Summer of Colorado, Weeks #8, #9 and #10

Greetings from Estes Park, gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park. I've been a little slack the past couple weeks in blogging so I'm cramming the past three weeks into one post. We've spent very little time in our van as we've had a series of housesitting gigs in Fort Collins, Nederland and Estes Park. We've loved housesitting as we feel a bit more connected to the community as we're staying in someone's house and taking care of their pets. Housesitting also provides a window into other people's lives and we've learned so much from meeting new people and seeing how they live. Roy and Jane, who we housesat for outside of Nederland, built their own off-grid home way up in the mountains and live off the land by growing much of their own food and raising chickens. Someday we may build an off-grid home as well so it was inspirational to be in their house and get ideas for our future home. 

Ginny had a birthday last month so we had a lot to celebrate. I believe she turned 29 if you're wondering but who's really counting. Ginny also took a mushroom class in which she learned how to grow mushrooms and forage wild mushrooms in the Rocky Mountains. The instructor of the course recovered from having seizures and being in a wheelchair largely from eating mushrooms...pretty incredible! See photo below of a pink oyster mushroom that she came home with.  

Since finishing the CT last month, I've been training for my first 100 mile ultramarathon (Run Rabbit Run 100) which is this Friday, September 16th in Steamboat Springs, CO. I've consistently been running 125-150 miles per week so I hope that all those miles have me prepared for race day. The race also includes more than 20,000 feet of elevation gain so that will certainly present some challenges. I'm super excited for the race but am also rather apprehensive about the distance and the overall elevation gain. Wish me luck and I'll report back next time on how things go. See photos below on our travels from the past few weeks.           

Delicious vegan lunch for Ginny's birthday at Tasty Harmony in Fort Collins.

Birthday cake!!!

The beautiful pink oyster mushroom Ginny's instructor gifted her.

Odell Brewing Co. in Fort Collins which makes some of the best beer in the state IMHO.

Meet Allie cat who we looked after in Nederland.

Pi (an irrational number) and Allie hanging out in the backyard.

The chooks letting us know that it's dinnertime.

Something's been pawing at this tree...could it be a bear?

Meet Darby, the eight month old puppy we're looking after here in Estes Park.

Darby lounging on the couch...doesn't she look a little like Scout?

Sunrise in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Early morning at Lake Haiyaha in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Fog rolling in at Dream Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Water lilies floating in Nymph Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Darby hiding under the pillows and looking pretty guilty of something.

Ginny's fired up for a power hike and loves her trekking poles!

Mountain reflection in Lake Haiyaha in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Bull elk with quite a rack (no, not that kind)...a ten pointer perhaps?

Emerald Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park.

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