High Altitude Sickness Prevention and Remedies - In case this can help anyone else

As some of you already know from my Instagram stories, I have felt less-than-awesome acclimating to the high altitude (9600 feet) in Breckenridge, CO.  We come to Breck a lot because we have a little place here; I love this little town and community.  In the past, it generally has taken me 2-3 days to acclimate.  This time, however, I felt headachy, lethargic and icky for 6+ days.

So icky in fact that I had Mr. UpCyclist bring me to Urgent Care just to make sure I wasn't overlooking something (eg: brain swelling, lung issue, blurred vision....all symptoms which can be extreme effects of high altitude sickness).  For me to ask to go to Urgent Care means something is not right.  Though I like doctors and nurses, I rarely ask to see them.

The good news is yes, I just have "normal" high altitude sickness. the doctor confirmed.  Not extreme, whew.   And, here's what has helped and what remedies I will consider for the future prevention:

• Pure oxygen:  My oxygen level was a tiny bit off at 93 (normal is 95 or higher), so the Urgent Care staff did give me oxygen through my nose which brought my oxygen level to 100.  I did not need to bring a small oxygen tank home with me.
• High Altitude Medication - Acetazolamide 125 mg (two tablets a day for six days):  Evidently, this medication works even better when you take it 2-3 days before traveling to high altitude.  I think I will try this next time; take it a few days before I leave Maryland if my physician agrees. 
• Chlorophyll Drops: I've taken these before (they are bright, bright green) drops; you can buy them at Whole Foods or Amazon.  I totally forgot about these drops this trip.  I think this drops could be a great alternative to a prescription drug and I'm wishing I would have remembered them this trip.
• Gatorade or Pedialyte - The nurse reminded me that when acclimating, a 1-to-1 water to Gatorade or Pedialyte is the way to go because the body needs the extra electrolytes and salt.  She suggested one glass of water, one glass of Gatorade/Pedialyte (and keep doing that all day).  By the way, I am a sucker for grape flavored Gatorade.  It's my favorite and reminds me of grape Koolaid - a personal fav of mine in college!
• Clif Shot Bloks with Extra Sodium - A dear friend outside of Denver said these are her go-to to combat high altitude sickness.  I want to try this (maybe) now and definitely want to bring a few packs with me in the future.  Plus, Margarita flavored?!  Um...yes!
• Liquid IV - Just the name of this product intrigues me.  The same friend who rec'd the Clif Shot Bloks spoke highly of this hydration powder.  I'd give it a try for sure - maybe instead of Gatorade (or maybe in addition to...) next trip.
• Coca Tea - When I lived in Ecuador decades ago and climbed Cotapaxi (19,000 ft), I felt like holy heck hours before we took off to climb. Since Cotapaxi is a glaciered volcano, climbers leave to climb the volcano around midnight.  Around 7pm I felt like total junk, so the lovely refugio employee (a refugio is like a hostel) saw me struggling and made me coca tea.  Although the coca plant is the same plant used to extract alkaloids for cocaine, the raw leaves of the plant have very low alkaloids levels and the tea helped me acclimate and feel better within an hour.  If you travel to the Andes in South America, keep an eye out for coca tea.

What about you?  Do you have any favorite high altitude sickness remedies or prevention suggestions?  Find me on Instagram or Facebook if you do.

With love from Breckenridge,

Jen

Happy Fourth of July!

Happy Fourth of July (if you celebrate it)!  We are enjoying Breckenridge, Colorado today and man, do I love it here as you know.  This town and community is just too much fun and so outdoorsy (as are most things Colorado).

Yesterday, my family and I volunteered at the Firecracker 50 mountain bike race check-in.  We are wearing our new, stylish F50 t-shirts below.  It was so fun to see Miss O be so confident and chatting away with total strangers about the race and gear.  That gal is growing up for sure.

This photo below is looking back on Breckenridge Ski Resort.  Mr. UpCyclist took this on his run with Jedi this morning.  Isn't it gorgeous here?!  Pinch me.

