We Bought A Map

Quite an adventure lies ahead of us.  It's square in shape and resides due East of us with 2 states separating.  The Rockies cut through and the Aspens glow this time of year.  The bears are out and about and the rocks tempt you to mosey on over for a climb.  It's time for a little jaunt to Colorado for the month of October.

Where do we even begin?  Well, for starters, we bought a map, a big one.  Seems like a logical place to start the planning process, right?  We've both never been.  Our plan is to spend a month and change exploring this beautiful state before the seasons really change from cool to cold.  We're having a little race against Mama Nature before she ducks into the super chilly season.

We've asked for input from friends and family and contacted the few friends we do have in the state.  Looked at countless websites for mountain biking and hiking and have finally decided on a rough outline of the route to take through the state itself.  We've borrowed park maps and trail guides from friends and started the list-making part (my favorite part...honestly) of the trip.  We've notified work of our leaves of absences and, in my case, made plans to move out of my home in Santa Cruz.  It's all coming together in just a few short weeks.

How do you pack for a month long trip to a place where you don't know if it is going to be 75 and sunny or if it is going to throw an early snow storm right at your face?  How do you pack when you are going to be car camping and backpacking, couch surfing and condo cruising?  It's so exciting.  I love this part.  Yet another fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants moment as I truly don't know what to expect once we take off.  I've never been on a road trip this long before.  All we can do is prepare the best we can, adventure is real.

As my partner in crime has been researching on a regular basis all different important aspects of our trip (as have I), I've been fussing over what foods to bring (naturally, I do think with my stomach sometimes), where all of this stuff is going to fit and how my partner is going to strap me to the roof of the car before we hit Nevada out of sheer annoyance alone.  I'm thinking of bike repair kits and how to throw together some clever recipes Pinterest has gifted to me, while still focusing on getting into better biking shape (these hips don't lie) and wondering what to do with my over-the-top amount of layers...lezbehonest....I may have spent my last two cold seasons in Hawaii, but I'm only one person, I can only wear so many layers at a time.  The packing is going to be a fun one.

Stay tuned, as there is more to come on the preparations of this awesome adventure.  I couldn't be happier to go exploring, I've got an amazing travel buddy and I'm semi-worried we are going to fall in love with Colorado and not want to come back.
More to come.
Sending some goodness from Santa Cruz your way.
-M.

~Certainly, travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living. -Miriam Beard

~Once a year go some place you have never been before. -Dalai Lama