Boulder Begins
Wednesday 06/25/2008 10:12 AM
It just so happens that an Otterbein alum I have come to know but (unfortunately) never actually had as a student, Catherine, is from Boulder and now lives in New York but leads hardcore month-long hikes through Colorado and Utah every summer. It also just so happens that Catherine flew into Denver on Monday night and is leaving this morning to drive to Durango to prep for this year's trek and was able to meet me for fries and a beer at Mountain Sun Pub last night.
So we had a nice long chat and walk through Pearl Street Mall in Boulder. Reasons to love Catherine (ok, so there are many, but these are the two foremost in my mind this morning): she is the strongest, most genuine hugger I've ever met (and we're talkin the epitome of bear hugs here); and she talked me down from my growing anxiety over camping in the Rockies (which I'll do this weekend) -- as in "Worst case scenario: the wind will collapse your tent, rain will move in and soak everything, and you'll get really cold, possibly trampled on by a few bears, but you'll probably wake up somewhere in the mix, and then you can just sleep in the Jeep." So, here is the diva of western wilderness survival (yes, I promise I'll buy a hat before the weekend, Catherine ... and if things get too "rough," I'll remind myself that you are rappelling down canyon walls for water in Utah):
The only other photo I took in Boulder last night was of the flying cougar. As we walked through Pearl St. Mall, I commented on a elk statue we passed and Catherine said, "Oh, and there's a flying cougar around here somewhere." For a few seconds, I thought she meant an actual cougar that flew -- like flying squirrels -- but then I realized she meant another statue. But it wasn't where she thought it was and we decided they probably moved it around the mall from time to time (???). We found it in front of the Cheesecake Factory, of all places. Not a great picture of it, but I'll be back to Boulder later this week and will take more photos then:
And before I head to the workshop this morning, I just have to include a photo of ... the JEEP:
I will not, will not, will not pine for one of these at any point in the future.
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