Hiking the Incline

Yesterday was a pretty amazing day. Though it didnt start too awesome, I couldn't have asked for a better ending.

I started the day by heading to a public art project on a certain Dale Street. So I drug myself 4 miles to end up on a random corner with and a thrift shop. Turned out I went to the wrong Dale Street. Tired and agitated, I went to Manitou.

At Manitou I was cheered up by games of hackeysack and awesome street music. Also Tattor came by and gave me an enthusiastic hello only Tattor could give. While I was relaxing by the soda springs, I was presented with an invitation to hike a mountain by none other than the girl with the ukelele, Marisa and her friends.

So I met Marisa, her friends Kinsey, Ginny, and Daniel met under a stormy Colorado sky. I became more acquantied with Kinsey and Daniel in a alternative t-shirt store as we waited for the storm to pass (having musicles of steel means lightning is more condusive...) Turns out Daniel was actually a senior at the Air Force Academy also majoring in mechanical engineering, which I thought was pretty cool.

After about 20 minutes we headed up a trail called the "Incline". The Incline was an old railroad that literally went staight up the mountain at like a 70 degree angle. The ties were then converted to steps to be used as a trail for tourists and really athletic people who want to tourists to see how in-shape they are. So we clambored up the mountain slowly but surely, to be rewarded with a view straight out of national geographic. From the top, one could see the foothills of the mountains gradually flatten into an expansive prairie, while the shadows of giant cumulus clouds dotted the vast landscape. To the other side, one found beautiful rounded boulders balancing on the mountainside amidst blankets of dark green evergreens. Truly beautiful. After about 15 min, we headed back down.

As we headed down a switch back trail on the other side, Daniel abruptly stopped and peered down the mountain. As I approached I saw a smooth, steep path of gravel going straight down the mountain. He asked me if I wanted to slide, and to protect my honor, I followed him surfing straight down the mountain and clamboring down drops offs invisible from the normal trail. It was excellent.

Finally Daniel and I joined the girls at the foot of the trail, and we headed to Burger King for 50 cent ice cream cones. So I got to meet 3 new people, one from the Air Force Academy with my same major, and talk with Marisa again. So a huge thanks to Marisa for introducing me to her peeps and being a familiar face!

At the top of the incline

 From left to right: Daniel, Kinsey, Marisa, Ginny, and Jonathan (AKA muscles)