7 Falls...Milestone Stairs! September 23, 2011

I have climbed 2 sets of stairs in my lifetime that were exhausting. The first was at Morrow Point near Gunnison, I couldn't tell you where it was if I had to, but this of course was before my LAM diagnosis. After investing in my new camera, I find myself going above and beyond to get "that" photo. This time I was actually drawn up the stairs, by not just my love of heights (and Heather's fear). She never said it, but she didn't come up with me. The cool part is that she did photograph me, but I forgot to ask for the photo. My primary goal was to take my LAMmie up the stairs and photograph it at the top, oh and secondarily get a spectacular view of the waterfalls. While this photograph does not feature Lammie, I felt it was important for a visible reason why, paying entry and shooting from this wonderful platform with elevator accessibility was not where I wanted to limit myself. this staircase stood there and beckoned me to try. I must add the disclaimer that I did not climb the entire staircase. But I want you to take note, about midway through the lower half of the staircase, there is a blue speck....that my friends is a person.

Garden of the Gods September 23, 2011

Garden of the Gods is by far the best for handicap accessibility, as well as awesome for rappelling, which LAMmie didn't partake in. It is also a very short drive. I had thought for a while that the main roads in Canyonlands made the park smaller, but Garden of the Gods is only around a 15-20 min. drive straight through. It has many areas to stop, and enjoy just a short trip from town, which is good and bad. If you live there, it's close enough to head there during a lunch break, if you aren't from there, there are local's hurrying to get back to work after a quick lunch break. That's only an assumption, since I would do it, if I lived there, and it seemed so many people were hurrying through it. We didn't stop too many times, but it was beautiful!

 

The good news is that LAMmie wasn't mauled by a bear. But the sights were certainly breathtaking.

September 22, 2011 Road Trip to Colorado Springs

For September LAMmie made some great strides. For our traveling excitement, we were invited to Colorado Spring's, more specifically Manitoux Springs to join friends & photograph a wedding. There were several Lamworthy events, that netting photographing.
For starters, this starts with scaling the Rocky Mountains, as with most adventures East. Which is a feat all on it's own for a LAM. Folks without LAM are often treated to respiratory distress when met with a 10,000 foot summit, but for LAMmies, it's an extra challenge. Again I point out that I am blessed to still be able to cross them, as well as stop at the top for a picture our two.

After visiting the Big Horn Sheep Area, only to ask the same question, Where are the Sheep.... Not a one in sight.

 

Once in Manitou, we decided to stop in an ask about the sights. The ladies here ant the Chamber made their suggestions to not miss the 7-Falls, Garden of the Gods and the Royal Gorge. Before tackling these, it was time to hit the hotel, and it's hot tub. With our luck, our hotel also had a full waterslide! Can't pass that up.