Written by Nick:
As you know (or may not know) – I just got back from visiting my friend Bill in Laramie, Wyoming. It was a great trip and we had a lot of run. (As expected!)
On Friday, Bill and I went on a “short trip” up to see the Medicine Bow Mountains – The Snowy Range as they are referred to locally. The drive was really neat and we passed some awesome trout ponds/lakes - that in retrospect – we probably should have fished. (Next trip)
Once we were up there we decided to take the Mirror Lake hiking trail to the summit – the highest point in the Medicine Bow range… We started at a little over 10,000 feet and hiked up to 12,000…. Our entire journey being a little under 9 miles or so.
I would like to say it was the “drinking till 5:00 am and getting up at 8” that caused the majority of my difficulties - - But on the ascent the altitude made it pretty hard for me to catch my breath – compounded with the fact that I am seriously “under conditioned” for athletic activity. (Read: Wuss) On the way down, that “lack of conditioning” wreaked havoc on my knees. (After the last video I started to “deteriorate” quickly – so I stopped filming.) It was probably about 2 miles/hours more than I “should have” done – but it was a great/awesome/wonderful experience and I am glad Bill and I made the trip. (I should needlessly point out that Bill didn’t suffer as much – if at all - as my complaining ass did.) But we made it down in one piece… myself knowing that every painful step I took brought me closer to the delicious vodka painkiller at the bottom.
After the climb and a short stop for some beers at “The Place” (Some random bar/motor home campsite in the mts, owned by a patient of Bills – who also happens to be one hell of a nice guy) we meandered on to Saratoga Springs. That little burg is a strange place – and something I think this guy sums up nicely: http://newfunny.com/?p=672 If you are ever interested in sitting on some sand bags in a hot river, that may be your place!
Anyway – the following are some videos I made while we hiked up and down. They’ll serve as a reminder of the awesome time we had that day – some of the silliness that ensued – and that with great challenges, come great rewards. Thanks again Bill.
The all day hike.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKCyaVC4wgA&feature=channel_page http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRfAAo_C8rQ&feature=channel_page http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfWwUeid6WU&feature=channel_page http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hAGOzF7HSQ&feature=channel_page http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAWkOM8ip1Y&feature=channel_page
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