Austins on Tour

Sunday is not a day of rest around here. It is a day to pack in more fun -- and perhaps some pain.

After walking the dogs on a beautiful mountain trail last evening, I decided to go for a morning run (sort of) with Dawn. I did not have running clothing packed. So instead of wearing my pajama bottoms to run in, I borrowed a pair of shorts from Pete. And dear Dawn loaned me a running bra. All I had to provide was my running shoes and some determination.

Going down the mountain was not as easy as running "down hill" sounds since there were many rocks, twists and turns. Our plan was to run down the trail and walk back up. I don't know if I should blame my return struggle on being out of shape or on the thin mountain air. Either way, I finished in less time than their previous visitors have done on their first Apex Trail running effort. (I say first like I would do it again. Not this trip!)

• Running down the mountain = challenging.
• Trudging back up through the misnamed "Enchanted Forest" = painful. 
• Beating the "First Time Out of Towner" record by nearly 20 minutes = Priceless!

After our morning exercises, we hit the road and saw more and more and more of Colorado's beauty. We also stopped in a little but busy town called Evergreen, where it just happens a guy I went to kindergarten through 12th grade lives.

Heath saw on Facebook I was close by so he met up with us and we got to catch up. We realized we known each other for 40 years, going to kindergarten in Luck, the two-room grade school Oak Hill from 1st-4th grade, then back in Luck 'til high school graduation. We sat together on the mini-bus every day in 1st grade and he got in trouble once for kissing me on the bus. Hahaha. Oh the things that come to mind.

Lesson learned: If someone says, "If you're ever in the area, look me up," do it! Heath has been out here since 1988. I am finally in the area!!

After an awesome lunch, Pete, Dawn, Jim and I continued down the road and they showed me Red Rock Park and Amphitheatre, an incredible venue for outdoor concerts.

Tom Petty played there Friday night. Now it was just a ton of people playing tourist like us!

Will plan our next trip out here around a good concert. And hopefully good weather like today's 70-plus temps.

Red rocks make a pretty cool backdrop, don't they?

And our hosts: Pete (Jim's classmate since grade school) and his wife, Dawn, who helped the Broncos win today!

After Red Rock, we stopped at the Mother Cabrini Shrine, which required 373 steps to see a statue of Jesus up on top of a crazy big hill. At some point trudging up the stairs, I inappropriately said, "Holy sh*t." At least I said "holy" first. Whoops. I took pictures but don't have them handy on the computer. I guess I will have a lot of photos to post when we get home. But let's not rush things.

Bad enough tonight's our last night here. Sad face. Our flight isn't until tomorrow night, though, so Monday will be Austins on Tour :: Part 2.

If I can still walk!!