Our 19th Anniversary

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On our anniversary hike at Staunton State Park

Today was our 19th wedding anniversary. As we have done the last several years we went into the mountains for a hike. We decided on Staunton State Park this year and we were up bright and early and on the trail by 8:25am. It was a glorious sunny day and we were happy to be at altitude (8,500 – 9,500 feet) to make it a little cooler. We were back home by 2:30pm and then we went for a family sushi dinner. Delicious.

The South cheerleading team at the East vs South football game

On Saturday, it was a full-on South High School sports day. At 11am the South varsity football game vs East was on. But Marcy volunteered to provide refreshments for the cheerleaders on what was a hot day. So, we delivered water bottles, refills and watermelon to the team before they started. It ended up being a bummer of a game but the cheerleaders stayed strong and cheering to the end.

Sunset over the mountains in Colorado Springs for the South vs Rampart varsity soccer game

That evening we drove down to Colorado Springs for the South vs Rampart varsity soccer game. Marcy and I managed a quick Mexican dinner after we dropped Jude off and we were back at the stadium before the 7pm kickoff. It was a great game, in the second half South played the best they had all season but they were unable to score so it was a 1-0 defeat.

Back to School and Jude Scores His First Goal for South Varsity

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About to head off for the first day of freshman year

Anna was first to start school this week as the freshmen class went back on Monday. She had a good first week, she enjoyed most of her classes and she made some new friends. And funnily enough, Anna was able to move up to Math 3 and ended up in the same class as Jude.

Jude towers over Marcy on the first day of his junior year

Jude started Tuesday and he also had a good first week. They ease the kids back into it after the summer so no major homework or tests on the first week.

Cheerleading for the first South High football game

The Varsity cheerleading team at South has been practicing for weeks and they had their first outing on Thursday. It was the varsity football team’s first game and they were on the sidelines doing their cheerleading. There was a big crowd, probably almost 1,000 people including several hundred South High kids. Anna did great, it looked like they had been doing it all season.

The boys varsity soccer team celebrating after their 2-0 win against Lakewood

On Friday night Jude had a soccer game at Lakewood. It was 60 degrees and pouring rain, so it was miserable conditions at least for the spectators. Jude didn’t mind it at all. He came on as a substitute after about 80 minutes and his first touch was a goal! His first varsity goal and more importantly it secured the 2-0 win for his team.

One of the many great things about playing on varsity is that every game is streamed live and recorded. Here is the clip with his goal:

The Soccer Season Kicks Off and Anna & Marcy go to Ed Sheeran

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Jude in the opening game of the 2023 Ravens season

Jude made the varsity soccer team at South and they opened the season this week at home (I think it is strange that the sports season starts before officially starting school). Jude started the first game at right back. It was a tough game and South lost 1-0 to Heritage. Jude played well in the first half but struggled a little in the second. The pace of the game is so much faster than JV and it will take a little while to get used to I expect. They played their second game at Thunder Ridge on Saturday and that was another tough 1-0 loss, made worse by the fact that South was clearly the better team.

On Friday night we went to Marczyk’s burger night, something we haven’t done since before the pandemic. When we lived in Park Hill we used to go regularly but it takes more effort now that it is a 15+ minute drive instead of a 5-minute walk. The burgers are still delicious.

Ed Sheeran in full swing at Mile High Stadium

On Saturday night Marcy and Anna went to see Ed Sheeran. After a little bit of a ticket snafu (which was resolved) and a rain/lightning delay, he finally came on around 10pm. They both loved it, although he comes a distant second to the Taylor Swift concerts from last month.

Jude comes in 1st in his age group at the Race for Research 5K

This morning Jude and I did the annual Race for Research 5K. We both ran well, Jude did it in 21:14, his second fastest 5K time and I recorded my fastest since getting serious about running again four years ago: 25:24. Jude won his age group, and was 8th overall, and I was 3rd in the 50-59 category.

We also undertook another big backyard project this weekend. We are getting new fiber-optic internet and they need to get it to the house from the alley. So, we dug a one-foot deep trench in our yard for it.

Jude Hikes his 9th 14er, Anna Has Cheer Team Bonding

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On the summit of Mount Massive, the second-highest mountain in Colorado

Today was the ninth annual 14er hike for Jude and me, we decided on Mount Massive this year. We went up last night to stay at a hotel in Frisco and we were up very early this morning (5am) to drive to the Mount Massive trailhead outside Leadville. We were on the trail by 6:25am.

Looking at the view about 2/3 of the way up the mountain

It was a long hike, just under 8 miles to the summit. It was a gentle slope most of the way up, but it got a little steep near the summit. The views were spectacular, we could see for hundreds of miles. We got back to the car around 2:45pm, so just under eight hours of hiking with 30 minutes at the top.

Anna with one of her best friends from Cheer

Anna had a cheerleading team bonding event at her gym that was called a “foam party”. We didn’t really know what to expect but they basically filled part of the parking lot with foam and let the kids go nuts. They had a blast.

