Margy's Hut Trip (possibly the hardest thing I have ever done)

A few months ago a coworker (the brilliant CS) asked me, "Hey - you wanna join me and some friends for a hut trip in Colorado?"

We obviously have a lot of spare time during our Radical Sabbatical. So this is what I tell people nowadays when they invite us places, "Make sure you really want us to come because we will show up." And we did.

Margie's Hut is a 10th Division Mountain Hut located near Aspen, Colorado. It is one of about 30 backcountry shelters within the Rocky Mountains that is managed by the 10th Mountain Division system. The huts are fairly primitive with pit toilets (let me tell you how cold an outhouse seat can be when it is 10 degrees outside), sleeping cots, and very basic cooking facilities. The huts are heated by wood fires. There are sleeping cots and pillows but that is about it. Everything you need and nothing you don't.


It is a 7.3-mile hike to the hut from the trailhead parking lot. Oh and you gain approximately 3,000 feet along the way to the hut, which is situated at an altitude of 11,300 feet (gasp for air now). Also - the day we skinned in, it snowed. A LOT. We essentially had to break trail for a good chunk of the journey. If you have ever skinned up a hill, you know how hard breaking trail can be. Like really hard, and we are in pretty good shape and are used to the altitude since we have been in the mountains for a few weeks.

Combine this with the fact that we were woefully unprepared for the day, and crap - did I mention it was really difficult? We skinned from 11:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. with only two small bottles of water, which where were empty about one hour into the trip.

Hey a-hole newbies, you cannot melt snow for water when it is 20 degrees out!!!!! Lesson learned the hard way.

There *may* have been some freaking-out on my part. OK, I did freak out. First when we ran out of water, and then when we took a break and my body temperature plummeted and I lost feeling in my hands (which happens when it is like 65 degrees outside so maybe that part isn't so scary). Our saving grace was that we are stubborn, had a good map, and never got lost.

This was a beautiful sight let me tell you

We were welcomed at the hut by CS's family and friends. There were eight of them already there, the fire was lit and it was warm and cozy in the hut. They shared their food, beers, knowledge of hut etiquette (where and when to get water, what do to with your trash, when to feed the fire, etc.), and ski tips. I imagine you rarely get douchebags at these huts, the journey humbles you, but this was a cool group - not to mention great cooks!

Skinning up on day 2

On day two, we headed out to ski a bowl near the hut. In the backcountry, this consists of skiing down fields of deep powder - then skinning back up the hill to do it again. It is exhausting but exhilarating! Once again thanks to CS and family for being our expert guides. The avalanche risk was deemed "Considerable" for Aspen during the time we were at the hut. I am not sure Dave and I would have gone out to ski that day had we been on our own.

Looking happier on Day 2

Sick views

Trying to catch up, mother that is hard

CS and an epic bail in the deep pow

So crowded out here

More skinning

What a gross blistered mess

So what else happens in a hut when you aren't skiing or doing "chores" like getting water or firewood? There is relaxing, chatting, puzzles, reading, cards, whatever you want.

There is also DIY emergency surgery - yes, you read that right.

As often happens during hut trips, my feet got mangled by my ski boots - in particular my left big toe was throbbing just under the nail. This is a normal occurrence I was told by my hut mates. So here is what you do: heat up a pin, stick it through the nail (it melts right through), the fluid and blood under the nailbed explodes out (here is a video for all you sickos), and you have instant relief. Dave was the lucky surgeon. I am pretty sure he'll ever do that again, but the surgery was a great success.

Post-surgery glee

On day 3, the ski out was fast and fun! It took us about one hour and thirty minutes to ski 7.3 miles out (as opposed to our five hours and thirty minutes to skin up). Again thanks to CS and the gang for showing us how to wax our skis so that we could avoid the pain in the ass of putting our skins on over flat stretches on the way down. There is so much to learn about this sport. Dave and I have a ways to go till we are really competent backcountry skiers. Intimidating to say the least.......

