Outdoor Experiences

So today was our first real outdoor experience in Colorado. Zach and I took a trip down the Arkansas River via the American Adventure Expeditions. It was fantastic. it took us about 2 1/2 hours to get there, and then we had to wait about an hour before the trip started. Zach and I rented wet suits ( they were only about $5.00 extra) and they kept us perfectly warm. The water was freezing, but with the wet suits we were fine. It was so much fun. The water was much higher than usual; it was higher than it's been in about 20 years. So they had to change our route a little. But it was so much fun. We left here about 9:30, got there around noon, and the trip began at 1:00. We saw some beautiful mountains during the trip down river. I wish we had a water proof camera; we could have taken the most gorgeous pictures.

By the time we got home, it was about 6:30. We showered and then went out to find some dinner. We found a fantastic Irish bar where we were able to listen to Irish rock and drink local (organic) beers while we ate some salads and appetizers.

By the way, let me take a moment to mention how wonderful satellite radio is. We lost regular radio about a half an hour out of Denver. With the satellite radio in the car, though, we were able to listen to NPR the whole way out. After an episode of Car Talk (where they validated my theory that turning on the air conditioner DOES help to defrost windows) we were able to catch up on some world news via the BBC and some local news via CNN. Let no one try to tell me that satellite radio isn't worth its money. It is entirely useful when driving through captivating mountains that block out typical radio waves.

On the same tangent, the Tomtom is the best present that I have ever gotten Zach. We do not leave the apartment (driving, at least) without it. I never have to worry about getting lost with our GPS at my side. And trust me...knowing that the mountains are always to the west will only go so far. You can still get lost in Denver pretty easily. There are a set of roads that go conveniently north/south and east/west. But then there are those roads that go at an angle. These are the ones that confuse me. Thus, the satellite radio consistently leads me to my destination.

In conclusion, our new life in Denver is fantastic. The lifestyle is beautiful; we can spend the morning and afternoon rafting on the Colorado rivers and then come home in the evenings for a drink at an Irish pub and a late dinner downtown. If I could only find a job, I'd be the happiest I've been in years. But that is a topic for another blog...