To Do List

Cross it off.  The Maroon Bells near Aspen, Colorado.  These mountain peaks are some of the most photographed in the world, yet two Colorado natives had never been there.  The boyfriend and I were excited to set out for a quiet weekend, just the two of us in the mountains.  We left Saturday after my last long run before my marathon on June 3 in San Diego and headed to Aspen.  I hadn't been in the mountains since I went to closing weekend in Vail and all the way up I questioned why there was so much time between trips. 

With the help of one of my old coworkers, I made a Country Music Playlist for the boyfriend and it got us all the way to the Bells.  After a picnic at the trail head, we headed out to see what all the fuss was about... they are worth the fuss.  We took off on each of the three trails around the Maroon Bells, it took us about 3 hours total to get it all in.  However, we were constantly stopping to look around, take pictures and just enjoy the mountains.  For a popular spot on a holiday weekend, we didn't run into that many people but I decided I want to come back, next time with a fishing pole and a tent.  We made it to the lake at the top, Carter Lake... this is the last spot along a trail coming in from Snowmass... yes, I will be back.

After I decided I had enough of the wind, I apparently have a 3 hour tolerance, we went to our hotel for the night in Historic Redstone, CO.  Loved it.  Loved the Crystal River, the green trees, the historic room, the 1920s bar... perfect.  We would spend the rest of the weekend taking in the sites around Redstone, including Marble, CO where the marble for the Lincoln Monument was mined.  I got to try out my new fly rod for the first time... in the wind.  The boyfriend caught a fish, I just saw a ton of snakes.  But I love it.  Putting on the waders, boots and trying to walk around in the water.  I really don't care if I ever catch a single fish.  I love watching the boyfriend do something he enjoys so much, that is fun enough for me.

It had been awhile since I could cross something off the list... I can't wait to cross off the next item.

Concert Season

Concerts.  Concerts were my addiction from the age of 16 until I moved to Texas at 22.  I joked around that I worked to support my concert habit, I would sometimes go to 3 shows a week during peak times.  Coming home I have been reminded of that addiction.  I believe that Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, CO is one of the top venues in the world to see a concert.  Add that place with the many tiny Colfax venues located within walking distance of my house and I find myself having a hard time turning concerts down.

Before I took off to Vietnam I saw Snow Patrol on Friday night and Black Keys on Tuesday night.  Both groups have been in my life for awhile, so I thought I should see what they are about live.  I loved the Black Keys.  If you ever have a chance to see them, do.  It started to make me think, what are the top 5 concerts I have ever seen.... I think it goes a little something like this in no particular order:

5.  Goldfinger - Ogden Theatre (1999)

4.  Korn - Red Rocks (2003)

3.  Mumford and Sons - Fillmore Auditorium (2011)

2.  Outkast - Fiddlers Green (2000)

1.  Metallica - Mile Hi Stadium (2002)

I am heading to see the Civil Wars tonight and then Of Monsters and Men on Monday... yay concert season in Colorado!  

Jet Legged

It has been very slow getting back into the swing of things since we returned from Vietnam.  It was great to come home and couple days later find out one of my amazing friends was engaged to her amazing boyfriend... so that helped distract me from the constant state of tired.  The trip was amazing.  It was crazy to experience something like Asia with two new travel buddies, an old coworker and a new boyfriend.  But we made it work and hopefully everyone got what they were looking for in the trip.  I know I did.  Leave it to me to buy a book like Hot, Flat and Crowded for my first trip to a developing country.  We had some great stories, adventures, saw some amazing things and I headed home with mixed emotions.

Morgan the World Traveler

I have always wanted to go to Asia and slowly Vietnam made it to the top of my list.  I headed to the north to see some more "laid back" places in the country.  I saw islands, mountains, beaches and crazy cities where you spent most of your time playing Frogger with the motorbikes.  I instantly sat down to street food upon my arrival, traveled by boat, plane and train to get around... it was everything I wanted to do in Asia.  I was fortunate to be able to do it with some great people. 

We started out in Hanoi

Where we quickly got used to the traffic

Headed out to Ha Long Bay for an overnight boat excursion

Took an overnight train to Hue

Enjoyed the sites before we took the day train to Da Nang

Enjoyed our private beach for the day - China Beach

Enjoyed the night streets of Hoi An by foot

Motorbike by day- Hoi An

Took a plane back to Hanoi for some water puppets

Morgan the Environmentalist

I wanted to see alot of the areas we went to because of all the natural wonder that I read about.  By the second night I had a bad reaction to the diesel fumes and found it hard to breathe and my skin broke out in tiny red dots.  It was a reminder that the Asian countries are trying to achieve the "American" lifestyle the same way we did... with cheap fossil fuels.  We could see the trash as we kayaked in Ha Long Bay and noticed constant smell of fumes on the train.  It was great to get out to the quieter towns of Da Nang and Hoi An to enjoy what this country was before the increase in oil prices and the industrial revolution in Asia.  It was hard to imagine this place in 50 years.

Morgan the American

Everytime I travel abroad, I meet my European counterparts who remind me how much time they have off to travel and how Americans work too hard.  Yep, we were only there for 8 days... doesn't sound like much when you meet people who have 9 weeks or a year... but I was thankful to make it.  It was also weird to be in a country where Americans lost a recent war.  The people were really friendly for the most part, but sometimes I got nervous and wondered...

Morgan Back Home

I am still trying to catch up on my sleep and finish my environmental book.  But I still love the boyfriend and I still love the old coworker... I can cross Asia off my list.  I wonder if I will make it back someday, but for now I look forward to San Diego, Dallas and London.  Something about traveling that I just love.  And I love having someone to do it with.

In 'Nam

I can't really explain it.  I once read an article about how Vietnam is a country where communism works, a country that has vast terrain and fish farms.  I was sold.  Fish farms?  I have to see this.  And for some reason I have never taken this Asian country, that so many people associate with the War, off my bucket list.  We fly into Hanoi, the capital, for sure I will travel to Ha Long Bay... past that?  để cho các cuộc phiêu lưu bắt đầu