Introducing...HAM

 

HAM stands for Highly Adventurous Mobile.

KC and I have pulled the trigger, phase 1+1=2. We are starting a new chapter of adventure and we would like you all to come along for the ride, literally or just vicariously through my poorly chosen and often out of place words.

A while back we thought about living small, how small? Fairly small, HAM small is all. Last week we purchased a HAM to put in the bed of Pushkin. To those who don't know, Pushkin is phase 1 and HAM is phase 2. Pushkin is a 2001 Dodge Ram. Together they will be a home base for summer fun and potentially a home. Follow us as we explore the potential of living in a small HAM.

We bounce the idea around quite a bit. The scenario plays out this way:
Rent out our condo and live in Hamkin. You got it, I think. HAM + Pushkin. Yeah. Anyway, sounds easy but it takes a little courage it turns out. So, for now we prepare Hamkin and ease into camper life. Remember we still work full time and party in the dirt the rest of the time. We also need a little down time to stay organized and rest, lots of rest.

We will see what shakes out after the first few trips. We will hopefully enjoy the company of you on a run, ride, climb or just sitting around camp.

Knowing when to Go, and when to say No...

Hal and I were all set for a quick mini-vacation down to Nathrop, CO, to stay at the Mt. Princeton Hot Springs Resort next week. We were planning on summitting Mt. Princeton, and possibly a few other 14ers.
However, given the massive amounts of recent snowfall in the high country and all the tragic avalanche deaths associated with such unstable snow-pack, we decided to cancel our trip.
Fortunately there is a fantastic website in Colorado that highlights current avalanche danger and rates each area: Colorado Avalanche Information Center.
We checked this site daily, and finally made the call to bail on the trip this evening.
Are we bummed? Yes. Sad to not get in a fun trip, plus a summit and hot springs? Of course.
But is it better to be safe than sorry? In this instance, absolutely.

It is important to know when to "go" and when to say "no" to an adventure or outing. Especially when dealing with avalanches, the backcountry, and mountains in particular.
Sometimes we get so caught up with our 'goals' and our epic adventure ideas that we can become blind to the all-too-real and present dangers associated with each trip.
We know we are facing potentially hazardous conditions each time we venture out into the wilderness, but knowing how to mitigate that risk makes the difference between someone who goes all-out all the time, and someone who is wise enough to know when to bag it and stay home.
I think it is also selfish to go out in a high risk area, placing not only yourself but your potential rescuers in danger.

Fortunately Hal and I have each other to keep ourselves checked and in line. And of course there's always that sound of relief in Mom's voice when I call home and tell her we've decided not to attempt a winter 14er summit in highly dangerous avalanche conditions!

Each time you go out, know the conditions you are likely to encounter and make sure you are prepared for any scenario.  And always always always let at least one person know where you are going and when you should be expected back.

Just because we love to seek new thrills and adventures doesn't mean we throw all caution to the wind. Staying behind this weekend may save our lives, and it will definitely allow us to do something else equally as fun!
Thanks for reading my soapbox backcountry safety post!

What to do when it's Four Degrees Farenheit out...

We've lived in the Front Range of Colorado for over five years now, and never can I remember such cold days...We didn't even top ten degrees yesterday! Ten!!!  And right now it's a balmy eight degrees out.
As athletes and active individuals, weather like this tends to drive us batty. We simply can't get outside, and if we can, it's too cold to do any hard aerobic workouts.
So we put together this little list of alternate activities to do when it's well below freezing out.
We hope you enjoy!

-Movie marathon. I know this is every athletes' guilty pleasure, and we probably never succumb to spending a day watching movies unless we are very sick, or unless it's been very cold out for a very long time. Head over to your local library and check out the maximum number of DVDs that you can. This way you aren't spending any money, which will make you feel better about kicking back and enjoying a movie day.  Also, the cold weather provides us a unique opportunity to rest our bodies and let them fully recover from whatever rigors we've been putting them through. Try to adjust your mindset and think of the cold-spell as a much needed and welcome break!

-Clean up your clutter. Go through each room in the house and sort through unused/unnecessary items. Create two piles: one to donate, and one to sell at a summer garage sale. If this is too daunting, start small, like cleaning out your bathroom vanity and throwing away all expired medication. Or tackle that dreaded cabinet under the kitchen sink and sort through all your cleaning products.

-Plan your next adventure-yay! This is something we like to do in the cold winter months, because it not only occupies our time, but it gets us excited about future trips! Pull out your maps and decide where you'd like to explore. Then go online and figure out logistics. Once you've got an idea of what you want to do and where you want to go, you can begin nailing down a specific date. For us, our salvation from this arctic blast is looking forward to summitting a few more 14ers down by Buena Vista in the next few weeks. Not exactly a break from cold weather, but at least a chance to get out and play in it!

-The list goes on and on with common indoor activities, such as: knitting, cooking, organizing all the pictures on your computer, finishing all the magazines laying on your coffee table, and maybe just laying down for a nap, and not resurfacing until the weather promises to break 32 degrees!!!

-As for getting out for some exercise, try heading to your local yoga studio and signing up for an unlimited week of classes. Of course, the best place in the Louisville/Lafayette/Superior area is Yoga Junction! Right now they are offering a first-time student/resident of Colorado deal where you can go to a week of unlimited yoga for only $18-such a good deal!

-For those who are just dying to get in a run, ride, swim, or hard cardio workout, check out your local recreation center. Most rec centers also offer fitness classes, which are helpful if you need a little extra motivation to get on that spin bike!

-And if you just must, must, must go outside, please exercise with caution when it is below freezing out. Plan a hike or walk, instead of a run, and save your lungs from full exertion in the icy air.

Add your own cold weather ideas in the comment section below. We'd like to see what others are doing during this frigid month!
As always, thanks for reading.