3 miles up 3 miles down

Want to know one of the many cool things about living in Denver?

Rocky Mountain National Park is basically in our backyard.

We did a 6-mile hike at a higher elevation today (up to 10,000 feet now!  There's a 14'er in our future next month!).  I may be adjusted to the mile high city but let me tell you, heavens to betsy it's a frikkin' chore to breathe up there in the mountains!  I totally get why serious mountain climbers use supplemental oxygen.  The brain gets tired of searching for what's never going to come, and says, "oh screw it, I'll just hallucinate."  When we do Everest {insert hearty chortle here} I am like so using oxygen.  And a sherpa.  Or two.  One for me, one for the bun bun.

 Our hikes...go a little...something like...this.  When we do speak...which isn't often...it's in short...bursts so we can...still breathe.

And when we get thirsty, we have to stop walking altogether in order to drink water.  Breathing is so cumbersome it's impossible to also hydrate.  So hiking 6 miles, you know, takes us a while.

It was a gorgeous day (ever get tired of hearing that?  Too bad.) and we managed to make it up and back before early afternoon.  As soon as we finished, we went to Subway in Estes Park and I inhaled a salad.  I don't think I've ever eaten anything that fast in my life, not to mention a salad for pete's sake.  Think Tasmanian Devil.  Yeah.

Fortuitously (GRE word!) Subway was right next to a Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, and what with us being IN Rocky Mountain National Park, it was only right to support the local economy!  A green apple is downright tasty with a little dark chocolate, white chocolate, caramel, oreos and cherries on it.  And I got in my fruit for the day.  Score.

We are completely addicted (and by we I mean me + G halfheartedly) to the BBC America show Orphan Black.  Have you seen it?  OMG it's phenomenal.  It's only 10 episodes and in the spirit of self-discipline and also attempting to pass the GRE, I've (we've) only watched like half of them so far.  Sooooooo gooooooood.

Tomorrow is brunch (at a new place!) chores, errands, and a movie.  Geez I love weekends and never want to go back to work.  **If you are interested in fully funding our lifestyle and supporting us without question, please send me an email immediately.  Thank you.**