The Infamous Incline

One of the things Colorado folk have said is that if you are to be accepted as a true CO lover of the outdoors you must conquer the Incline. What's the Incline you ask? Well, this is a loaded question because of the history and controversy surrounding the Incline. For example, three different parties own the hill which the Incline is on and so the trail passes through three properties. This website says, the Incline as it exists now is the roadbed to the former Mount Manitou Scenic Incline Railway (a cable car)... with the steepest section at a grade of 68% (VERY STEEP!) and the average grade just over 40%. Also check that link for a better picture than ours below.

Here's the Incline from a few miles away. Our house is 18 miles away and you can see the scar of the path from our house! Pike's Peak (not shown) is just behind it and to the right.
This hike is a loved workout for many locals who run up it and down another trail called the Barr Trail (4 miles down). The picture above is from the beginning of the hike and as you can see this is not well maintained but is vigorously used.
Here's where we take a log of breaks, during that 68% grade. The above photo shows looking down at what we had accomplished, and below some of what we have left. What you think you see as the top is actually a false summit! During this section of the hike the majority of the steps were knee high to us, we are thankful we are tall :-)

Oh and a cool tidbit, right before I took this picture a deer was walking around in the trees to the right and then decided to cross the "path" about 15 feet from us, how cool!

Here I am at the top!

Once we arrive at the top we headed down the Barr Trail thinking it would be quick. It took us 1 hour & 15 minutes to hike up the Incline and 1 hour to hike down Barr Trail. It was almost 9:30 by the time we got to the car. As you can imagine it was very dark! And a little scary with no flashlights. We love our Colorado and now we are true locals, thank you very much.

at a loss for words.

Everyday I want to post something on the blog... everyday I think to myself, "Self, what would you write about?"

I'm not a storyteller and I ain't no eloquent writer.

Lately I've been intimidated by how great other people's blog stories and lives are compared to mine.

I will think of something soon. Sorry for the delay if you're reading this.

The Military Wife

Being military has its ups and downs and we've been able to made the best of both so far. One of the downs is being apart at times. David went TDY (temporary duty) this morning. This means he flew to Ohio to take another military law class. This a great thing for his career because he can continue to learn and gain more legal knowledge in areas he hasn't gotten to focus on. I believe this week's class is on family law. Each JAG is able to specify which classes s/he would like to go to throughout the year. Then depending on space in the class and the timing with cases and other office things they are sent to the class if possible. I think that a TDY can be any temporary duty including deployment, just as a FYI.

For some reason I am really emotional today. I really hate being away from David. Who doesn't right!? But, after I dropped him off at the airport I went to church. I was really looking forward to church because we have loved the worship we've had there so far. It was a rough time though today. I was sitting alone of course and then the preacher does this "talk amongst the people you're sitting by" thing. Um, yeah no one talked to me. I know that sounds like a pity party thing but I'm new and know no one! I know there were others who didn't get talked to as well and I just don't get that!! It's church, the body... why would we leave anyone out? I can't say I am innocent and have never done this but when you become the new person you realize all the things that you need to be sensitive to in the future. The people sitting right by me had the closed off body language and turned themselves the opposite direction from where I was sitting. This just really hurt. Besides that whole thing, at least I was challenged by the sermon.

Wrigley and I are just trying to get through this hot day in the upper 90's with no A.C.!
Here's a beautiful snapshot I'll leave with you, a picture from our window as the sun set on Friday night. Thanks Lord! The mountain on the left is Pike's Peak.

The End

Cheers to the end of a wonderful time spent with the Blomgren clan. Here's the one and only picture we took as a group!

Karen, Kristin, David, Chuck, Me & George
In this picture we are visiting the Olympic Training Center and yes David, Chuck & George matched for the second day in a row!

We love our USA

Our visit to the Air Force Academy, so beautiful!

And, our baby who obviously got into the toilet paper. He is getting so mischievous and he knows it/loves it!

Yeehaw!

Pike's Peak Rodeo or BUST!
We thoroughly enjoyed our first rode experience. I LOVED it and yeehawed and clapped for all my cowgirls and cowboys out there. Holla! It was 7/11 when we went and we just happen to stop at a 7 Eleven and got some free slurpees, my favorite!!! David obviously had a blue one :-)
Wrigley got neutered last week and he looks like this with his cone head. He acts just as silly and happy as before he lost his "manhood" It's only too bad he has to have that thing on him for a week, poor baby.

And you can see how terrible the hot sun is here since it's fried our yard!

CAPTAIN Blomgren!

Yesterday David was promoted to Captain! His parents, sister and Grandpa were here to honor him and were able to attend his promotion ceremony. It was a very nice ceremony where David was honored for his work so far and promoted to Captain and is now expected to work more! Last week his office leadership was transfered to Major Momber, David's new boss. She welcomed David into his new position. Here is a picture of Major Momber and myself pinning the new captain bars on David's shoulders as part of the ceremony.

David's old boss, Lt Col Hoversten, David, and Maj Momber

Capt Blomgren and myself outside of his office building

4th of July weekend!

Karen & Chuck (David's parents) at Piney Lake, what a beautiful day!

Just being us!

Kristin (David's sister) and I at lunch

David & I in honor of the skis we just bought!!  Booyah!!!

Continued CO fun!

Wednesday evening I flew back to Denver and David and Wrigley picked me up and we headed to the mountains! We made it to Eagle Vail around 1:30AM and went to sleep!

We have been enjoying the beauty of the mountains and celebrating the freedom of our great nation. We have enjoyed the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, did a little off roading (which I hated), hiked and enjoyed some beautiful fireworks from Beaver Creek! We will be back in Colorado Springs tomorrow night but before we leave we are trying to soak in as much fun as we can. We'll update you with some pictures later this week.

My TU Ladies

Preparing for all the changes that took place in the last year has been easy!  We've been so supported and loved by our family and that's made the challenges that come with these changes easier.  One thing that has been really hard for me (Kelly) is missing out on some important weddings in the midwest this summer.  I would say there are about 8 girls from Taylor that I am still close with.  Before this summer 2 of them were already married and 4 others got married!!!

One of the hardest things about the AF so far is missing all four of these weddings.  Mostly it was too expensive to fly and so I had to opt out of being able to fly to any of them.  So, in honor of my closest friends from Taylor, I love you girls and I miss you.  Please know that David and I would have loved to support you on your special day.  But, I can honestly say we will keep lifting you up in prayer as your wedded bliss has just begun!  I love you Carrie, Jen, Laura and Karen!  Happy marriages.