Tag Archives: travel

An Unexpected Visit from Wild and Wonderful Old Man Winter

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An Unexpected Visit from Wild and Wonderful Old Man Winter

We drove up to Breckenridge last weekend, expecting wonderful weather and golden-hued fall color. I couldn’t believe it when the snow began to fly as we approached the Eisenhower Tunnel. I had wondered when Old Man Winter would pay us a visit, but I figured he might wait until the middle of October.

Only a day after the official start of autumn, he surprised us.

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I have been predicting an early winter. I’m gifted and talented in that way. There’s a slant to the light and the birds have been flocking together for weeks now. The perennials died back early, I’ve never seen so many owls hunt during the day, and the squirrels have been in hyper-drive. What does that have to do with an early winter? I have no idea. I’m not even an amateur meteorologist. Someone told me pinecones packed high on the tops of trees indicate a cold, snowy winter. YES! Must be a Farmer’s Almanac thing. Why would trees do that? Maybe if there is a megaton of snow, the pinecones won’t get buried and rot in the spring melt. Who knows? I’m ready for snow.

Wonder why I’m excited? This photo says it all…

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Yep. Those are ski runs in the hills out yonder.

It melted today (moan), but I think the Old Man is lurking. I bet there will be more surprises on the horizon. Winter will arrive early this year.

Are you ready for winter? Has the Old Man surprised your neighborhood yet?

It’s Not too Late for a Weekend Getaway Like This One!

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It's not too late for an end of summer getawayThink summer is slipping away? It is. Mental lists of activities planned for the summer will fade as days shorten and cooler air rolls in. It can be stressful to think about fall if you haven’t enjoyed your summer. You might think it’s too late for a weekend getaway.

I stressed out about two weeks ago. I had made a list of everything I wanted to do this summer and then conquered less than half of it. The list was written on a note. It must have gotten tossed out with the morning paper. Been there?

One activity stuck in my mind. I wondered if it could recapture summer. There was only one way to find out.

My son, Kelly, moved to Burbank, California and has been attending Icon Music Production School since July. He’s heading home between quarters, but I thought a beach trip might be just what I need to get my end of summer fix.

With less than two weeks before leaving, I wondered if the flights would be astronomical. I booked roundtrip flights to LAX for $140 through Southwest. Whoa! My daughter, Courtney, joined me.

I used VRBO (Vacation Rental By Owner) and booked a place in Venice Beach. I’ve rented many through the years, but poor location, lack of air-conditioning, hard beds and pillows can add up to a not-so-great experience. I’m usually pretty lucky.

This one was the bomb. Super modern and a few blocks from Abbot Kinney, I wanted to move in permanently. We were more than pleased.

We spent a lot of time on the beach. Being landlocked, I appreciate the rhythmic thrum of the waves breaking on shore, the sandy beaches and am always awed by the ocean.

I had seen The Easy Lay on The List and bought one on the beach two days later!

Plan a Weekend Getaway

It’s as comfortable as it looks.

We ate like Kings and Queens at Killer Shrimp, Water Grill and brunch at The Tasting Kitchen. It was hard not to overeat.

Killer Shrimp

It’s a good thing we visited. I walked into Kelly’s apartment and it looked the same as when I left. He and his roommates hadn’t bought any furniture for the living room or kitchen. There was no place to eat or sit down.

A trip to IKEA was in order. For just under $500, we bought a sleeper couch, table and four chairs, a side chair and a coffee table. Thank you IKEA!

Two guys and a woman in front of IKEA with furniture boxes

I hope everything is out of boxes and put together by the time I need another summer fix around November. UPDATE: Three more chairs to go. Yes!

The best part of my end of summer getaway? Hanging out with my kids!

Collage of Lindau family on vacation in Santa Monica

Yes, I recaptured summer and just in time. It’s not too late for you. Check something off your list.

What’s on your end of summer list? Where would you go to getaway? Have you used VRBO or AirBnB?

How I learned to fly!

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wanderlust yoga festival learning to fly

I learned how to fly. I let go. I trusted. I flew by being, not doing.

Yesterday, I returned from Wanderlust Yoga Festival in a peaceful state of bliss, feeling renewed, refreshed and very sore. From meditation to slack lining, this four day adventure blew my mind.