My good friend Ron Suber hosted a summer party at his house

On Friday night, Marcy and I went to a summer party at the Subers. Ron is a good friend from the fintech space and he moved to Denver a couple of years ago. He has a beautiful house by Cheesman Park and it was a fun time.

Marcy and Jude do a Quick Trip to Iowa

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Olive missed Marcy terribly

On Monday morning Jude and Marcy took the Tesla and drove to Iowa. Anna and I stayed home so she could go to Cheer, this was a special choreography week that Anna really didn’t want to miss.

We had a quiet week. The highlight was probably going to see Oppenheimer which Marcy and Jude saw with Baba while they were in Iowa.

They arrived back on Friday night because Jude was expected to start his new job at Poke City on Saturday but he received a text on Friday that his start date has been moved back.

Olive was a sad dog most of the week with Marcy away, she hung out in my office on her bed most of the time.

After all the activity of the past few weeks we had a quiet weekend. Lots of home time and we even made time for church on Sunday.

A Big Week: Marcy and I Go Backpacking, Jude in London and Anna in Eugene

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Setting off from Twin Lakes for four days of backpacking

On Monday morning I took Anna to the airport for her trip to Eugene, Oregon. She spent the week at a cheerleading camp there, where they worked really hard and she had a great time overall. Jude was at his soccer camp all week north of London in the town of Oundle. He also had a great time, with a very international group of teenagers. His roommates were German and French.

It was cold and windy on the summit of Mt. Belford, a 14er (Mount Oxford is in the background)

We started our backpacking trip on Tuesday at Twin Lakes and hiked on the Colorado Trail for about 10 miles before setting up camp by Clear Creek. Day two we continued on the Colorado Trail until Pine Creek and picked up that trail for about six miles before setting up camp at around 11,300 feet elevation. The next day we hiked to Elkhart Pass (13,200 feet) and then dropped our heavy packs to summit Mt. Belford, a 14,000-foot mountain (14er).

Hiking down Missouri Gulch after summitting Mt Belford

We then hiked down to the ghost town of Vicksburg, which we found out is not really a ghost town as we met one of the part time residents there. We were looking for a campsite and Clay was kind enough to suggest we camp behind his trailer on the old road. It was a little creepy camping on the old road of a supposed ghost town but the night followed without incident.

Camping on the old main road of Vicksburg

Our last day was our longest and toughest day. We left camp just before 9am and climbed 3,000 feet in less than four miles to Hope Pass where we enjoyed brilliant views of the many 14ers in the area, then it was down for several miles to Twin Lakes. At the end of the long day we checked out the old Interlaken Resort which 130 years ago was one of the top resorts in Colorado.

We made it back to the car just before 6pm on Friday. We had covered 50.5 miles of Colorado backcountry trails with over 11,000 feet of elevation gain. It was a physically demanding vacation but so great to spend some time in nature and off the grid.

Taylor Swift in Denver and Jude Heads to London

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Getting ready for Taylor Swift (floor seats!)

Back in February tickets went on sale for Taylor Swift’s two concerts in Denver. Anna desperately wanted to go so Marcy and I went on Ticketmaster’s site and hoped to get lucky. We did. Marcy was trying for Friday night tickets and I was trying for Saturday night. We bought two tickets for each night because I wanted to see her too.

With their fresh purchases from the merchandise truck

Anna has been building this up ever since then. As the weeks ticked by she got more and more excited. Finally, the week came and it seemed that the entirety of Denver was excited about Taylor Swift. Marcy and Anna went to the stadium on Thursday because they had a merchandise truck. The wait was over four hours! But Anna really wanted to get the merch the day before so she could focus on the concert on Friday night.
The night finally came and it was everything Anna hoped it would be. I was a little worried that she had been building it up so long that it might be a letdown. Nothing could be further from the truth. She was in ecstasy, crying, laughing and most of all singing all night long. Marcy absolutely loved it too.

Getting ready for Taylor Swift night two

It was my turn on Saturday night. I was excited to see her as I know almost every song due to the hundreds of hours I have been in the car with Anna while driving her around (mostly to Cheer practices). Taylor Swift was freaking amazing. I don’t think I have seen a better performer or a crowd that was so enthralled, no more like enraptured. It was something akin to a religious experience for the Swifties.

My favorite Taylor Swift song: All Too Well (10-minute version)

Putting all that aside it was an amazing show. I have never witnessed anything like it, I think she even topped the 1985 Springsteen concert in Sydney for me. Every song was a real performance with its own unique choreography and light show. It was also cool to be part of a concert where it felt like every single person there knew every word to every song.

About to board the plane to London

Meanwhile, before I went to Taylor Swift on Saturday night I took Jude to the airport. He was off to soccer camp in London for the second year in a row. The cost of the camp was actually less than the one we looked at in Florida and with using points for travel it made sense to do this one again. This was his preference anyway.

After some drama with a changed gate and a 3+ hour delay, Jude made it to Heathrow where he met up with the camp counselors and was on the bus to the boarding school north of London where he will be spending the week. Fitting to have a London Boy with so much Taylor Swift in our week.

