The last few weeks have been a whirlwind. Friends and family in Texas treated us to the longest and most celebrated goodbye in history - parties, dinners, family lock-ins, surprise visits from old friends and more hugs than we could handle. Between epic meals and hangovers, we packed our lives into a 10'x16' mobile storage unit, dropped cars off in family driveways and headed to Denver on July 2, 2012. After a quick shuttle ride and about nine flights of stairs, we treated ourselves to a delicious Greek dinner with Brendan's brother Jamie and his lovely girlfriend Lili. Twelve hours later, we were in Boulder, hitching a ride to Crested Butte with our friends Ryan and Jacque, their two dogs, Oliver and Murphy, and a car full of luggage containing everything from dog beds to malaria medication.

The 4-hour drive delivered on everything a Colorado road trip promises - beautiful scenery, quaint towns, winding mountain passes and a noticeable shortage of bathrooms. TIP - take advantage of rest stops and gas stations while you can when driving though the mountains in CO! We arrived accident free at the first official stop on our tour, Crested Butte, Colorado, in time to grab a quick shower and a meal with the family (Jim and Annie) before heading to Brendan's Eleven Year High School Reunion. The event was hosted by the class below him who was throwing their more traditional Ten-Year Reunion, but, in true Crested Butte form, everyone was invited. We caught up with friends, survived a near bat attack, turned down roadkill BBQ and moved on to the town's local bar, The Talk of the Town, to officially kick off the trip.

We continued the celebration the next morning at the annual Fourth of July parade. Watching a small-town parade in arguably one of the most beautiful places in America is definitely an experience worth having. It can turn even the biggest cynic into a hot-dog eating, flag-waving American. Speaking of hot dogs and flag waving, the post-parade-picnic at the Starr residence included a town hall meeting of sorts with Senator Michael Bennet. Definitely a first for us, but we were very impressed by the Senator's accessibility and candidness. And, the hot dogs were a hit. The night ended without fireworks (burn bans prohibited them in CB), but all-in-all, it was a great day. Happy birthday America.

We attempted to use the next few days to shift focus from celebrating (a.k.a. drinking and staying out late) to the best of what CB has to offer - outdoor activities. On day one of the "new us," we hiked for about 7 miles (24,400 steps, thanks to Brendan's Nike Fuel Band) across Woodwalk, Budd Trail and Lower Loop. Then, we rewarded ourselves with drinks, dinner and a return trip to The Talk. Day (and try) 2, we met up with friends, Eric and Melissa, and hiked up Scarp's Ridge, about 20 minutes outside of Crested Butte. While much shorter than our previous hike (only 10,300 steps), the Scarp's Ridge hike puts flat landers to shame with it's steep inclines. The payoff in the end is well worth it though - with 360 degree views of some of Colorado's most beautiful and famous mountains. If the closing scene from The Sound of Music included four members of the Von Trapp family doubled over trying to catch their breath, it would be our hike. Apparently it takes two weeks to fully acclimate to the altitude, so we'll have to try again later to test the theory. And, in the meantime, we'll keep hiking, biking and gettin' fit.