Snowing again for our departure

Safely out and back at the trailhead to say goodbye

Well what did I learn from this trip? I need a lot more backcountry day trips to build my confidence. This sport is NOT for wussies, especially if you happen to be a cold-prone wussie (like me). Also, for the next trip (assuming that I ever do another trip) I need to remember to:

• Bring a lot more water, way more than I think I will need 
• Get a Camelback thing for water
• Bring more layers and have them in an easily accessible place
• Get a better pack with a good spot for my helmet, shovel, and probe so they aren't jangling around and about to fall off
• Travel in a larger group (more than two people)
• Bring more sugary treats, salty snacks were unappetizing when working that hard at altitude 
• Did I mention more layers?

Refueling with fondue, nothing better

Best February Ever

Do I look like a turkey here?

Skiing My Pants Off
So the real question is......how can I ever go back to skiing just weekends like "normal" people. Tuesday skiing is spectacular, just us and the really friendly retirees. I can count on one hand the number of lift lines we have waited in over the last few weeks. Perhaps an evening waitressing job is in my future (so I can ski days), oh yeah - and I'd have to move closer to the hill. That the 3+ hours separating the Bay Area from Tahoe is not OK.

We have skied at about 12 different resorts throughout the west over the last few weeks. Keystone has been a surprising favorite of mine for it's mellowness and terrain, as has Grand Targhee. Dave is partial to Breckenridge, especially Peak 6 on a powder-day. Our Epic Passes are worth ever cent of the $749 paid for them. We have been lucky with snow dumps in Colorado and Wyoming, especially considering California was bone-dry in February (speaking of, is anyone else freaked the eff out by the drought besides me????).

So many people.......NOT

Douche

Cousin's bubble bath gone awry

In case you are wondering what we have been doing in addition to skiing (and drinking at every brewery on both sides of the Continental Divide), we have been spending loads of time with family and friends. We seem to be lucky enough to know the most awesome people throughout the west! This is what the Radical Sabbatical is all about and what will make it an unforgettable year, all these folks who have been nice enough to let us crash on their couches. Having the time to spend with everyone is the ultimate sabbatical luxury (right after lots of sleep).

Cousins

More cousins

And uncles

And friends

And skiing with cousins and friends

And random meeting with a high school friend

Get in touch with an old friend, it is life-affirming and will make you damn happy

A special amount of love goes to this hot babe right here. I have known J.G. since I was 4 and we went to Pre-school in the Park together. I had not seen her since her wedding like 12 million years ago and then I got to see her and her beautiful family twice in Colorado in February. There is nothing better than hanging with an old friend. I am getting all misty-eyed thinking of it now. Seeing her was like seeing my sister, I even knew her Iphone security code without even thinking about it (freaky). I am hoping to sneak in another visit to see her before we leave Colorado.

Sayulita - Gringos in Golf Carts
We also exercised our passports and our god-given right to cheap tacos and Pacificos in Sayulita, Mexico. We went with Dave's awesome sister and her kids. These are some amazing well-behaved kids who will sit down for a meal and chat with adults, remarkable - I can barely do that and I had beers in front of me.

We stayed at Casa Brava in the loft, which I highly recommend for an in-shape couple - it is a tough walk up the hill to get to the house. Though, perhaps only a long-married couple should stay there (there is no door around the toilet area so nothing is left to the imagination). We got a great deal at Casa Brava and the loft is modern awesomemess, with a spectacular view and AC!

Get ready for crazy sunburns you white kids!

The waves were perfect for boogie boarding

Perhaps this is why we don't have kids

Debbie Downer's View: We have been going to Sayulita on and off for the last 10 years. Let's just say that while the place is fun, beautiful, and beachy - it has jumped the shark. I think that it has been officially declared "safe" by whatever American agency declares such things. Once the yoga studios and vegan restaurants move in (WTF I want carnitas), it is time for me to move out. And what is up with the golf carts that are there now? The town is only a few blocks long. The lengths to which Americans will go NOT to exercise astounds me.

And one last shot just because I miss these ladies so much and I love the big, generous hearts at this table.

Where Am I?

Hello from Utah! 

It has been quite a trip so far. In the last few weeks, I have been to Wyoming, Utah, Arizona, and Utah again. We have suffered through two car break-downs, dog barf dramas, and getting lost more times than I care to count, but I can't complain....... 

