A Colorado adventure

It started in Great Sand Dunes National Park, inlcuded 4x4 jeep trails, big alpine climbs, swimming in a freezing glacial-fed lake, post holing through snowfields in June, lots of creative creek crossings, a very interesting alligator farm, a flat tire, ghost towns, campfires, sleeping under the stars, some rain, but more sunshine, and plenty of wrangling 12-18 year old scouts. The only thing that would have made it more complete is if we weren't rained out of our river rafting on the last day. We took a rain check for later this summer.

you'll have to click on each photo to see the whole thing.

See and download the full gallery on posterous

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Skunky Jowls.

Annie was sprayed by a skunk last week. Just before midnight. And I was already really, really tired. I think it was Tuesday night. I was surprised how much it smelled like 20% skunk and 80% really strong epoxy solution, like I used to use to patch up cracks in my snowboard - but stronger. It was extremely potent. Jaime and I took two separate trips to the 24 hour grocery store and somewhat frantically made the following cocktail:

1 quart or liter or whatever of Hydrogen Peroxide. 1/2 cup of baking soda 1 teaspoon or of dish soap or your liquid soap of choice.

Mix it up till it's frothy. Pour it all over the struggling upset dog. Use big rubber gloves to rub it in (don't do this with bare hands, really) while it stings the eyes of your poor dog. For good measure, coat your dog in Scope mouthwash, just to make up for any stubborn lingering stench, then rinse it all off. Do it twice for good measure, and don't miss any spots. It actually works.

In Annie's case, she didn't just get sprayed by a skunk, she chased down and bit a skunk, so she is now referred to as "skunky jowls." As she was drying from our exhaustive outdoor bathing, She grew antsy, and ripped her collar right off the leash that is staked to the ground outside our back door. Literally ripped the collar. (Good thing it was her extra collar we don't ever use.) Her goal was to get back at that skunk by biting it again, which she did, while growling. Apparently the skunk was still right around the corner because she got it so good the first time, it couldn't even limp away. She put the final chomp on it and then came back when I screamed at her, waking up our neighbors i'm sure.

This was not a cool thing she did. We had to start over. This is when I made another trip to the store, more more of the secret sauce ingredients.

Finally, we went to bed. The front and back porch still stunk of skunk, but Annie was alright (except for a slight lingering of skunky jowls, which were eradicated the next day thanks to Jaime). Annie had bloodshot eyes for several days from all the chemicals.

Animal control came and took the wheezing, disabled skunk from our backyard the next day. Tested it for rabies and called to let us know - no rabies.

Annie still barks at skunks and coyotes and cats and anything else that creeps outside at night. A near perfect dog. Near.

Meanwhile Jaime and I used our Best Buy Rewards money to go buy some DVDs, one of which I lobbied to be Marley & Me. We watched Marley & Me a few nights after the incident, and reaffirmed that our dog was awesome and we love her like whoa. I cried at the end. I didn't cry the first time I saw it (in the theater), but I did cry like a baby when I read the book a couple years ago. It's a good book, and I'm only getting softer these days - sue me. I recommend it to anyone that got married, moved to South Florida and has a crazy lab that they got in South Florida as a puppy, but then their work in the media/communication field moved them far away, where the dog gets to run in the grass and snow more. Anyone that fits that description will probably love it. You know anyone like that?

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our backyard

I can't remember exactly when i took this video. Work's been kind of consuming, but this must have been last weekend. I've had two real weekends in a row, and it's been really nice, even if the weeks in between are brutal. All is well. As I walked with Jaime and Annie, that late afternoon / evening, I thought I'd whip out my flip cam and capture the light, the grass, the hills, the trail. This is a block from our house.

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Metal fans

thanks taylor.

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Jaime Blogs!

proof directly below!

sorry, i thought it was worth noting.

have a nice day.

-eric

Bolder Boulder 2010K

Yesterday, I ran the largest 10K run in world. That was further than I have ever run at one time in my life, so it was a good experience. I now see why Maylin is so skinny. Here are my results:
If you couldn't tell, a 5K is about as far as I have ever run at one time. That third mile was a tough one. I remember seeing the 5K sign directly up hill from when I turned a corner and my body telling me that there was no way I was going to run any further. But I pressed on and after I passed the sign, my run seemed to be a lot easier. There was a time however, around 4K when I started to lose feeling in my feet and had to sit down on a curb to shake some feeling back into them.

At around 9.5K, here is what my legs felt like:
That's right...a rainbow Jell-o mold. I honestly wasn't sure if I could make it up a hill to the finish line. But of course I did, and when I was coming around the track, I heard a proud voice calling my name and I looked over and saw Eric waving to me and cheering me on. I wore my dinosaur shirt so that Eric would know I loved him when he saw me (I tried to Rawr but didn't have the energy.)
This is an "after" picture of me and my friend Sabrina Walbrecht. I am also holding some snack bags - awesome. These were filled with chocolate milk, Curious George fruit snacks, power bars, power gummies, creamers (not kidding), Boulder Chips, and I am sure there were other things. But the coolest part is that I got those awesome bags. I was able to get one for Eric, too, because I found a coupon/ticket for one on the ground in the middle of the race and I picked it up. Also, I am wearing my new sunglasses (thanks eric!)
I don't ever have to do that again, but if anyone wants to come visit me next year on Memorial Day, I'll consider it.

In other news, I think Eric finished recording his last song for his new EP yesterday while I was taking my 4 hour nap, so be on the lookout for some awesome new music coming your way soon.

I also got the new Jack Johnson CD today...excellent.