Rock Climbing and the DNC

Hi guys! Are you anxiously awaiting my news from my rock climbing weekend?!? Ha! Well, anyway, the rock climbing was GREAT! I am officially hooked. We had a group of about 14 people and 3 guides (well, 2 guides on Sunday since one guide broke his foot while he was placing a rope at the top… I was able to escape with only minor injuries (picture of bloody knee below)) and everyone was super cool and nice. I joined a “MeetIn” Denver rock climbing group and hope to meet some people who actually live in Denver through that. The climbing trip had people from all over (St. Louis, WY, etc…) so no one was local. Here are some pics of where we climbed (Rocky Mountain National Park) and of me actually climbing!





The DNC...
Well, it's obviously a zoo around here but in a good way. Just had lunch downtown and unfortunately, the only famous person I saw was the Governor of New Mexico and I'm not sure that even counts. Only saw one protest parade too and I'm not even sure what the hell they were protesting - none of the "protestors" are very organized or very many, despite what the news reports say. But, regardless, it's an exciting time for Democrats and it's cool to be in a place where history is going down.

This weekend is definitely a diehard college football weekend! Heading down to Colorado Springs Saturday morning for the Air Force Academy game, then hightailing back to Denver to go to a bar to watch Clemson/Ala - Go Tigers!!! and then Sunday, I'm off to Invesco for the Rocky Mountain Showdown! That's CU vs CSU (Colorado State University) for anyone not in the know. :) Go Rams!

And a final note... I will be in Charleston in one week! Coming into town for BB training and hope to see as many people as I can! Take care everyone!

SNOW...and canyoneering

Imagine Reese in Sweet Home Alabama... It's SNOW...in August. (It's a baby...in a bar). Anyway, yes - it snowed in the "high country" or is it upcountry? I haven't figured out the location lingo yet but regardless it was in Vail and I saw it when I drove up there (over there?) on Sunday. Ridiculous! And now it's 84 today.

So, went up to Vail Sunday night to stay with Clary and her husband Todd at their condo - which was SICK! Heated hardwood floors. I'd never heard of that before - well, I have, but it's called "socks". I'm definitely not complaining though. So, we hit the road Monday morning at 5:45am to make it to Grand Junction (30 min outside Utah) to partake in our morning of "canyoneering". Which basically means hiking, rock climbing, chimneying, slot rocking, scrambling and rappelling through the desert canyons out there.

The goal of all this to reach the top of the highest, middle rock in this picture and rappell/ hike back down... (keep in mind, I'm not even halfway down when I took this picture).

But, to get to the top, we had to hike up to this place where we had to slot rock (slot? slip? I'm not 100% sure what it is) but basically it's "hiking" up the middle of the canyon in the tiniest space possible - not for clausterphobics...or college football players as Todd found out. Clary has better pictures of it and I will upload those when she gets back home but for now... here is picture of Todd at the widest part of the "slot" rock (this is after we pushed (Clary pushing his ass) and pulled (me pulling as hard as I could on his arm) Todd through an especially narrow part.

More hiking and then rock climbing (Clary has those pictures) and then we had to go through the "lemon squeezer" - which I thought was one of the coolest parts. The Vance's made me go first on everything (the pansies :) so I don't have a picture of me squeezing through but here is Clare-dawg poking her head out. the white thing is her helmet and yes, we both got through that hole... No fat jokes please.

However, Todd was a different story. I'm laughing as I write this because although he gave the ole college try, it was hysterical to listen to him/watch. As Kris, our guide, suggested an alternative route, he saw the space he had to go through and said, "I've got 2 kids"... and that was it - he had to wait down a ways as Clary and I rappelled...

Then, we hiked back down, went through some cool ass canyons and made it back to the car alive with only minor casualities. Good times and I highly recommend to anyone who has the opportunity.

Alright peeps. I'm heading to Estes Park this weekend for a beginner's rockclimbing weekend. Especially after this weekend, I'm totally psyched for it.

As for the blog, Miss Burr requested that I update it even if I have nothing else than one of my random rants... so, point taken Leslie and I'll update it even if I didn't do anything more than work and run out to King Soopers (Kroger) that day... which reminds me... nevermind, I'll save that for later in the week :)

My first (somewhat) boring post

Hey guys. I really don't have much to say but I told y'all I would update this on a weekly basis so here goes... I totally got sucked into the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer (4 books that I read in a week) so didn't go out many nights. Yes - I will admit I stayed home on Friday to read - I couldn't help it, y'all know what a nerd I am. I highly recommend it and yes - it is a "young adult" series but I swear - it's REALLY good. It's about vampires and love and werewolves and I am close to reading the whole series again soon but realize I need to go out and do things.