We have been mostly skiing the last few weeks, which is now my favorite thing in the world (after my dog Sammy, despite the barfing). Here is a summary in not-quite-sequential order:

Utah

We are trying to follow the snow, which I am learning is more luck than science. Have you all noticed this Ridiculously Resilient Ridge of high pressure that is totally cramping the west coast snow-train? The East Coast is totally getting feet and feet of MY SNOW. Jerks. However, we are making the best of it here in Utah with friends who visited from the Bay Area (see photo) - but the snow is looking pretty bleak. 

We are living out of the trunk of our car and sleeping in Dave's dad's basement - yes, I am serious. It feels like college again, but I am going to go with it.

This is the back of the car with all the essentials (booze, ski boots, avalanche gear, a stick of butter?, etc.)

Scottsdale

In any case, I also made it to Scottsdale to celebrate the gorgeous L.P.'s 40th birthday. There is no where in the world I would have rather been than celebrating with these ladies! I am so lucky to have them as friends - and what hotties they are!

Wyoming/Idaho

Wyoming and Idaho were super cool. While everyone knows that Jackson is poshy and nice, I really liked Driggs, Idaho - which is the town at the base of the Grand Targhee Resort. 

So when you ski on a Tuesday, you are pretty much sharing the resort with about 7 retired folks. The slopes are empty and the snow is all yours. AWESOME! I am not sure I can go back to the 45-minute-long weekend lines at Heavenly ever again.

Dave getting ready to ski/skin/hike in to the backcountry

Our view of the Tetons - beautiful 

We also went cross-county skiing along some trails in the Driggs area - see the handsome man in the photo above. They plow a lot of the fire roads for cross-country skiers. I could seriously get used to this.

We stayed at a rental called Thistle Dew, just north of Driggs (which I cannot recommend enough). I am hoping we will head back there again this winter because it was so awesome. 

Next

We are off to Colorado on Friday so hopefully the weather gods will be kind and bless us with fresh snow!

Love and kisses to y'all

Things I Learned About a Sabbatical

There Are Lots of Questions

We are getting loads of reactions to our little sabbatical plan.

From some peeps we get high-fives all around, which is reassuring and fun.

From others, we get the whole, "Really, you quit your jobs? Why the eff would you do that?"

One dude asked, "What is a sabbatical?" Seriously.

Others assume we are university professors or something, taking that sabbatical to write our novel or whatever. This tells me that we should possibly have another name for our adventure, but mid-career break sounds douchey. To be continued......we will think of something cool.


It Isn't All Fun
So we found renters for the house. This is a blessing and a curse. It is awesome because rents in Palo Alto are healthy and the cash will help fund our trip. It sucks because we have to clean and pack. We had to move all our personal crap out of the house to make room for the tenants. So guess what we have been doing for the past three days. Yay - cleaning and moving and packing.

I consider myself a minimalist to a fault, but where the eff did I get all this crap? I have more clothes and junk than you can imagine, like 3 bags of lotions, shampoos, and girl-shit (and I barely wear mascara). How did this happen?

This is as bad as packing for London. At least this trip is a few months and not a few years like London......


What's Next
We are off to Jackson Hole, Wyoming tomorrow. I have only been there in the summer. I cannot wait to see the snow on those mountains, because it is actually snowing there (unlike very much snow-free Tahoe). We are staying at the Cowboy Village Resort, which looks totally kick-ass.

I will report on the state of the snow as soon as we have our first day in the powder! Travel on friends.

Commence Sabbatical

Well......we did it. 

We both quit our jobs in order to start a few months of skiing, camping, surfing, learning new things, catching up with friends and family, considering our next career options, and generally messing about. 

Yes, you heard me. We quit perfectly good (actually great) jobs in Silicon Valley with amazing benefits to be ski-bums/hobos and sleep on people's couches and in our Vanagon.

Are you mad? Possibly. 

Or possibly, we were just plain burned out. You know that feeling where you get an email and it is almost torture to answer it, even the simple emails. Where every new project or meeting sounds tedious, rather than exciting? That was most definitely us, and it is not OK. We have been talking about taking break for a while and were finally inspired by this sabbatical Ted Talk featuring Stefan Sagmeister:

Mr. Sagmeister believes that the normal life trajectory (shown in that first bar in the diagram that follows) does not lead to happiness. The second bar, with breaks interspersed during your career and a later retirement, is more rational. This idea appealed to us given the lack of enthusiasm we were feeling in our careers. 
 

