Snowshowing Floridian Style

View of my snow-less backyard.  Yes, my deck rail needs painting, and yes,
those are prayer flags on Brendan's tent.  The kid has aspirations to
climb Mt. Everest someday.  He camps outside every weekend -
even in the winter

So, what do you do when there's no snow in the entire Denver Metro area, you're actually missing it a teeny bit, and your "Crazy Floridian" friend is vacationing with his family in the mountains?  Well, you take one of  your sons and you venture to the high country to do some snowshowing with your favorite Floridian family, Floridian style, that's what you do!

A Beautiful day in the mountains near Frisco

Adam, the "Crazy Floridain" and I taking a picture break

Not sure how many of you follow Adam from the blog, Crazy Floridian, but he's a really great guy and an incredible runner (he's getting ready to do his first 100-miler in February.  Totally BA Adam!).  Adam and I "met" a little over a year ago when we both did a wee-bit of writing over at Runner's World.  We've only kept in touch here and there via emails and Facebook, but he inspires me with his never-weakening passion to run and I was thrilled when he emailed me he and his family were coming to Colorado for a little winter vacation.

Adam and his lovely family

Thursday, the 23rd, Brendan, the son who is always up for any sort of mountain adventure, went with me up to meet Adam and his family to do a couple hours of snowshoeing.  What stuck me as we started our drive up in the mountains was how there was absolutely no snow one minute and then the next, right around Silver Plume, magically there was a ton.  I mean, like avalanche danger ton.  Brendan proceeded to explain weather conversion mumbo-jumbo of the Colorado front range to me (which went in one ear and out the other) and how this is very normal, but still, this was very odd, despite his attempted explanation.  That child, the mountaineering man he so longs to be, watches the mountain weather like a hawk.

Brendan, totally in his element

Adam found a great trail from a ski shop guy in Frisco so that was the trail we took.  Not very technical, nothing to get your heart rate up too high, and we stopped to take a ton of pictures, so not a killer workout, but we shoe'd about 4.5 miles and had a blast every step of the way.

My new BFF.  He looks a little afraid of me.

The day was a little overcast, but man was it still pretty.  Probably about 30 degrees so actually a bit warm when you got going and I removed all 3 layers of gloves and mittens I had on (I always apologize in advance if my fingers or toes get cold, I definitely become whiny.  Sorry.  It's a huge reason why I don't downhill ski any longer) and had my coat unzipped half the time.  At the end of our hike, it started to flurry some - a sight I haven't seen in Denver in ages.

A White Arctic Ptarmigan - a very rare bird to actually see.  Brendan
spotted him nestled in the bushes and he instantly became a rock star
with our group.

King of the mountain!

After our 4.5 miles of shoeing (we could have done more, but Brendan and I needed to get back home to Denver before the onslaught of rush-hour traffic hit), Adam treated Brendan and I to some awesome Mexican food in town.  It was great to talk to his wife and son a little more and to hear more about Adam's 100-miler quest - as it is hard to really chat up a storm while snowshoeing (though it didn't stop me from trying :)).  I hope Adam and his family make it back out to Colorado soon, like in the summer, when I don't potentially whine about my cold fingers or toes!  Thanks, Adam, we had a great time snowshoeing with the Floridians!!

On our way back to Denver, Brendan and I stopped in Silver Plume (click on link to read about this cute little town) at this amazing little bakery in town.  This is such a crazy place for such a popular bakery; Silver Plume is an old silver mining town, totally left behind in modern times.  I found this bakery a couple years ago when my friend, Dennis, and I were running the trails high above.  We needed more water so we detoured to this tiny town in search of some sort of gas station or local store.  None were to be found, but we did find this bakery far removed from the highway, which is a pretty cool story in itself that we found it.  It has probably changed hands about 3 times in the two years I've been stopping by here for the most amazing fresh baked bread, but it continues to be one of our favorite little stops if we have a few minutes to spare.  Such a cool place, especially in the summer when we run up there and stop and stick our feet in the creek, which is frigging freezing, even in August (fresh snow melt is always cold).  Sorry you didn't get to experience our very brief stop in Silver Plume, Adam - next time!!!

Main Street Silver Plume, looking down the road from the bakery

Below is a pic of Clear Creek, which runs through the town of Silver Plume, during our summer runs.  Such an amazing place, and perfect for a mid-run break!


Me trying to be brave enough to dip the toes in the creek

I hope everyone had a fabulous Christmas and got everything on their Santa wish list!  Here in Jill land, we had a very nice time.  Amazingly, as your children get older, so does the price of their gifts so our tree seemed bare underneath compared to Christmas' past, but the kids were just as happy.  Me?  I got a couple local running store gift cards (must be a sign I will no longer have any heel problems, eh?) and this I know will make your green eyes pop out...but I got a new washing machine!!  I know, I know - lucky me!!!