Haha they're just so weird because I'm smiling as if that's my sunny future and I've found my future playmates and drinking buddies, when inwardly I'm haunted. I should have had a look of dread or fear because I have PTSD from visiting my folks at their senior-living places in Green Valley, AZ, and then in Montrose!
No, I haven't done R2R2R. I have done an 8-day rafting trip along the whole length of the CO River however, camping on beaches along the way, which was amazing, so I'm familiar with the Grand Canyon from that. I have a good group together for the R2R2R run and we're preparing!
Tiger Lily is beautiful and it’s wonderful you brought her into your home. We have plans to eventually retire to our home in VT with the caveat that we may try to spend a month during mud season in a warmer climate. After spending a week in CA recently, I can easily see getting a one month rental in April. However, I am a homebody and I generally find just one or two quick getaways in the winter is enough to tide me over.That being said, I mostly take the winter off from running and instead indoor cycle and ski, keeping running for when the weather is favorable. I have found this takes the pressure off and allows me to embrace more winter sports. As for places in CO, I have always wanted to visit Crested Butte.
When we moved here 4 years ago, the locals kept saying how by March they are hating snow, seasons, winter, and dream of Florida (yuk!). I thought they are nuts, I'm Russian, I love snow! This is the first winter season when both Larry and I are whining. He's whining about shoveling and running in sub-freezing (and it's not even your conditions!), I'm whining about temps and snow (because in my now-life snow is danger, cold when you walk slow is, well, extra cold).
And wow on extended forecast! HR will be interesting (if will be at all, fingers crossed).
And yes on the visit! Obviously you'll know how it goes, but my goal FOR 100% get back on PP by my birthday on October 9. Hopefully in August (shh, don't tell the healing Gods). Incline will be a test for my ACL on a whole another level - #101 in the making.
Exactly how I’ve been feeling this week… dreaming of getting outta here but regional options also cloudier, colder, wetter than normal and, they said, “don’t come. trails are a mess”… so I’m just practicing gratitude for all this moisture and the PHENOM wild flower season it will nourish!!!
PS thank you for rescuing Tiger Lily. We currently have 3 rescue cats that were deemed impossible to adopt out due to human abuse and neglect. They are now thriving. Your story on drug abuse is heart-wrenching. Meth is a huge problem in our town and I work with children at our local food bank whose parents have fallen victim. It makes my concern for how to age pale in comparison. It’s so very important to help others; plants, animals, humans to “get through this thing called life” (Prince).
It’s good to remember that some people’s ultra’s are just trying to obtain the bare necessities for human survival.
Jennie, I really appreciate your two comments, and it means a lot to me that you found my newsletter and can relate. That's why I started writing it -- to share stories and connect with people like you who can relate! Good for you for the animal care, thank you.
I loved this article. My husband and I also live remotely on a mountain on the edge of a wilderness boundary in Montana.
Recently, before I threw myself full force back into training, I started to get anxiety over what our life might look like in our senior years. In my hot-flash riddled, sleepless night panic attack I even started googling senior living centers catered to “active” seniors (all in warm climates even though I NEED snow in my life) because I just wanted a plan for the future, to know what it was going to look like (a control issue of mine), what it was supposed to be like, what a woman my age was “supposed” to be like. My anxiety skyrocketed.
So I totally switched gears and am currently saying “hell no“. Not yet. I am not going to start thinking that way. Not at 52.
And this was one step towards finding your blog. Hearing of super active people, living and thriving in mountains or wherever they may live, embracing the trails, the deserts, oceans or mountains, the asphalt, still living life actively and fully has helped me reframe my assumption on aging.
So thank you, Sarah, for helping me to see a different possibility. My anxiety is decreasing a bit, and the miles in the backcountry and on the bike trainer and treadmill are increasing. A lot.
Lol, these photos of you with the community signs are amazing.
Haha they're just so weird because I'm smiling as if that's my sunny future and I've found my future playmates and drinking buddies, when inwardly I'm haunted. I should have had a look of dread or fear because I have PTSD from visiting my folks at their senior-living places in Green Valley, AZ, and then in Montrose!
