Last night I met up with my friends, Bree and Josh, in Golden to do a very little bit of hiking and some sunset/night photography.
Here I was thinking I’d finally sort of adjusted to dealing with the elevations and getting in a tad better shape. I should have known going anywhere with Josh and Bree would involve testing how far I could push myself using muscles I’d neglected in my ‘natural flat-land habitat’ of Maryland. I couldnt tell you how long the trail was from the bottom up to where it leveled off, but I’m going to call it the longest half mile I’ve ever done. I started out well enough, knowing I’d need to stop often to catch my breath. But then my calves started protesting and I had to stop twice as often to rest both my lungs and my calves. And then I was just stopping because I had a big hate for the trail.
I made it to the top (FINALLY) and we headed down the trail a short ways til we were at a spot were we could look over Golden on one side and see Denver in the other direction. It was a neat spot and we goofed around and took photos till after full dark.
I had the thought that, hey, the way down was going to be easy-peasy. Only, it wasnt especially. It was steep enough that I was using entirely new shocked and appalled muscles to descend. My legs were definitely in the realm of ‘feeling like jello’ by the time I hit the bottom of the trail.
Josh and Bree were incredibly patient with me (though I wouldnt put it pass them, nor blame them if they shook their heads in exasperation at me after I’d gone). And, of course, I was left with the feeling that I should really do something about finding hills in Maryland to climb to keep some of these muscle groups in action.
This morning I had made plans to go with another photographer to photograph Garden Of The Gods. Up at 4:45, out the door by 5 and in Garden of the Gods for sunrise. Pretty, but I enjoyed it more over the New Year when there was lots of snow around.
We ended up spending the morning walking around a nearby town and doing some street photography. I’ll have to figure out the name of the town and post it here soon. It was a very cool little town, especially outside the cute lhistoric downtown and into the strange residential neighborhoods where houses would be up on a hill on one side of the road, and doorways would lead into the shingled roofs of the house on the other side. There was even a castle.
I’m going for the Advil now…