In which I take photos from the road, and hurt myself otherwise

[kimberkit]

It's been three days since we've been in Colorado, and in that time, I have learned several things. Amongst lessons learned:

Colorado is very pretty.






This is the view out our window in the morning:



Driving around all by myself is actually pretty nice. I used to be such a nervous control freak about driving, but gorgeous scenery is a good way to not mind it so much.

I'm still not quite adjusted to the time difference, so I've been getting up at sunrise and driving around, pulling over and taking shots as it strikes me:







Sadly, Neil and I both get altitude sick. Apparently, oxygen is important. Photos of puking not included.



Target has everything! It is so weird for this New York girl to walk into a place and be able to do lots of shopping all in one place. I'd forgotten a swim suit, and I was able to pick one up when no other store had them around, and Neil got khakis, milk, orange juice, shampoo, mosquito repellant, and goggles. All in one swoop! Also, this was the view outside of Target our first evening:





Taking photos out a car window while in the passenger seat is totally doable, even if you're going 65 mph. (We went to a hot springs a few hours away on our second day, and I caught a bunch of interesting sights then.)

Shots out the car window:








... and shots I made Neil and Neil's parents pull over for:





You need special shoes to go hiking up a 14,000 foot mountain. It gets a little steep and knees and ankles are likely to twist and go out from underneath you otherwise. Also, I am out of shape like wow. (Photos from this part of today to come.)

Comments

[g-me.livejournal.com]

Yes, colorado is beautiful! As are your photos. Keith and I went to colorado on our honeymoon. And we had a similar experience with walmart as you had with target, because I too had forgotten my bathing suit. :-)

[firaela.livejournal.com]

So close to Arizona, and yet ... so different! I need to go hiking as soon as it cools off a bit. I've been told there's amazing hiking around here in all the rocky craggy deserty places. =)

[kimberkit.livejournal.com]

There is! Arizona hiking can be stunning.

[zaofan.livejournal.com]

My jaw literally dropped when I looked at some of those photos. Beautiful doesn't begin to describe them. Hope it was worth the altitude sickness and hiking pains to get them. :)

[kimberkit.livejournal.com]

Thank you! That is really sweet, and you are a pretty mean photographer yourself, so it means a lot.

As for the photos, they and Colorado are of course worth some sickness, though:
(1) Next time, we pack canned oxygen and start eating vitamin B-12 to build more red blood cells first
(2) Apparently the hiking trail we chose was rated "most strenuous," so it's actually not that I am the lamest hiker in the world, but that the trail was just very hard =) Next time, we research our hikes first, rather than listening to someone tell us that climbing a 14K mountain is a good idea.

[kizlj.livejournal.com]

so pretty!

[kimberkit.livejournal.com]

Aww, thanks :)

[galorette.livejournal.com]

Ah, Amazing! You have such a great eye for light!
I haven't been to Colorado, but it's definitely on the list!
(.. me, I hike everything in running shoes - I've gone so many trail miles in that kind of footwear, that I'm just more comfortable in them. Of course, I don't know what the other side is like because I've never owned hiking boots...)

Your outside-Target photo reminds me of Wenatchee (sp?), WA. It had these gorgeous mountains and golden-chaparral foothills all around, but the town in the valley was the wildest and tackiest place. Lots of these crazy, 60s-looking indie fast-food joints, with huge tall bright signs and shiny aluminum siding. At the time I was so taken with the horror of that being on the landscape that I didn't get the camera out and revel in the incongruity and irony. If I could do it over...

[kimberkit.livejournal.com]

You have a pretty spiffy eye too :) Much of it is location -- I haven't lifted a camera in months, and the place just inspires the urge to take pretty photos.

(Also, weirdly, Target is actually built very tastefully in this town. It's the strangest thing.)

[xclamationpt.livejournal.com]

looks like home to me. :) glad you enjoy my pretty state.

[kimberkit.livejournal.com]

Hey, I had no idea you were from there -- so jealous!