After the morning ski we decided to mix it up and go for a hike before a writing session down in the flats. Fun to get out there on the rocks, without skis on, and enjoy the foothills.

Hiking in the foothills of Boulder is one of my favorite activities in April. The snow starts to get awfully variable up high, and the mountain biking trails are not quite clear yet…at least in Ned.

Lots of little and not so little caves here. Elaine checks one out.

The Flatirons cast a long shadow over the plains.

Kind of a funny story. This is the hike where it kind of all started for Elaine and I last January. We decided to go for a hike – as friends at the time – on January 3rd last year. Well, we couldn't stop chatting with each other and we just hit it off, but perhaps more telltale was that we both got jealous when we told the other one that we had been dating somebody else in December. Not overtly of course, but you could just tell. A month later, we were together. What can I say, it's been an awesome whirlwind.

My wife hanging out in the rocks.

This rock is all that stood between her and a thousand foot drop. No, you can't mountain bike in this area. Who really freaking cares?