Day 297 - 312: Moving, Settling in, Hiking, Biking, Flying

We have finally settled into our spot for the next five months, Cherry Creek State Park. Brandon is exchanging his time working at the park for us to stay for free! The park is really nice and offers a lot to do. There is a lake (lakes in Colorado are not the same as lake Erie), a little beach, bike paths everywhere, a large dog park, horseback riding, jet ski rentals, a shooting range, and more. There are also a lot of animals to be seen in the park. We get greeted by deer everyday, and there is a large coyote that roams around. The one morning the coyote was actually getting chased by two doe! So far we have seen a couple of bull snakes (not a fan). One was huge and the other one was a tiny baby. Dana came out Memorial Day weekend and camped out at our spot. She brought her bike so we could cycle around the area together and see what was around. The Cherry Creek bike path goes through the park and through the surrounding area. 

Alanna and I were heading to get Bruce's medicine and we stopped at a Chik-Fil-A where we rescued this little mouse from the drive thru lane. Alanna saw it first and I thought she meant a full-grown mouse, not a baby. I saw the baby and got him off of the hot asphalt and out of the traffic. I kind of thought it was a squirrel at first, so I called a rescue to see what I should do with it. They confirmed it was in fact a mouse. Did I think rescuing a simple little mouse was a bit absurd? Yes. Did we drive almost 2 hours to drop it off at the rescue? Also, yes. The mouse will be rehabilitated and released around the area that we found it. Alanna named him Spicy chicken deluxe with no pickles and no tomatoes large coke no ice. A super practical name.

Brandon and I met up with Dana to hike Bear Peak. The overall hike is just over 6 miles out and back with an elevation increase of 2800 feet. I knew it was going to be tough, but I didn't know exactly how tough. There were highs and lows to the hike. The third leg of the hike is the most difficult. It is a path of boulders and rocks and where the elevation really gets steep. The view from the top is definitely worth it - so were the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches we ate up there! I thought once we were at the top the toughest part was over, but the hike back down was anything but easy. It was a super fun day and hike with Dana and Brandon. The two of them had plenty of time to be dorks while they waited for me to catch up. There was singing, laughing, snacking, and heavy breathing. Truly a recipe for a great morning. Nothing makes you feel more alive than accomplishing what you set out to do! 

That peak right in the middle is Bear Peak. We went all the way to that point!

Always time to stop for a photo shoot.

Dana in her natural habitat.

We are cute!

 Alanna and I arrived in Buffalo Friday, June 2. We got to the Colorado airport at 9:30pm and arrived in Buffalo at 12:30pm. Travel was long! This was my first time flying Delta and we were not impressed. I get things happen, but I think their seats were less comfortable and their flight staff was not friendly. I felt like everyone boarding the plane was an inconvenience to them. When our second flight finally landed in Buffalo the gate wouldn't work so we were stuck on the plane for about a half hour while they fixed it. We were glad to be done flying, and definitely not fans of the red-eye flights. BUT! We are here. We have been able to see some friends and family this past weekend. Alanna got to hang out with her bestie, Maddy, and the two of them were all giggles! We attempted a beach day, but the weather was just below 70 degrees, and the wind made it feel even colder, so the beach was short lived. Alanna did head out on the paddle board, but she was on her own with getting in that water.

Alanna and I head out to NYC Thursday until Monday. We are traveling there via Amtrak, and I'm super excited. I don't have a to drive, I can work while we travel, and the views should be pretty. The fact that it was a fraction of the cost to fly also helps. 

Things we learned:

• Cherry Creek State Park is nice!
• Brandon is super happy to have his motorcycle back.
• Delta airlines isn't great.
• Saving a life is nice even if it is just a mouse.
• We can do crazy hard things.
• It's awesome to be around Dana again.

Much love and happy times,

The Blackshires