Meet Karen...

Okay, I know I've been REALLY slack on my outhiking blog - I think I need to set an Outlook reminder once a week to write something new - note to self - set reminder on Monday AM...

Here it is almost summer in Colorado and to say it's been a busy 2008 would be an understatement! Between traveling for work in April and May, teaching Denver classes in June, and attempting to start the 14er season with all the snow STILL in the mountains, I decided I would write this update to share with you someone who is very important in my life these days, my girlfriend Karen.

I first met Karen in 1998 as part of a Colorado Athletic Club "How to Climb a 14er" group that a mutual friend had formed. Basically it was 10-12 folks from the club who were interested in hiking easy 14ers and we "trained" over 4-6 weeks with progressively higher mountains culminating with my first 14er on Mt. Bierstadt. During the "class", my former spouse and I got to know Karen and her former spouse. Over the next 3-4 years we double dated with them - catching a flick sometimes, watching the Nutcracker Suite at Christmas and dinners out in Denver or Fort Collins.

About 4 years ago, Karen and her then husband moved to Albuquerque, NM for a business opportunity and as sometimes happens, we lost touch with them. Fast forward May 2007, an ESRI business trip takes me to ABQ to teach classes. Remembering they lived there, I emailed the only email address I had (Karen's) to meet for dinner and catch up on news/life. Well, life had changed f0r Karen as I came to find out during my visit. We had a wonderful meal, I met her son Ethan, and we caught up on 4 years of news. My connection with Karen had always been platonic but now the connection felt different for some reason. Towards the end of my week in ABQ, I posed a hypothetical email question "If I asked you out to dinner, what would your answer be?" Creatively, I received a hypothetical "Yes." I was nervously excited and interested to see where this could lead. I had no expectations - heck, I was in the midst of my divorce as was Karen. But for the first time in a long time, I felt like I could open myself up to another person again.

Fast forward June 2008, Karen and I have been dating for a year. We have a wonderful relationship (even if it is long distance for now) and our connection with each other is strong. We see each other at least once a month - twice a month if work takes me there. We have similar interests in some things and others are individual pursuits (i.e. my climbing "addictions" for example). I am a friend to her son and we sometimes plan my visits to coincide when he's there too. It's a kick, Ethan is totally into Star Wars, as am I, so we run around the house sometimes with light saber battles and shooting down Imperial Star Destroyers!

We all see each again end of June for a music festival - Karen, Ethan, and me - I'm looking forward to it!!!

Return to Posting....

Whoa - I realized that I've been neglectful in posting anything since February 17, 2008!! Either I've been incredibly busy or pretty much slacking off from my once a week ramblings - I tend to think the later myself. So what has been going on you may ask? Well, winter in Colorado has slowly been transitioning to Spring with warmer daytime\nighttime temperatures and truly bizarre spring weather patterns during the day. For example, Thursday started off with a dusting of snow mixed with rain, nice sun/blue skies around noon, snow squalls blowing sideways at 3 PM and blue skies to wrap up the work day. Spring is a fun time of the year where the weather is schizophrenic at best leaving one to decide whether to wear a t-shirt or fleece...

So what's been going on in my life??? Easter was spent was friends at the Fowler-Hilliard hut near 11,000. The trip was complete with ham, potatoes, green bean casserole, wine, and 3 flavors of cheesecake! The Easter Bunny made his presence known as well by leaving plastic eggs along the 5-mile trek to the hut - the eggs were filled with candy and pocket shots of liquor. Apparently the Easter Bunny has started drinking excessively due to the numerous baskets he has to deliver to children... Beyond the hut trip, I spent a great weekend with Karen watching UNC basketball, eating wonderful gourmet pizza, hot tubing at Betty's Spa, and enjoying our time together.

April is proving to be incredibly busy with a 5-day teaching assignment in Albuquerque followed by a 4-day conference in Cedar City, Utah. Somewhere in the midst of this, I am volunteering with the Colorado Mountain Club's "Wilderness Trekking School" as an assistant instructor. And training for a 1/2 Marathon in May...

My good friend, Alan Arnette, has left for Nepal and his quest to summit Mount Everest. If your interest in following his trip, check out http://www.alanarnette.com

That's about it for now - I promise to be more diligent with the updates! Until then - Climb On!

Pause and Reflect

Today I realized it's been 3 weeks since I returned from Orizaba and longer than I'd like in order to post a new update to the ole blog. Seems like a bit longer due to settling back into normal life of teaching classes for ESRI, a trip south to visit Karen, and skiing at A-Basin. How's the saying go - the only constant is change. True, true...

Folks have asked about the trip details -- I'm planning a "Brown Bag" presentation for coworkers this week to discuss the highlights. Interestingly enough, when I typically finish any trip report, folks tend to ask me what's next. Honestly I haven't thought about it much other than mountains on my 2008 14er list that Patrick, Alan and I will be discussing in the coming months. Too much snow in the high country at the moment to give it any serious thoughts.

But I do have to say that Orizaba presented a wonderful challenge not only in setting a new personal altitude record but also exposing me to just a small bit of international mountain climbing. If this truly translates to bigger mountains around the world, I don't know. Denali in Alaska is of interest but that's yet another level beyond anything I've done so far AND the success rate is abysmal. Killimanjaro is also of interest too - I'd like to see the glaciers on her before they melt. Aconcagua in western Argentina is another that is a strong possiblity as well but due to $$ of these trips realistically only 1 per year - unless I win the lottery! The positive of Orizaba is I geared up with stuff I could use on future trips. Perhaps a trek to base camp at Everest to just to see the monarch of all mountains - still no interest ever in climbing that one...

So what is next for me? Plan to hike with Alan and a "new" climber tomorrow on Longs Peak, have dinner with friends Friday night, plan to volunteer at a 10 mile race next Saturday, climb Mt. Silverheels with Alan and Patrick next Sunday, teach a new class "solo" next Monday, see Karen in 2 weeks, run a 1/2 marathon in May...really just live and enjoy life! As folks know, that means stay busy!

Climb On Friends!

Robert