Man Weekend - Sunshine Wall, UT

Lafayette, CO - It's HOT. Hot, Hot, Hot I tell you. We still have not gotten around to putting up new shades in the family room where I'm now sitting at my computer. We had blinds there. However, up in our bedroom we couldn't sleep past 5:45 am, when the sunlight hit the bed with it's full force... causing what we figured was a full fledged fire hazard (at least we felt like we were going to burn up). So, we decided to move the blinds from the family room to the bedroom until we figured out what to do next. Now, it's late afternoon in the family room and I feel like my keyboard is about to melt. Anyway, we had the shade people here measuring yesterday, so shades are now about 2 to 3 weeks out (3 day blinds my ass).

No worries, we're moving up to the mountains this week. At a typical high of around 75 degrees, it just sounds a lot more agreeable. Besides, we need to get started on the renovations up there as well. We'll be doing luggage cart dent repairs, painting, and ski boot shredded carpet replacement so that we can put it on a rental program and recoup some cash. So... it should be all nice and spiffy when you all come to visit us for skiing next season!!!

In the meantime I have another photo post. These photos are from the weekend of April 19th. At the wrap up of the kids weekend, I was invited to join Glen and Andrew on their annual "Man Weekend". Women & kids were strictly forbidden. This was a weekend for the guys and their buddies to climb, drink, cuss, smoke, talk shit and eat meat without the burden of their better halves telling em' to cut it out. I was a little nervous as I have not been keeping up on my drinking, smoking, and cussing training, but I figured with all my construction experience, I should do alright.

Besides the climbing, I'm not going into detail about what went on during Man Weekend. I feel that would somehow break some cardinal rule or something. What happens at Man Weekend... you get the idea. Anyway... enjoy the photos.

Sunshine Wall, UT

There's more in the slide show if you're interested:

Man Weekend at Sunshine Wall, UT

Hanging with the Kids: Moab & Arches National Park

Lafayette, CO - Suwei and I just got back from our annual Russian River canoe trip this week. It's the one big event I plan every year, and well... a lot of things get put on hold until I make it past that crazy weekend. Anyway, we had quite a blast on the river again this year. I was so tired and hung over after two days of beer and sun, that I could barely stay awake on Monday and Tuesday.

To celebrate the awaking from my 2 day beer induced coma, I started a "to do" list in order to get a handle on all the things we need to get done this summer. The list quickly grew to over 50 items in the first draft. Some items were quickies such as "touch up paint in guest bath", "fix wall dings in stairs" or "return ropes to Jackie". Others were a little more difficult... like, "Replace back door", "Paint Kitchen", and "carpet condo." Still others were on another scale altogether... "get a job"... "make a baby." Everyday this week I've managed to cross off one or two items as I add 5 or 6 more. It's going to be a busy summer.

Anyway... one item not on the "to do" list but still on my mind is, "catch up on the blog". So, this evening I'm posting a few photos from the 1st weekend in April. Suwei and I joined Tanya, Glen & their son Keenan on a trip out to Moab for a bit of mountain biking, a bit of climbing and a lot of hanging with friends and kids in the desert. Out in Moab we met up with Glen & Tanya's friends Andrew, Kristen, Chad, and Lacey. Andrew & Kristen have a little girl name Lucy. Chad and Lacey are fairly new parents with a son, Aiden. With the kids being around 1, 2, & 4 or there abouts, Suwei and I were able to see just what we might be up against in a few years.

Keenan / Chad & Aiden / Lucy

On Saturday Suwei, Tanya, Lacey & I rode out to the Rim of the Porcupine Rim Trail, one of the more famous mountain biking trails in Moab. All of us were feeling at least a winter's worth of no biking and were more than ready to head into town for a beer after the short 6 mile ride. Suwei and I vowed to come back and ride the whole trail when we got in a bit better shape (which we did 3 weeks later).

Porcupine Rim

Sunday we headed out to Arches National Park where Suwei and I took a short hike while the others set up a climb on one of the towers. It was only a 5.8 but it kept us all busy for most of the morning.

Climbing in Arches National Park

It was a damn good weekend, made even better by the fact that we stopped by Keystone on the way back and got two perfect days of powder in before heading home. After that I was definitely sold on living in Colorado.

Lucy Trying to Take Home the Desert

Anyway... there are more photos and comments from the trip in the slide show. Check it out:

Moab & Arches National Park, UT