And, because this photo of Jedi is one of my new favorites, here is Jedi testing out the Fourth of July parade route at 7am today.  He gives it two paws up!  I love Jedi's smile.

Have a super holiday and wherever you are, get outside, enjoy your loved ones, and keep making the world a better place.

xo from Breckenridge,

Jen

Skiing (Hashtag) Rocks

Back in 2008, Mr. U and I asked our employers if we could work from a distance for three months. We wanted to properly teach Miss O how to ski.  Sure, you can learn to ski going 1-2 days a week. But, we wanted her to be fully immersed in the sport.  Our employers thankfully agreed (do I have the coolest college ever?) and we left Maryland and lived in Lake Tahoe for seven weeks and Breckenridge for seven weeks.  Both resorts share the same ski pass, which made the three months more financially doable.  This is also when we feel madly in love with Breckenridge and had to buy a small place there two years later.

I have proof in the videos below of Miss O's improvement over the three month ski experience. Immersion is grand.

Video #1: Miss O is skiing off the Magic Carpet here (remember this video is 7 years old).  Notice how she only makes one turn at the end to stop and squeals with delight the entire way down.  We pretty much hung out on this Magic Carpet for a week straight.  In Week 2, we would ski the bunny hill when she started to get the hang of making turns and stopping on a dime.

Video #2:  Just three short weeks later, look out how much she improved here.  Isn't it crazy?  From doing zero turns and barreling down the bunny slope to skiing the entire mountain at Heavenly in Lake Tahoe on any of their blue runs.

Video #3:   This video is shot almost at the end of our three month ski experience.  She's in the halfpipe in Breckenridge!  This video cracks me up and truly shows what happens when you get to ski daily for three months.  So much growth.

To me, skiing is such a incredible activity - you get to spend immense amounts of time in the outdoors and visit many different places around the world to ski.  Skiing is also a fantastic sport that you can do for a lifetime. I love when I see older skiers.

It is now seven years later and we still love to ski.  Some days the three of us go out together.  Other days, just two of us.  This year, we've been skiing only locally in Pennsylvania, which I thought I wouldn't like, but it has totally surprised me.  The snow has been great.  The lift lines are OK for such a populated part of the country.  I love seeing all the local ski teams; kids that ski rock, in my opinion. Since Miss O qualifies for the free PA ski pass, she's been using that all season.  I just saw it is closed for this year, but if your child qualifies, mark your calendar for next fall when applications open again.

Really, I can't say more good things about skiing.  A chance to be outdoors, glide down mountains, push yourself to conquer new slopes, meet interesting people, see the world, and if you are like me, collect lift chair selfies of the people you adore.

#skiingrocks  - Just sayin,

Jen

Sometimes You Have to Go Big

Recently, Lil O, Mr. UpCyclist, and Jedi hiked a 13er - a mountain over 13,000 feet.  The mountain they hiked, called Bald Mountain, is one our family is very familiar with as we stare at it daily from our balcony in Breckenridge, Colorado.  See?  I think it is so pretty and grand.

I'm guessing the summit is obvious to you, but in case you think the ridge line is an optical illusion, here is the highest peak (the summit) circled.  Actually, I just wanted another reason to get fancy with my Studio app on my iPhone.  Do you love that app like I do?

Lil O, Mr. UpCyclist and Jedi hiked all the way to the summit.  To date, this is the highest mountain Lil O has summited.

Jedi, a pretty seasoned hiker himself, apparently loved all the rocks and chipmunk chasing opportunities.  I love how his coat blends into the environment.  That Mother Nature sure is sophisticated, isn't she?

Our family loves cairns - they are those piles of rock that mark trails and summits.  It feels like you are part of this universal communication system when you spot cairns or build them.  I think there is a lot to learn from cairns (I'm feeling another blog post coming on....).