I had worried about my first class, acroyoga, mentioned in my last blog post. As I sat among sixty others waiting to become fliers, I wondered how my mending body would perform. Partial knee and broken wrist notwithstanding, I hoped I had the strength. I wasn’t worried about my own body crashing as much as face planting someone else. My mind jumped from doubt to regret that I hadn’t worked out enough. I worried my body wasn’t strong enough. That I wasn’t enough. As I sat under blue skies with the breathtaking mountains in the backdrop, my heart raced and my palms perspired.

Our instructor said we couldn’t fly without one, three letter word. Yet. We couldn’t fly, yet. He said we would all fly by the end of the class.

No way, I thought.

How did we practice? Through grounding trust exercises. We would have partners and had to learn to let go.

Looking back, this was the perfect class to start the festival.

supporting a flyer

That’s me on the bottom as the support system.

So much of the festival was about letting go. Letting go of the same negative thoughts. Letting go of old wounds. Freeing our minds to create space for new thoughts to grow. Learning to listen so we could trust our soul to guide us along the way.

Did I fly? In many ways, yes, I did. Old wounds both mental and physical reopened, so they could be released.

Was is painful? Yes! I was close to tears for three days. On the fourth, I felt stronger, lighter, happier. When I came to Whistler, I had planned to solve problems by doing. When I left, I had made a decision. Being and letting life happen was enough. My body was enough. I was enough.

I could fly!

flying high in acroyoga
Have you ever gone on an adventure that changed you in some way? Would you consider going to Wanderlust? Do you want to open your mind to new ideas?

Warning! Wanderlust Adventure Ahead

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practicing yoga in tree pose near a pond for WanderlustWhen my daughter, Courtney, asked if I’d be interested in going to Wanderlust, I said, “Sure!” I’m always up for traveling, but had no idea what she was talking about. Last week, she sent me a video of a class we’ll be taking. I laughed until I cried.

I hope no one gets hurt…

Wanderlust – Whistler 2016, is a four-day yoga festival that includes everything from the obvious, (yoga) and meditation to paddle-boarding, hiking and rocking out to DJs at night. I signed up. After all this isn’t my first yoga rodeo.

In seventh grade, I took a class as an elective at Our Lady Queen of Peace. I was hooked. I loved the relaxed atmosphere and how it slowed my active mind. I continued my interest through college. For a few years after having kids, I took a class poolside at a beautifully landscaped Boulder home. When the sessions became more aerobic than meditative, I dropped out.

It has been a few years since I’ve really been into yoga. With wrist and knee issues, I recently attended a few classes in Boulder to test my body. With a pad under my knees, I could do everything, in restorative, gentle yoga, anyway.

I thought I was good to go.

Courtney instructed me to sign up for all of the classes on her schedule, so I blindly clicked away. Last week, she sent me an email and asked if I had read the class descriptions. Of course not. I rarely read instructions.

One of the classes we’re taking is Acrovinyasa. She sent this video and I laughed until I cried.

We’ll be partners. I assume I’ll be on the bottom. I just watched the video again and it still cracks me up. Think of me spinning around like a top next Thursday. Ha! Still laughing.

My husband, Danny, is coming with us. His yoga themed bad dad jokes have been hitting me in waves. He is running two 5Ks as part of the event and will go on a hike, but he also signed up for a couple of yoga classes. There is hope. I think I’ll buy him that guy’s bandana. Could be a good look for him since he’s planning on walking around town with a cross-body yoga mat and a water bottle. Ha!

I’m really looking forward to the classes, especially the ones involving positivity and opening up the mind to creativity. I truly believe writers, musicians, and artists get into a creative flow that seems to come out of nowhere. It’s why I write with a vague idea of my plot points and could never use an outline. Whenever I concretely think about what should happen next in my book, I go into “deer in the headlights.” Instead, I imagine the characters and setting, and the scene rolls in my head like a movie.

Wanderlust should be a mind bender. I hope my body bends too. I can’t afford any breakage.

Don’t worry, Courtney and Danny will take lots of pictures. Remember, I have no shame.

More Wild Rider adventures.

Follow me on Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter. It’s always a Wild Ride!

