to enlarge photos - it's worth it!)
 

Of course, we rested often and in the shade when available.

Looking forward to the south at Hermosa Peak - 12,579ft.
The trail would skirt the west side leading us around and not over (thank goodness) this mountain.

 

More heart shaped rocks!
Love abound on this trail.

 This is the trail around Hermosa Peak (left).

Weaving in and out of trees as we were at the top reaches of the treeline.

 

You have to enlarge this photo.
Like I mentioned before, you must follow the posts along the trail.
Although, sometimes there are trail guides to chirp encouragements to you along the way.

 Sitting on a bleak windblown saddle below Section Point, we ate lunch.  However, looking back to the north at the mountains we had just passed yesterday so many miles away was satisfyingly beautiful.

 

Check Back for Day 3 - Part 2

Coming Soon!

 

 

Debt Free!!!

 

WOW!!!

 

I can't believe the day has finally arrived!

Jim and I had our sights set on being debt free by 2017.

With much planning, frugality and financial diligence we have achieved our goal three years earlier than planned. 

 

Today, February 7, 2014 we made our final payments on all that loomed over our heads.

No more mortgage, no more student loans, no more credit cards!!

 

We have our sights set on maintaining a debt free future.

What good is $150,000 in a retirement account if you owe $300,000 in debt?

Why slave away day in and day out at a job only to pay a bank for the use of your house?

Yes, I said "use".  No, don't fool yourself by believing that you own your house because if you currently have a mortgage the bank owns it.  Just look at the past economy and the foreclosures that took place.  Not to be a negative ninny about people using the credit system to purchase items, I am just opting to use cash for items.  If we can't pay cash, we won't buy it - plain and simple.

Thus, reducing any chances of losing our possessions to banks.

Unfortunately, I know people who "lived" high on the hog during the heydays of bank loans and easy credit a few years back.  Now, after losing their houses, vehicles and recreational toys they are left with nothing but bad credit and monthly rental payments.

 

We are choosing to say "NO!" to the American lifestyle of credit cards and bank loans.

 

So, let today be our Independance Day!

Let us move forward with a lighter step unburdened by the clouds of debt!