We live IN Colorado, but are not truly OF Colorado

Saturday on the Front Range in November can be a tricky beast. Sometimes it is miserable, cold, and windy. Other days, it is sunny and in the mid 70's. This past weekend was the latter, and we would simply not allow ourselves to stay indoors.

Since Kate and Mark agreed with us, and we haven't been climbing with them in a while, a Saturday morning plan was forged to go to Table Rock Mountain, above Golder, to get some sport routes in. As it is a (relatively) close formation to the greater Denver area, and being we arrived just before noon on a Saturday, there was plenty of company on the walls once we finally got to the top of the approach.


The day was incredibly sunny, and immeasurably hot on the top. An hour into the day, though, some incredibly prescient clouds moved over the direct sunlight and turned the day into a near-perfect environment.

Mark began the day with a lead up (what we think) was a 5.10a called Chunkey Monkey. Mark made quick work of the boulder-tastic start with own shoe of his own and one of mine. (He managed to only pack one for the day. whoops.) Once Mark came down and bestowed my right foot back to me, i took off on a lead of the route next door, which i now believe with the help of Mountain Project is called Honey I Shrunk The Hemorrhoids. It was a fairly easy, but pretty runout 5.7 with a fun sequence between the 3rd and 4th bolt.

From the top of Hemorrhoids, mark hung a top rope on the route next door, Unknown 5.9. Mark then proceeded to call dibs, and took another rope up with him on the first unkown and hung our second rope on Unkonwn2, 5.10. I took the first turn on #2, and it proceeded to be an interesting arete system with sparse - but good - holds that completely gassed me by the end. Everyone got 3 or 4 climbs in and we managed to find our cars again no later than 5 o clock. Liz and i dialed up Greg and Christina and went for Irish Pub fair before spending the night at their place in Aurora.

The fact of the matter, and of this post, is that we are actually midwesterners who just happen to be masquerading as Colorado people. Sure, we drive a subaru, like to rock climb and are (well, I am) totally geeked about the ski season, but we can't deny our flatlander roots: state college themed football games. At Wash Park in Denver last Sunday was the 4th annual Big Ten Alumni Flag Football tournament, and we were there. Brian and another old college buddy Josh met us in the morning, and while the three of us prepped in green liz went and met her fellow Hoosiers. All schools were represented - except for Illinois and Minnesota.


Michigan State was victorious in it's first game against.. you guessed it, Indiana. So, since all of our friends were on the field we have no pictorial evidence of this monumental meeting. MSU went up next against Iowa, and couldn't convert our 4th and goal with 5 seconds to go in the second half... it was quite dramatic.

We all played three games, and were heartily reminded why we are all getting older and do not play flag football at all. Liz felt very creaky today, and my sides were not too happy either. But both days were fantastic ways to spend a sunny weekend. (all the football action is over here!)