That's why it's so perfect — ain't nobody really making those faces 😂
R2R2R is life-changing, limitless. Have you done it before?
No, I haven't done R2R2R. I have done an 8-day rafting trip along the whole length of the CO River however, camping on beaches along the way, which was amazing, so I'm familiar with the Grand Canyon from that. I have a good group together for the R2R2R run and we're preparing!
Tiger Lily is beautiful and it’s wonderful you brought her into your home. We have plans to eventually retire to our home in VT with the caveat that we may try to spend a month during mud season in a warmer climate. After spending a week in CA recently, I can easily see getting a one month rental in April. However, I am a homebody and I generally find just one or two quick getaways in the winter is enough to tide me over.That being said, I mostly take the winter off from running and instead indoor cycle and ski, keeping running for when the weather is favorable. I have found this takes the pressure off and allows me to embrace more winter sports. As for places in CO, I have always wanted to visit Crested Butte.
We visited CB last summer and it was lovely, albeit pretty touristy and crowded in the historic downtown section in late June.
When we moved here 4 years ago, the locals kept saying how by March they are hating snow, seasons, winter, and dream of Florida (yuk!). I thought they are nuts, I'm Russian, I love snow! This is the first winter season when both Larry and I are whining. He's whining about shoveling and running in sub-freezing (and it's not even your conditions!), I'm whining about temps and snow (because in my now-life snow is danger, cold when you walk slow is, well, extra cold).
And wow on extended forecast! HR will be interesting (if will be at all, fingers crossed).
And yes on the visit! Obviously you'll know how it goes, but my goal FOR 100% get back on PP by my birthday on October 9. Hopefully in August (shh, don't tell the healing Gods). Incline will be a test for my ACL on a whole another level - #101 in the making.
Thanks Olga! Hope the shoutout didn't surprise you :-) but I would really appreciate the opportunity to go up PP with you. Keep healing!
Exactly how I’ve been feeling this week… dreaming of getting outta here but regional options also cloudier, colder, wetter than normal and, they said, “don’t come. trails are a mess”… so I’m just practicing gratitude for all this moisture and the PHENOM wild flower season it will nourish!!!
Thanks Jess! I need to go get cozy at the bookstore and chat with you there.
PS thank you for rescuing Tiger Lily. We currently have 3 rescue cats that were deemed impossible to adopt out due to human abuse and neglect. They are now thriving. Your story on drug abuse is heart-wrenching. Meth is a huge problem in our town and I work with children at our local food bank whose parents have fallen victim. It makes my concern for how to age pale in comparison. It’s so very important to help others; plants, animals, humans to “get through this thing called life” (Prince).
It’s good to remember that some people’s ultra’s are just trying to obtain the bare necessities for human survival.
Jennie, I really appreciate your two comments, and it means a lot to me that you found my newsletter and can relate. That's why I started writing it -- to share stories and connect with people like you who can relate! Good for you for the animal care, thank you.
I loved this article. My husband and I also live remotely on a mountain on the edge of a wilderness boundary in Montana.
Recently, before I threw myself full force back into training, I started to get anxiety over what our life might look like in our senior years. In my hot-flash riddled, sleepless night panic attack I even started googling senior living centers catered to “active” seniors (all in warm climates even though I NEED snow in my life) because I just wanted a plan for the future, to know what it was going to look like (a control issue of mine), what it was supposed to be like, what a woman my age was “supposed” to be like. My anxiety skyrocketed.
So I totally switched gears and am currently saying “hell no“. Not yet. I am not going to start thinking that way. Not at 52.
And this was one step towards finding your blog. Hearing of super active people, living and thriving in mountains or wherever they may live, embracing the trails, the deserts, oceans or mountains, the asphalt, still living life actively and fully has helped me reframe my assumption on aging.
So thank you, Sarah, for helping me to see a different possibility. My anxiety is decreasing a bit, and the miles in the backcountry and on the bike trainer and treadmill are increasing. A lot.