Come up on the mountain, and be on the mountain

Breckenridge, Colorado: August 9th - August 15th.

It’s hard to write about spending time with good friends because there is so much history there, so much understood without explanation. Friends can laugh at old jokes, make up new ones, tell old stories that get funnier and funnier with time, share heartache, pray for one another, share hobbies, share dreams, and just be together in the same space with a comfortable silence that doesn’t require anything more than to be one’s own self. Long time friends have seen you through almost every phase of your life and still love you regardless. Time makes these relationships sweeter because you have grown through all that life has thrown at you, and have still decided to cling together and love.

We very much enjoyed all the time we were able to spend with Angie and Joe, regardless of time or location. We ate out in restaurants, walked along the river, walked along shops, gathered in the living room for meals, rode around in the car, and kept up on the Women‘s Gymnastics and Men‘s Swimming in the Olympics. When the boys would break off for some much needed fishing, the girls just continued with laughter, old memories, new stories, pedicures, hot chai tea, a soak in the hot tub, and plopped down just about anywhere for a talk.

The weather in Breckenridge was gorgeous and variable. The sun was warm, the breeze was cool, and the rain that sprinkled at least once a day only lasted 15 minutes at the most. On Monday, Dan and Melody decided to take the bike trail from Breckenridge to Frisco as recommended by Dave, Kathy and Rachel. It is was a gently rolling trail, mostly downhill until the last mile and a half. The distinct upward turn requires not only a down shift and standing up on the pedals, but eventually a stop on the side of the trail to catch your breath. Incline at altitude is almost criminal at first, but an iron will of determination to finish the course puts you back on the bike, back on the trail, and celebrating with a bagel and a protein drink at a bakery in Frisco. We made it! In the end, it was a good ride…22 miles total. A good soak in the hot tub was in order once we walked our bikes through the house to the back porch. Melody sat down out of breath with shaking legs. “You should stretch out”, Dan wisely advised. “I have to wait until I can stand back up”, was Melody’s smiling response.


One day as the boys went off to fish the “dream stream” (see details in the next blog), the girls headed to Vail. Melody did finally experience some altitude symptoms (slight claustrophobia mixed with dizziness and pre-fainting light-headedness), but thankfully they did not last long. She mentioned this to Angie just in the event that she would collapse. Angie made her use the handrails on the steps, and told her NOT to faint:) Walking slowly down the street, the girls reminisced about how the architecture reminded them of Ireland. The buildings were close together, flowers of all colors hung from each old fashioned lamp post, and people gathered in groups to window shop. The girls spent two weeks in Ireland when Melody’s sister, Heather, lived there with her husband Josh and baby Isaac. What fun that was! What memories!

In an internet café with a delicious banana, strawberry and chocolate crepe, Angie introduced Melody to the world of Facebook. This is a fascinating point of connection where people can actually write a profile, make comments, add pictures, and collect friends to keep up with. This process instantly throws you back into a myriad of memories of the people you see, yet confronts you with the time you have lost by showing you current pictures of people you haven‘t seen in years. What an advanced and addictive new habit this could be!

As we strolled the streets of Vail, we posed with bronze statues, snapped pictures, admired all the flowers, watched people, and took in the sights and sounds. We noticed girls tugging at their clothes, young boys running to jump on one another’s backs, couples holding hands, children riding bikes, and teens skateboarding. As evening approached, we walked a curvy path of fine gravel along the river back to the parking lot. Soon, we were on the way home to see how the boys did fishing, and to eat the delicious pot roast that had been simmering in the slow cooker all day.

It’s always hard to say goodbye. We dragged out the last day as long as possible, and parted with the promise to get Joe fitted for some Orvis waders when they come back home to visit soon.