More Updates

Had another nice hike last week, but unfortunately, I'm going to have to miss this week's hike because my knee needs a rest.  It's just not healing fast enough!  We hiked Wild Basin in Rocky Mountain National Park and were we surprised to find it had snowed the night before at the 8,500' level which is where the trail head starts.  In fact, we had some light snow off and on throughout the hike!


We had planned on doing a 5 mile hike up to Ouzel Lake and back again for a total of 10 miles and a 1,500' elevation gain to 10,000' (our highest training hike for Mark and me).  The trail was snowy, wet and difficult in some areas, particularly the last 1/2 mile or so.  (There was no path so it had to be broken in and it was on a downhill part of the trail.)  Because I'd slipped a little earlier in the day and hurt my knee again, I chose NOT to do the last 1/2 mile and instead had the rest of the group finish while Mark and I hiked back.  I wanted to take my time and be extra cautious and I didn't want to feel like I was holding anyone up.


We ended up getting back about 15 minutes before the rest of the group.  It was a very beautiful hike and this one has been my favorite so far.  I want to go back and do it again when there isn't any snow on the ground.  I'm sure it will look so different and be just as spectacular!  Plus, I want to make it down to the lake, too!  Click on Mark's photo on the right to get to other pictures during the hike.


So, with hiking aside for a week or so, I'm still working on on my spin bike and/or elliptical as best I can; I'm just not doing the intensity that I used to.  But whatever I'm doing is working as I've dropped more weight!  I made it to my first goal weight and want to lose about 2 more pounds.  (I need a little buffer, plus I need to figure out what I have to do to maintain the weight loss, which always seems to be the trickier part.)  I turned over my new leaf starting on Dec 14, 2011 and 24 weeks later, I've lost 26 pounds and dropped 3 sizes; and in certain clothes, 4 sizes!  Whew!  It's definitely been worth it.  


It's funny, but this is the first time in all my years of "dieting", that I haven't been concerned with the pounds coming off.  I think that's because I've finally realized that I'm going to always workout and always eat this way!  I still go out to dinner, I still have a glass or two of wine each week. And, if I want dessert, I'll have it!  The key for me is to track my calories and my workouts...it's as simple as that.  If I snack too much, I'm not afraid to include it...I track it...period!  And since I use the application "Myfitnesspal.com" it's accessible via computer and on my Android phone so I can always enter something.


My plan all along was to lose weight so that I could come off of my cholesterol medicine and so far, I've successfully been able to do that!  I go for a cholesterol check next month which will be 3 full months that I've been off the medicine and during that time, I have worked out 6 days a week, almost every week.  I'm hoping that I'll be able to stay off the medicine...I don't want to lose my memory!


One last thing I'd like to mention is:  hand, foot and mouth disease...yeah, what's up with this disease going around in children?  This isn't something that I remember as a common childhood disease when I was growing up or when our children were growing up.  But, it seems to be a fairly common occurrence these days.  Poor Sophia has it now and last year Zoe and Ezra had it!  Thankfully, Sophia seems to be getting better now!  (Glad she didn't get it on her birthday!)


Well, we are anxiously awaiting when we get to see Holly, Zoe and Ezra again!  They will be visiting in July!!!  (Wish Erich could be here, too!)  Hope to have lots of fun times while they are here!  We have several things planned...more on that later.  :)

Closing Out September on a High Note

Yesterday (and today for that matter) turned out to be another fabulous sunny, comfortable day in Colorado!  Mark and I decided to take a drive up to Rocky Mountain National Park, Moraine, Estes Park, and Trail Ridge Road to check out the fall colors and to see the elk in their rutting season.


Drove up to Trail Ridge Road first and stopped at our favorite spot to photograph.  Temperature at almost 12,000 feet was about 54 degrees.  In Fort Collins, the temperature was in the mid-80s.    Photographed some cute yellow fall flowers; I'm always amazed that they can flourish at that altitude!  Stopped at the Alpine Visitor Center for a quick bite before we headed back down to Moraine to check out the elk rutting and to capture pictures of the fall colors throughout the park.


Saw several "harems" of elk with the large bull elk guarding his ladies from younger bull elk.  Saw very interesting behavior with one of the harems once we got down to Estes Park.  We were watching the bull elk keep his girls all together.  All of a sudden, we saw two females cross one of the main roads into Estes Park looking for the pack.  They jumped a fence and casually walked over to the rest of the harem.  Of course the bull elk had to check them out, probably checking for a male scent.


Next thing we know, we spotted a young bull elk slowly making his way over to the fence in search of the females.  He was cautious and took his time.  He was no more than 4 or 5 yards from me; he even looked at me!  But he certainly had other things on his mind and couldn't care less about the humans that were around.


He finally got up the courage, jumped the fence then nonchalantly started walking over to where the females were.  It only took about a minute or so and the large bull elk, got up and deliberately started walking a straight line towards the young bull elk.  He went a few yards, then broke into a gallop!  The young bull elk decided it was a bad decision and quickly high tailed it out of there. 


Such an interesting display of elk rutting!   Everyone should get to see this at least once in their lifetime!  Click on the fall picture on the right and you'll see a lot of the photos we took yesterday.