Getting high.

Last week, Jesse and I flew to Denver, Colorado to visit our dear friend Amy. We bought our plane tickets nearly a month early so by the time we actually flew out there, we were more than excited. Now, I have loved the Appalachian mountains as long as I can remember. My dad used to take me hiking and camping up there since before I could walk. The rolling, misty, mountains have always intrigued me.

One minute they are shrouded in fog, and the next minute they are bright and vibrant. However, the Rocky mountains are a completely different beast.
Their daunting peaks and sheer cliffs have challenged and attracted people from all over the world to conquer them. Along with the lure of the mountains, Denver is known for it’s health, vitality, and “granola” culture.

Friday morning, Jesse and I rode the bus into town and wandered up and down the streets of downtown Denver. One of the first things we noticed was a protest going on in Civic Center Park in front of the Capital building called “Occupy Denver”. We asked a small, shriveled old man what the protest was about and he responded, “well, it is just a bunch of kids with nothing better to do than complain about the government!”. The next question I had was, “well then why are you a part of it?”. He answered right back, “I have nothing better to do than complain about the government!”.


Downtown Denver was unlike any city I’ve ever been too. Every time you turned around there was someone riding a bike, running, or walking their dog. Parks and natural food grocery stores were as common as gas stations. People in the shops, buildings, and on the street would greet you every chance they got. In fact, I don’t think I ran into a single rude person in all of Denver.

This was rather shocking... sometimes people give me a dirty looks when I order an extra-hot-grande-café-misto-with-protein-and-sugar-free-caramel-and-vanilla-syrup from Starbucks.


One of the highlights of our trip was climbing the Red Cone Mountain. Our original intention was to climb the fourteener “Grays and Torries”. However, a native of Colorado advised us to steer clear. The crowds were thick and the pathway was paved. Lame, right? He recommended and gave us directions to a secluded 13,000ft mountain called St. Edwards. We thanked him and headed out the next morning at 8 am to begin our adventure(ignoring his advice to buy a map of the area). Real adventures don’t start with maps anyways. Three hours later… we ended up in the middle of nowhere. Literally. We did not know where we were. We spotted a dirt road and followed another car to a small clearing filled with other cars and hikers.

After asking a fellow hiker where we should go, we selected a pathway that would supposedly lead us to “Beaver Gorge?”. Who knows. The pathway took us through woods, creeks, snow, fields, and rocks before we reached the tree line and caught sight of the tip of the mountain. As I climbed, I felt an intense pressure on the center of the top of my head. My ears started ringing. I even started seeing spots at one point. Maybe running wasn’t such a good idea… it was as if the mountain was trying to discourage me from climbing it. The peak right front of me was so close I could almost touch it.

Once I got to the top, the view took over. Literally. The pressure on my head, the ringing, and the spots disappeared. The overwhelming beauty of what God has made never fails to astound me.

More to come!

Dynamite, bikes, and coloring books

The wind is blowing. You know what that means. Cold weather is right around the corner. Or if you are anything like me, it is already here. Yesterday I went on a bike ride out to Six Mile. As I was rode directly into the wind, every push of the pedal required a little extra force to battle the invisible force of nature. I silently complained to myself, “why does riding have to be so hard today? This hurts. I am tired. Maybe I need a break…”

Once I got out to Six Mile, I turned onto a road called “Belle Shoals”. By now the wind was to my back. The difference was night and day. I went from struggling with every push of the pedal, to effortlessly gliding through the beautiful countryside. To my right, the view consisted of bright green pastures and houses. To my left, rolling green farmland was framed by the breathtaking backdrop of the Appalachian mountains. The bright sun and crisp air made the colors so bold that I could practically taste them. It was simply invigorating. I drew a deep breath of air and sped up to 30 mph. As the speed picked up beneath me, I realized that it is moments like these that I feel alive and closest to my Father in heaven. Eric Liddell put it well when he said:

“I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure”

Heaven is going to be awesome.

After my bike ride, I met up with my dad for coffee and conversation. We talked about his work, family, my plans for next fall, and our faith. It was so nice to finally get a chance to catch up with him. Every time I go home, there is so much going on and so many family members to catch up with. It is not often that I get to have long conversations with my dad during the school year.

Before I knew it, an hour and half had passed by and I was going to be late for a “Melo-Velo” meeting. I drove over to Excel and sat down with a group of ten or so people to discuss cycling in the community. Watch out people. Big things are about to happen in Clemson.


After the meeting, I came back to my apartment to find it lit up with lights, crafts, girls, and colors. My lovely roommate Kristen Kelly hosted an RUF girls craft night. Everyone brought as many crayons, markers, thread, paper, tape, glue, and whatever else they could think of, to make crafts with. The whole place was an explosion of color. Of course, any time girls plan something fun, the boys think it is necessary to join in as well. It was not long before several guys from RUF showed up on their bicycles. One by one, they lined the bikes up on the railing outside of the apartment. I must say, it was a sight to see.

Later on in the evening, my other roommate Audrey and I left to go rent the movie Bridesmaids. It just so happens that we are both suckers for chick flicks... especially ones that are wedding-related. On our way, her car gave out. Fortunately we were not far from my apartment so I ran back, got my car, and drove to the gas station. While at the gas station, I somehow ran into about fifteen old friends. Have you ever had a dream where random friends pop up in the most unlikely places? That’s kind of how it felt. Anyways. Using my highly polished ehem persuasion skills, I managed to convince the gas attendant to let me take the convenience store’s gas can… for free. The rescue was successful and Audrey and I eventually made it back to the apartment. Later on, we found out that her car's battery had died. Oh well.


The next morning, I came down to find Disney Princess pictures posted on the walls. It was easy to distinguish the guy’s pictures from the girls. Cinderella had laser beams coming out of her eyes, was stepping in a plate of spaghetti, and there was dynamite hooked up to a bunny rabbit.

I know.