This photo of Lil O is one of my favorites.  I love the view and vantage point, but mostly how gingerly her body placement looks while hiking.   Just an aside:  Can you see the Breckenridge Ski Resort in the background?

This summer is (or should I say "was" since the summer is ending) the summer of new hikes.  I am way proud of Lil O, Mr. UpCyclist and Jedi's trek up Bald Mountain.

After all, sometimes you have to go big....

Jen

PS - My sabbatical is off to a great start.   I will be laptop-free for a bit because of our upcoming road travel, but thankfully, I still like to use paper and pen for writing projects.  It is the happy, old-school in me :)

Why Jedi is a Starbucks Fan

Today's blog post is dedicated to Sue's sweet dog, Chester, who passed away this week after a magical 13 years of life.  This one's for you, sweet Chester!

When Jedi was just a puppy and we were in Breckenridge, our family stopped by Starbucks to get drinks.  Mr. UpCyclist jokingly (or so I thought) asked me to get Jedi a puppuccino.  I ordered our three human drinks, but did not order a puppuccino for Jedi.  I mean, really?

When I came out with the human drinks, Mr. U and Lil O were quite disappointed in me.  What?  You were serious?   So, I marched back in and ordered Jedi a puppuccino - a free cup of whipped cream from Starbucks.

Jedi's been a fan every since and it seems like he's not the only dog who digs a puppuccino (see more photos of other dogs enjoying their puppuccinos here).

By the way, I swear Jedi recognizes the Starbucks logo all over the US.

xo to all the amazing dogs out there and remembering Chester,

Jen

PS - Breckenridge's Starbucks is rated as one of the top coolest Starbucks in the world by USA Today. See the original article here.  Just another reason to adore Breck.

Life Updated: The Spell Edition

I finally figured out what's going on.  I'm in a spell.  The Breckenridge Spell.  Here's what my family and I have been up to in my spell-like trance of just being in the moment....

• Hiking.  Oh man, have we've been hiking.  I think we are up to at least four new big hikes this summer as evidenced by the natural-esque photos above.  Three of the hikes were spectacular. Just one was a dud.
• Laundry.  Got to keep it real, right?  I was totally dreading going to the laundromat until Lil O proclaimed, "This is so much fun!"  Don't you just love a child's perspective?  It was fun because she was with me and because we had a laundry snafu and flooded part of the laundromat floor. Long story, but washing waterproof mattress protectors is harder than I thought.
• Totally off topic, but we went to an RV show two days ago.  I figure we need to get ready for 2017 at some point.  Anyway, I couldn't believe how many RVs have washers and dryers. Without exaggeration, most of the RVs were more elaborate than our current homes.
• And....now, Lil O, Mr. UpCyclist and I really, really, really, really want an RV.  I am obsessed with a home on wheels.  Obsessed.  Lil O and Mr. U want a giant RV.  I want a modest-sized one.  We will see how that story turns out.
• We took a two-day trip to Denver to pick up Mr. UpCyclist from the airport.  He needed to work in Maryland, so we were without him for a couple of weeks.  He has returned.  We enjoyed Denver (saw our cousins and good friends) and now are back in Breckenridge - apparently, sipping drinks together like cheesy newlyweds.  Ha!  We do love this semi-new taco restaurant in Breck.  Yum.  Even Jedi enjoys it.
• Shockingly, I've barely done any crafting this summer - it's that Breckenridge Spell thing again. However, Molly came over recently and we started a little DIY project.  We still have more to do.  The project is in this genre in case you are interested.
• I decided not to attend the John Denver tribute concert (it was a fundraiser). Why, you ask?  I am a huge JD lover and I knew I would cry the entire concert - or at least for most of it.  Lil O was curious about why I would cry and all I could say was:  1) JD songs completely remind me of growing up and attending camp in North Carolina.  2) I miss camp; I have SO many fond memories of my ten years there.  3) Since JD passed away over a decade ago, I realize the bittersweetness of life.

But, to make me smile, I did go listen to the faint sound of the concert while Lil O, