Aspen Vista/Santa Fe/Odds and Sods

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Happy Picture Time !!!

My cousin Marcie and her partner Michelle took us on other amazing hike. This one was six miles round trip and left us recovering for days afterward. (Like four days later I couldn't figure out why I was dragging ass - sore, tired, grumpy - and then it dawned on me; hiking 6 miles in snowshoes at 11,000 feet will affect you for awhile.

So all of these pictures were taken on the Aspen Vista trail which is about 13 miles northeast of downtown Santa Fe. The drive up there was insane. Twists and turns, cliff edges, slick spots, and up and up and up. Being Michigan Flatlanders, all Brit and I could do was stare out the window with mouths agape.

The snow was quite deep. I got some sort of winter playland bug in me and went bounding in the snow off-trail. More than a few times I got stuck up to my hips in the snowbase -especially since the temperature was about 50 degrees. Very soft snow, except in the tree shadows.

Brit and I are doing quite well. She starts school in two weeks and just got a zoomy vintage Schwinn brown bike that we found on Craigslist. (you all should check out www.craigslist.com - serious good, cheap stuff can be found and had.) I'm totally jealous of her bike. I found an old school Huffy 5 speed (the good steel Huffy kind - before they were made mostly of crappy materials and sold at Meijer for 39.99). Yet my Huffy just doesn't stack up to the supreme sweetness that is Brit's new bike, which we've tentatively named Smokey Jane. The thing is pure Zippy. Pictures of that will follow soon.

Anyhow, hope your all doing well, hanging in there despite the Arctic Tundra of Northern Michigan. We miss you all and although we're enjoying it here, we can't wait to come home! By the way, you should all say hello once in awhile. As soon as you get this blog you must write us something. No exceptions. We will not stand for any excuses. So get a writin' and lets all stay connected.

Peace, love and understandin',

-Brit and Mike

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Photos

Aspens and Blue Sky
You definitely get some clear skies at 11,000 feet.

Huffin' and Puffin'
Snowshoes, poles, lumberjack shirt and a fanny pack; your basic mountain wilderness survival gear

Off Trail in the Aspens
I called my sister in Traverse City on this day (Feb. 10th) and she said it was 4 degrees with a wind chill of -28 at home. Even at 11,000 feet in the middle of winter it was a balmy 45 degrees. With the sun on the snow it felt like 60. It was very easy to play in the snow.

Tired
Seriously, coming out of that ravine at a 80 degree pitch was not easy. Check out the shadows from the aspens in the background. I didn't want leave that little haven.

Hiding
Mike is in this picture. Look close.

Aspen Begets Pine
Notice that the Aspen stop growing as you approach 12,000 feet.

Looking West Down the Moutain
Santa Fe is kind of to the left. It hugs the mountains but is part of a high desert plain that is sandwiched between the Sangre de Cristo Mountains (where we were climbing about in) and the San Juan Mountains which are way in the background in this photo.

Trail Hikin'
Marcie and Michelle scoutin' ahead.

Frost Tipped Pines
Seriously beautiful. Neither Brit or I had ever been this high up in elevation and it was really quite stunning to be surrounded by all of this winter wonderland scenery. To be honest it made me a little homesick - at heart I am in love with winter in Traverse. Though cruely cold at times, there is something primortaily magical about trekking in the woods in high winter with everything still and quiet -by yourself or with a close friend - wandering around and truly SEEING Nature. In all the other seasons there's so much going on it's rather distracting. In winter you're forced to really LOOK. Everything is stripped bare, activity level amoug animals and plant life (and your life) is slowed down. You are forced to confront this beauty, breath it in, close your eyes, and feel blessed for being alive. Yeah.

West Towards San Juan Mountains
Brit is a great photo taker.