 

 

The Annual Week in Keystone with the Dahlens

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Our July 4 hike up Independence Mountain

We had one day back in Denver after our trip to California and then it was up to the mountains for the annual trip with the Dahlens. They had driven out on Friday so had a couple of days to themselves.

Chloe and Jude on the beautiful 7th tee box at The River just as the sun is setting

On Monday we went down to Keystone Lake for some stand-up paddleboarding and kayaking. Then Jude and Chloe played nine holes of golf at The River Course with Nate and me.

Having lunch at the Ida Belle mine ruins (what a view!)

July 4 was Tuesday and we decided to tackle a long hike. Ever since the mountain next to Keystone resort became public property in 2019 I have wanted to climb it. It is a long, uphill climb but the advantage was we could walk right out of the condo, cross the highway and get on the trail. Most of us made it to the mining ruins of Ida Belle mine at 11,500 feet. A few of us tried to push to the summit and we made it almost to 12,000 feet before having to turn back due to threatening weather. We were glad we did as lightning struck close by, just as we got back to treeline.
I played 18 holes at the River Course with Nate on Wednesday as the others went shopping in Silverthorne. We also went rafting one day and the river was fast after all the snow and rain we have had.

Dinner at Dos Locos outside

It was over all too quickly. On our last night, we did the traditional dinner at the Mexican place. After a trip to the farmers market on Friday morning Anna and I drove down to Denver so she could attend a Cheer camp at North High School. She had a blast.

Anna (second from left, back row) with her South High School cheer teammates and coaches

Summer Trip to the Redwoods and Lake Tahoe

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Walking along the coast in Fort Bragg

The last week was spent in California for our annual family RV trip. Although this time we decided to ditch the RV and stay in cabins and hotels.

Jude braving the 55 degree water at Fort Bragg

We landed in San Francisco, rented a car and drove north. The first night we spent in the cute little town call Fort Bragg, about 3.5 hours from San Franciso. It was right on the coast and we stayed in a motel overlooking the beach. Jude decided he had to take a swim in the Pacific Ocean despite the water temperature being a very brisk 55 degrees.

Getting close to the tall trees, this is the Chandelier Tree (315 feet tall)

The next day we drove to our cabin right outside Redwoods National Park in the town of Trinidad. The next two days were spent hiking in the Redwoods. It was spectacular. These were forests with the largest trees in the world (many over 300 feet tall) and that was impressive in and of itself. But what made the park truly breathtaking was how lush everything was. So, so green. These photos don’t do it justice.

These trees are not just tall, many have a diameter of 25 feet or more

On our second day we did a long hike that went through the lush forest all the way to the beach, then along the beach and back to the park visitor center. Jude said it was the best hike he had ever done and while I love my Colorado 14ers these were completely different and so impressive.

Look closely and you will see two trees growing out of this fallen tree

The best hike of the week: Miner’s Ridge and James Irvine Loop in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park

On Wednesday morning we drove from Trinidad to Lake Tahoe. It was an all-day drive with very different climates. We started the day at 52 degrees in Trinidad, we get 93 degrees in the afternoon around Redding and then by the time we got to Lake Tahoe around 6:30pm it was 60 degrees.

Enjoying the crystal clear water of Lake Tahoe

We stayed at the Hyatt Regency Hotel right on the lake on the north shore of the lake. The first day there we went for a bike ride around the coast to Sand Harbor and then spent the afternoon on the beach. The water was really cold, about 58 degrees, but with warm, sunny weather it was much more enjoyable than the Pacific Ocean.

For the last dinner of our trip we went to Tahoe City

Our last day we went for a hike to Marlette Lake above Lake Tahoe at almost 8,000 feet. While it was a beautiful hike we all agreed it paled in comparison to the Redwoods. An afternoon of paddle boarding was followed by dinner in Tahoe City.

It was a wonderful trip and while we all enjoyed Lake Tahoe, Marcy and I truly loved the Redwoods and hope to be back there some day.

 

 

Jude Gets His Wisdom Teeth Out

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Two days after wisdom teeth surgery and his cheeks were still a little swollen

On Wednesday morning Jude was up early and to the dentist by 7am. It was time for his wisdom teeth to come out. This was a major surgery and he was pretty much out of it all day. He was numb for hours and then the pain started to kick in. We had strong meds thankfully and he handled it like a trooper.

A Father’s Day hike at White Ranch

His cheeks were swollen for days and he had low energy which was understandable. By Sunday, he was feeling better and he came for a hike with Olive and me. It was a gorgeous day and with all the rain we had it was incredibly green and there were flowers everywhere. In fact, I had never seen it so green.

Amazingly lush green grass

We celebrated Father’s Day last night because Anna left for a cheerleading camp today. We rode our bikes to the RiNo area just north of downtown where we went to Zeppelin Station, a popular new food hall. The food was great and we loved the ride which was mostly by the river.

At Zeppelin Station to celebrate Father’s Day

This afternoon Marcy drove Anna down to the Air Force Academy where she will be spending the next five days. She is staying in the actual cadet dorms, so will get a little window into what life might be like as an Air Force cadet.

Meanwhile after our hike Jude and I spent the afternoon watching the US Open golf. It was a fun Father’s Day.