|-Look up-Stand still-Breathe-|: Diamonds and Fives

This week was probably one of my most favorite!

Monday- I woke up and headed to the local bouldering cave in Estes for a 730am session. National Public Radio was my only choice of sound, aside from silence of the morning. At 9 am I headed to the High School track, meeting Maren Bosely and Karla Dubois for a quick sprint work-out. Afterwards, Maren and I both headed to work at Ed's at 10.
After work I returned to KMAC to find my boys testing a zip line that Wes had put up. I watched them on the innagural run as I finished my slideshow for the following evening in a camp chair. The Dubois had invited Wes and I to dinner, so zip line activities ended quickly and he, I, and our friend Matt headed over for some homemade Naan and Jerk Chicken Sandwiches. Delicious!

Approach up to Arrowhead

ApTuesday- I returned to Karla's house for a 6:30 am egg sandwich. After a quick bite, we headed up to the Glacier Gorge Parking lot, in Rocky Mountain National Park. Our destination was Arrowhead Peak. Niether of us had stood on the summit yet of this fantastic little peak that lies off of the Contintental Divide. We danced on the summit about 3 hours from the car and we were back home in time to shower and present a slideshow. At 630 pm, I arrived at Ed's Cantina, Jes and I gave a little run-down on our Nose in a Day Women's Speed Record. A great turn-out with a fantastic crowd. Thank you to all who came!!!

Quinn, Justin, and Jared--All Ed's Employees

Wednesday - The sound of the alarm floated through my ears after a short nights sleep. Justin Dubios and I were eating egg sandwiches again at 4 am, this time our destination was up the Black Dagger on the Diamond of Long's Peak. The Diamond is an amazing east facing sheer cliff stacked with splitter cracks, located at 14,000 feet. We were climbing the North Chimney a little later than normal, due to our slacker start time, but still not bad at 2 hours from starting time. The pitch before Crossover ledge was a bit moist. After I arrived at the ledge and set up the belay, Justin opted to continue up D7 hoping that it would be dry, as Black Dagger is notoriously wet up high. His pitch was also wet. He took a fantastic whipper, aided up the rest of it just as thunder began resonating throughout the cirque. I followed the pitch in grappel, led another 50 pitch over foreign terrain to reach the nearest escape route. We descended one pitch shy of table ledge in rain/sleet and some very near lightening.

Thursday- I worked at Ed's from 10am to 10pm.

Bluebird! Who is this guy?

Friday- I motivated for another Diamond day with a little coaxing. Weather was splitter, Wesley was going (we haven't climbed alpine together in a year) and Justin had a partner....Wes friend Matt was in town. We decided to leave a little earlier than our Wednesday start, as I had to work at 4pm. Our plan was to meet at the Long's Peak trailhead at 3am. We met alright, but in our grogginess forgot to bring the double ropes. Luckily, Justin had thrown in an extra 60 in his van the night before. We were committed to top as two parties of two and were forced to rap together. WHAT A DAY! To the north chimney and climbing in two hours from the start, Wes and I reached Yellow Wall Bivy Ledge at 7:45 having climbed 2 pitches. We waited and I tried to convince him that we should climb to the top and rap Chasm view. It would have been a push to summit Long's proper but man it would have be awesome. We simul-rappelled as a party of 4, reaching our packs at 11:15 am. Wes and I hiked out, napped, and I was off to work!

Keeping it Casual

Saturday - Alarm was set for 6:45 pm. Ops. My wake up call was a ringing phone and an, "are you coming, slut?" Erin J, a fellow Ed's gal, was waking me. I was late for a 7:15 am meeting time for Team Ed's 5k race in Allenspark. I grabbed my running shoes, a bottle of water and speed down the hill. Five Ed's employees piled into Karla's 1967 VW bus, headed to Allenspark. We registered, lollygagged around the elk statue and lined up for the 5k run. I was tired, but suprisingly not sore. I mentioned to Karla that she should keep me on a 8 minute mile pace, and she laughed saying she was running nines. I shrugged and tried to keep the competitiveness out of my head. I already had had a huge week, no need to go balls to the wall. The gun sounded, I was off. Bronson was by my side for the first 3 minutes. The first hill I couldn't help myself, I pulled away and just kept going. I ran across the finish line confused. There were 4 sweaty looking dudes wandering around, but no chics. "I won?" I thought to myself? NO WAY.

Wes and I on Yellow Wall bivy ledge

Yes way. I had one the 5k. I turned around to see Karla sprinting towards the finish barely behind another young chic. Bronson right behind her, and Maren a mere 30 seconds further. Ed's girls just finished 1,3,4,5 in this little 5k. WTF! Hilarious!

I had plans to meet another Ed's employee at Suzuki boulder after the race and Bronson and Maren decided to join. We warmed up quickly, having only an hour or so before we all had to be to work. I climbed my 'project' and almost sent it first try. I did it with some funky, unfamiliar beta but it felt pretty good so I decided to give it another rip. Second try fell. Third try send, I think its a V5! Thanks Bronson for inspiring me after all these years!