Are you into yoga? Have you been to Whistler or Vancouver? Is Acroyoga for you?

Solid Gold Summer Sunsets and What Lies Beneath

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Solid gold summer sunset at Malibu Beach

There is nothing more breathtaking than a solid gold summer sunset. Malibu Beach provided an amazing foreground for an unforgettable night. As the sun dipped lower on the horizon, I left my seat in The Sunset Restaurant, kicked off my shoes and snapped a few photos.

Solid gold summer sunset in Malibu

It was one of those magical nights when the color glinted off the waves. That’s when I noticed a few heads bobbing in the ocean. Wasn’t it feeding time?

Golden sunset at Malibu Beach

It made me think of a year ago when I watched another beach …on a movie screen.

Da dum.

Da dum.

Da dum.

Dadumdadumdadumdadum… Jaws at the pool. What a blast, but it freaked swimmers out. Soon very few heads bobbed in the water while watching the film.

jaws at the pool

I spoke with my mom while on my epic road trip. When I mentioned my son, Kelly, was surfing, she expressed concern about a rash of shark attacks. After some surfing of my own, I learned less than 1 shark death a year occurs in the United States and an average of 19 bites. I couldn’t find any news about shark attacks. Then I had a thought.

IT WAS SHARK WEEK!

Have you been enjoying the summer sunsets? Have you watched Jaws? Would you go swimming in the ocean at sunset?

Click here for more Wild Adventures!

Area 51, Where Are You?

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We continued our Epic Road Trip and drove through the desert. I expected temperatures to soar as we approached Death Valley. I mean, it’s the scorched valley of death and hell on Earth to all who enter, right? I had packed two gallons of water, just in case. Come on. I was a Girl Scout back in the day.

We found the world’s tallest thermometer.

world's tallest thermometer

Bummer. It was 10:00 AM and a cool 106! Temperatures in Las Vegas hit 112 degrees the day before. I’m sure it warmed up by afternoon, but we didn’t stick around to find out.

As Danny filled up the gas tank, he spotted an interesting shop across the street. A jerky store. Our son is a huge fan, so we had to check it out.

We weren’t the only ones who stopped. I didn’t know Area 51 was so close to Vegas.

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Did you know about the Galaxy Peace Patrol? They work for the Interplanetary Galactic Federation, of course.

Aliens have landed

I took my time while approaching the vehicle. You never know…

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Wait. What?

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I jumped a mile when the aliens moved in the front seat. They did! REALLY!

I had my doubts, but a new friend tried to slip a dollar in anyway.

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It wouldn’t take her money. I think the aliens will be around for a while.

When we hit the road, I suddenly felt like an alien invasion had taken place.

area 51 where are you

Will I survive this Wild Ride? Stay tuned for more of my Epic Road Trip.

The Epic Road Trip Chronicles:

Ready for a Wild Ride?

Epic Road Trip

The Epic Road Trip Continues

The Epic Road Trip Continues

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We were on an epic road trip. The gap between our car and our son’s began to close. He and his posse had an earlier start and were a couple hours ahead, but pulling a trailer has its way of slowing a car down. They were only 25 miles ahead.

We could catch up.

We watched for Uhauls while driving 85 MPH. Then I made a call. We had passed Kelly’s girlfriend! She had pulled over at mile marker 91 and filled up at an Arco station. We were already in the 70s. Whoa! We couldn’t believe it. Kelly and his friend, who would be his roommate in Burbank, had flown down the road, ahead of us by thirty minutes.

We missed them.

Dang.

Then we learned they would take a pit stop before heading to California. There was still a chance.

We hoped to meet them….

Viva la road trip

in a truly Wild place.

the strip

A place where all kinds of epic adventures happen.

cool architecture

Las Vegas.

We wound our way through a casino. They were in another building.

The Hard Rock Cafe

We headed back into the 112 degree heat and ducked inside the Paris.

We found him!

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Vegas is crazy. I made a list of my sensory overload, but it was waaaaaay too long. After a night at The Luxor, we hit the road again.

I had forgotten about Area 51 and its proximity to Las Vegas… That would explain everything.

There’s a lot more to come on our epic road trip. It has just begun…