Expedition 5280: 8/12/07

Monday, August 13, 2007

Inspiration

I’m fortunate to have many people around me who provide inspiration simply by how they live life. My brother who is devoted to his family and demonstrates his faith moment by moment. My friend who patiently rears her two adorable kids and rolls with the ups and downs of life. My mom who extends hospitality and creates memorable moments for our family by adding the most precious details. My grandparents who in their mid eighties still drive out to Idaho to visit family and enjoy life. My husband who is eternally patient. My friend who beats his body into submission through rigorous training. My friend who is soft, thoughtful and gentle. My sister-in-law who is rearing the world’s most amazing girls despite aches and pains but through reliance on Christ. My dad who is one the most optimistic encourager's ever. My friend who is sparkly, witty and not afraid to face life and helps others through it or allows them cry on her shoulder. If you’re reading this, most likely you are an inspiration not only to me, but to those around you.

This particular photo is a mascot of sorts for inspiration. Here is a man from New York who is 72- yes 72- and all smiles. He is on his new mountain bike waltzing up the side of the mountain and dancing down the descent. This man presses on- that’s inspiration. Press on!

Breckenridge Photos

Alas, we found some mountain bike trails that would challenge our abilites- without killing us!

This is looking down on the town of Breckenridge. This area is around 9,000 feet above sea level. Suffice to say, we could feel it while climbing up the trails! Most of you know, but the trails across the way are ski runs at Breckenridge. There is also a backside to the mountain. Being here was completely surreal. Breckenridge, Copper, Vail- these are places you read about or see on the Warren Miller movie. Now, they're an hour and a half away!

A view from the top of the trail we took.

Yes, these clouds are real!

A Recent Rare Phenomenon

Last night we were at a local coffee shop with some friends. While sitting by the widow, we noticed that it had unexpectedly begun snowing. A few minutes later we all looked up to notice bright flashes, similar to that from a camera flash reflecting in the window. Since you never see lightning (or hear thunder) during a snow storm we all looked around for the abnoxiously bright flash from someones camera. It was nowhere to be found. Next thing we hear the boom of thunder and immediately car alarms start sounding. At this point we all look outside to see what looks like hail....but its not. It is simply pea sized snowballs that are falling like rocks from the sky. Needless to say, this was the first time any of us had experienced anything like this. The snowballs were not hard but soft...just like snow. The lightning and thunder continued for a while longer, as most everyone who was in the coffee shop either was glued to the windows or went outside for closer inspection. Bethany, who was sitting with our group, said that she had heard something like this happening before and said it was called a "thundersnow storm". Well, it is a true and rare event that is even more rare in a "land locked" state like Colorado. Here is the local newspaper headline from the Rocky Mountain News: "We were enjoying the lights, sights and sounds of a thundersnow that rolled through downtown around 9:30 p.m. And, we didn't make up that word thundersnow, either. It's a real, but rare phenomenon (and very rare in landlocked Colorado), according to a quickie Google search. In the simplest of terms, cold air meets warm air. As those two air masses interact, it causes friction, or a convection (up- and-down movement of air), which if violent enough, can cause lightning and thunder".

If you are still interested, check out the Wikipedia article for it : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thundersnow