The GRAND Day 2

We started early on Thursday morning to head toward the summit. None of us got good sleep (I know, hard to believe since we were sleeping in a boulder field) but Colby didn't want to wake me before 5:30 as he promised.

We started out in the dark and with all the winter clothes imaginable. I got sweaty really fast, and most of the day was an exercise in putting on and taking off layers.
Majestic! The picture below is the reason I went. The beauty and peace up there is hard to describe. AMAZING!!!

One of my favorite parts was the Princess Bride rope on our way to the saddle.
If I look exhausted - that is because I am. This was almost at the top.

There were beautiful streams and wildflowers (which I took pictures of hoping to capture them in watercolor or acrylic later).






When we almost got to the top (minus 300 yards), we started to have weather.  I thought Colby was joking when he said that the weather wasn't going to cooperate.  It look practically clear.  Amazing how fast the clouds move in when you are up that high.  Almost was good enough...at least that day.

I am not resting in the picture to the left. I was squatting down to rest my quad muscles and the pack was so heavy that I fell over backward...almost at the bottom and I could do no more.

Amazing experience...the only thing to make it better...Dave with me next time!

Climbing the GRAND! (Day 1)

Well really this was Day 2...but since Day 1 didn't include any climbing - just travelling. I am not counting that!

We left on Tuesday night at about 6pm. I worked that day - so we couldn't leave too early. Colby joked about doing a pack check, but that really wouldn't have been such a bad idea...

That is where we are going...pretty rough and treacherous looking! Beautiful weather though.

Becca and I were into the photo opps as much as we were getting up there..

So Colby asked us what kind of winter clothes we had and I said..."Winter clothes, what you talking about it is the middle of August"...needless to say, he insisted on getting some more layers. Jordan didn't even have a layer to go under his hiking pants...well I probably would have been OK w/o the extra polar fleece - but who knew. Colby had done it before and "He had never been that cold in his ENTIRE life".

Now I know you may think this was a modeling shoot...make no mistake, we didn't look this beautiful after the 1st day....(well maybe Becca did :)

But don't drive as the Roman's drive

Ostia antiqua...(below). Better than Pompeii and much more shady. Old port town for Rome...truly amazing! We love this place as there were so few tourists. Dave couldn't find a bathroom though...Apparently these public toilets (left) were used by men and women and children...all at the same time. Quite the social even apparently.

Our favorite little Gelato place. The owner, Gian, offered to make us spaghetti since we were eating sandwiches and pastries for dinner...not very Italian.
We didn't drive a smart car while there...but what would have been truly fun and crazy would have been to motorcycle or scooter like they do! Weaving in and out of cars at 60mph...and really there aren't speed limits there, or the taxi drivers don't heed them. Maybe they are more of suggestions rather than rules.