Oh, but I did get out Saturday and meet the ACC/SEC group downtown for happy hour before the Rockies game. Met about 6 Clemson folk who were very nice and I'm sure I'll watch the games with them on Saturdays. I saw a lot of Va Tech peeps, as well as Tennessee people. I avoicded the UT guys but hopefully will run into the Va Tech crowd again as they had all their teeth at least (sorry Clary! had to be said).

Went to the Rockies game (and FYI - we ain't doing so hot right now) and met some guys who knew a friend of mine in Charleston (not naming names on the blog but you know who you are) but it was RANDOM!

Sunday Dawn and I painted the office, I finished the end of the series and that was that.

Nothing has really been going on this week except work, work, and work. However, Sunday, I'm headed up to Arrowhead to meet up with Clary and her husband (if she still lets me) and we're going canyoneering in Grand Junction all day Monday. What's canyoneering you ask? Yeah, beats the hell out of me too but I'll find out Monday and let you know.

It's time to make like a hockey player and get the puck outta here. Hope everyone is having a great week!

Comedians and Sushi and the Denver Police - oh my!

Hi peeps! Figured I needed to go ahead and update the blog in case you saw my latest Facebook status. But first! my weekend!

Friday night, I went to a comedy show downtown to see Bill Burr.


I didn't know who he was but apparently he is like the only white guy on the Chapelle show and after I saw him, I did recognize him as one of the guys who makes comments on VH1's I Love the 80s. I thought the MC and the local comedians were funnier than Bill but they were all excellent. Although I didn't get some of the "local" jokes. Apparently, Aurora, CO is our North Charleston and I should just stay away from there all together. All in all, a great Friday night.

Saturday was spent recovering from Friday night and watching Sixteen Candles for the 1586th time. Who can get tired fo Long Duck Dong? Oh - on a sidenote - PLEASE Tivo/watch Psych and look for the episode called, "Murder, Murder, Anyone, Bueller?" or watch it on the internet. It's HILARIOUS if you're an 80s freak like me.

Saturday night we went to Sushi Den. It's the best sushi in Denver - no doubt about it. I will be taking you there when you come to visit!

And last but not least, today - Sunday! First, I went out to Castle Rock, which is about 20 minutes (well, would have been if I hadn't gone the wrong way on the interstate - I absolutely cannot figure out the interstate system here!!) and it has a brewery and outlets and it's just a nice little town. And THEN, when I arrived home and was preparing to eat the new delicious BLT chicken salad from Wendy's, I see our neighbors in their driveway staring at a guy on HIS driveway - 2 houses down on the same side of the street as me. Dawn comes in and asks what's going on and I'm like oh, I think Ray and Deb are just watching the neighbor pet their dog, because I saw something moving behind the guy on his driveway. Well, the sirens start coming, the whole street is filled with police cars, fire trucks, etc... I then realize I don't have to see if there is a good show on TV at that moment as I can just stand in the kitchen and watch a show of Cops right there as I eat my salad - and it was live!

So, apparently what happened is that this guy and his wife had been drinking all day, she decides to off herself by slitting her wrists and runs out the house. The guy gets pissed, follows her out and then I guess grabs her and tried to cover her wrists with the pavement on the driveway or something - I don't know, that part is weird. The neighbors across the street call the police. They come. He gets pretty beligerent, he shoves a policeman. They pull a gun on him, force him on his knees, handcuff him and they put him in the police car. All the while he's cussing and carrying on. And if you were in this situation, which none of us would be of course, but wouldn't you shut the hell up once you're in the police car? Oh no, he rams his head into the side window of the police car breaking the glass!! Not shitting you. So, they pull him out, he's got blood all over his face, he gets thrown to the ground. And he's STILL yelling at the police. They had some kind-of stun gun thing trained on him at that point. Parademics get called in, take him away and that was the neighborhood drama for the day. I mostly just watched from the kitchen until the hot EMTs came around, and then I went out front to be a nosy nieghbor with everyone else but all in all, an interesting Sunday.

I don't have big plans yet for the week so might not post until next Sunday. They have a group of ACC/SEC/Big 12 alumni that get together every once in a while so I am meeting up with all those people on Saturday for happy hour and the Rockies game so definitely looking forward to that!

I hope everyone has a fabulous week and talk to y'all soon!