colorful colorado

WARNING: this is a super long post!

This past weekend my friends Becky and Bart and I drove to Golden, Colorado to see our good friend Lauren, who recently returned from serving a mission in Arcadia, California. The drive commenced around 9pm and ended around 4am which is making dang good time! Props to Bart for driving the whole way (we tried to take turns but he kept on a-truckin). It was such a fun weekend!!!

On Friday we hit up the University of Colorado medical campus in Aurora. It's the only school I was iffy about applying to, and I'm so glad I went. It's a beautiful campus. Trees, green, pretty buildings, awesome insides... we checked out the library and it is way sweet and I could totally picture myself studying there. Unfortunately the surrounding area is pretty ghetto but I could totally live somewhere else and commute. It's not my first choice school but I can still see myself going/living there, so it's on the list. Holla!

Then we went to Denver and walked around the 16th st Mall, which is a sweet outdoor mall that goes down the whole street. We got some food and shopped around and it was a grand ole time. I don't think I like the city very much though.

That night we went up to Breckenridge to stay in a condo type place for the weekend. Lauren's mom was SO nice in booking it for us, paying for it, and even making us food for the weekend! She is amazing. The nicest lady ever, so accommodating, it was soooooo wonderful of her!! We got there late that night and it was the most awesome condo ever! Two bedroom and two bath, a kitchen dining room living room FIREPLACE, outside deck, pretty much the sweetest place ever. The next day we woke up super dee duper late and checked out the town. It's adorable!!! Really touristy so I kinda felt like I was in Disneyland or something. Cute little shops, loved walking around and exploring. Wonderful weather. Then we went on our first mountain adventure: mountain biking!

I've been once before, in Peru on the way to Machu Picchu, but it was on a crappy bike and crappy trails and getting eaten alive by mosquitoes. Not a great experience. So I was pretty excited for this. We had to check 4 different bike shops to get 4 mountain bikes but we finally succeeded with a super nice man who got us all ready to go. My bike was named "Smurfette" which was funny because everyone else had names like "Thor" and "Superman." So yes, I got made fun of. Then off we went on the Flume trail!

IT WAS SO SCARY. We were mostly on a single track with cliffs on either side which was ridiculously freaky I mean I could just fall down the freaking mountain! And it was rocky and one spot was super technical and I have no idea how to control a bike so some rocks I'd hit and just go over but others would knock me way off so I was going crazy. Later we found out it was ranked "intermediate" which made us feel better for kind of being pansies about it but anyway, it was still a lot of fun, just not for me I think. :) But I did enjoy myself! The mountains were gorgeous and the forests were gorgeous and I was happy to be exerting myself in the great outdoors. And the downhills were way fun :)

Oh, Breckenridge is at 10,000 feet and up in the mountains you get up to 12,000 so I blame that for my pansyness as well.

We were all pretty exhausted afterwards so we chilled and then went to the Irish Pub but there was nothing good there so we roamed around the other shops until settling for Empire Burger where the waiter told us that virgin drinks are nasty and we shouldn't get them. Ha! Then we went home and crashed watching Ghost Town (or did we watch that the first night?).

On Sunday we picked up one of Lauren's investigators from the mission (he's a truck driver so he was up in our area and wanted to go to church with us) and went to a chapel in Frisco. It was a beautiful chapel that was built like a cabin so it fit in, haha. It was right next to a huge river and mountain!! So amazing. Church was good, and he is such a good person! He'd totally be baptized if his wife would allow it, but she is very staunch in her own church. But he is such a good guy and loves learning and feeling the spirit. Super great. :)

Then we took a ridiculously long nap and then set out for a steep but short hike up to a glacier lake. And boy was that GORGEOUS! It's only the second time I've been up to a glacier lake and the water was crystal clear, the snow was beautiful, and the waterfall raging below it was huge and awesome. I was super tired b/c the altitude was killing me plus my being out of shape now but it was so worth it and I loved it. Good times.

We got home and ate, played Clue, chilled, girl talked (Bart got kicked out), then finally went to bed at 3am. The next morning we got some food, I got some earrings (cowboy boots!!!!!!) and some other earrings for my old boss (writing my letter of recommendation) then set out for Boulder, to the Celestial Seasonings Factory!

We went through a free tour there which was super awesome. Their tea is so cool!!! They started in the "Summer of Love" 1969 and made caffeine free herbal tea and only the best ingredients and work with people all over the world and it's just the coolest company ever. Afterwards I got some tea for presents for people, then we finally set off on our journey home.

It only took 7 hours including 2 stops and getting lost for a bit so holla to that! But I wanted to just get home so badly. And now driving to Seattle sounds absolutely horrendous to me so when I go for Caroline's wedding I want to fly. Better decide quick while tickets are cheap!!

All in all, it was a great vacation. I am amazed at Bart's willingness to be with only girls all weekend and I am also amazed at how different girls and boys are. I used to think there were no huge differences b/c I've had tons of guy friends, but now I realize that if it's not one-on-one, the differences come out and they are huge. Good for you, Barticus. :) And I realized that I love big cities but I love country more. I love the outdoors, and I especially love the mountains. In fact, Bart asked us on the way home "If you had to pick just one, would you be near the water or the mountains?" If you had asked me 3 years ago I would have said water. But now I think I would say mountains! He said it was the same for him (he's also from WA). Crazy. Anyway, so yeah now I really really want to go to PA school in VA where it's green and lush and small town. Crossing my fingers!

Speaking of which, I turn in my applications NEXT WEEK. Ahh!

Until next adventure...