Before you all say, "well, that must be nice" - remember, we don't have kids. We figured we saved enough money (having never had to pay for daycare or save for college educations) for a few months off of a steady paycheck to simply enjoy our life and the fabulous people in it. Also, we are freaking in our 40s! If I don't learn to surf and ski like a pro now, when the hell am I ever going to get a chance. I think we are both cool with working a bit longer later in exchange for this time now when our knees are still strong and our bods are still hot (well, Dave at least:)).

Dave's freaky Elmo mask I am wearing for effect, WTF

We have both been off for about a month. How's it going? So far so good, Dave and I have:

• Spent a week in the Midwest with the family
• Traveled to Kauai for a wedding
• Camped down the coast from Big Sur to San Diego
• Enjoyed a week in Maui, just us
• Spent four days skiing

Before things really get into swing, there are still a few nagging practical considerations we need to deal with like:

• Car and junk storage
• Renting out the house
• Budgeting for the trip
• Health insurance (connecting healthcare to your employer is the dumbest thing ever, but I digress) 

So stay tuned.

Oh yeah - if anyone wants or knows someone that wants to rent a 2 bedroom/2 bathroom house in Palo Alto for 6 months to a year, let me know!

After a Delay - Parts 3 and 4

Part 3 - Avignon
OK so I am never going to find the time to describe Avignon, France as it should properly be described, especially now that I am back in the USA working full-time. Dammit.

Let's just say the South of France is better than the cliches - amazing, relaxing, loaded with history (Roman and Papal and otherwise), food and wine to make you want to never go home. One again, I will have to describe this place in pictures, and not just because I am lazy, but because the town is just so amazing.

We stayed at Maison Boussingault in the historic center of Avignon. I would definitely recommend this simple, cheap hotel. I can't even give a lot of restaurant recommendations because everywhere we ate was amazing, but we did really enjoy Le 26. Just stay away from the restaurants in the touristy bits of the town, and you'll be fine.

So here I am in Arles, a quick day trip from Avignon via train. Oh and Roman ruins in Arles will make you want to piss yourself they are so awesome. I didn't (piss myself, that is), but only because it was so UNSEASONABLY COLD while we were there. It was the SOUTH OF FRANCE in late MAY. I used caps to emphasize how pissed I was that it was the coldest spring in 100 EFFING YEARS in Europe. It was supposed to be in the 80s and it was maybe 60.

At the Roman coliseum in Arles, just redic, but cold.

Also we were detoxing from work stress, well Dave was. So there was a lot of wandering around the city of Avignon.

Villeneuve-lès-Avignon Market, don't effing tell me that cheese isn't awesome.

We carried SIX bottles of Champagne with us to Avignon from our trip to Champagne. Let's just say they were freaking heavy that some of them had to be sacrificed (consumed) before coming back to the USA. Here is a nice little bottle of Bryce accompanying our lunch picnic.

Cherries, berries, radis, cheese, bread, and faggots (meat sticks) = picnic perfection.

Oh guess what, there was drinking.

Also, castles and gorgeousness - come on.

And more drinking.

But hey, it wasn't all relaxing and drinking. We also did a 35K ride to Châteauneuf-du-Pape though vineyards and fields.......also along freeways, but we'll forget that part. The directions we received from the tourism office were in French. Luckily, I had been taking French for the 3 weeks prior to this trip while we were in Paris  - or else we might have ended up in Italy.

Fields of poppies everywhere.

This is where the Pope kept his wine during the Great Schism. Smart man.

Part 4 - Chicago and Tahoe
So we made it back to the States (should that be capitalized, hmmmm) from Europe. There were a few days in Chicago with family on the way back to Cali, most of which I don't remember because we were drinking the remains of all Champagne we didn't consume in Avignon.

There was also the Tahoe Relay!!!! After 2 years in London doing the occasional race where I knew NO ONE (and upon finishing, just went home), I cannot even express how amazing it was to run the last 200 yards of the race surrounded by the 13 women from our two relay teams. I ran the last leg and they were all there to run me into the finish. Blah, I am going to get all wishy-washy thinking about it.You ladies all rock!

Anyway, if you want to know more about the Tahoe Relay, Miss AT described the day way better than I could here.

Much love to the many friends that kept up with us. I may have a few post-London blogs up my sleeve, so stay tuned:).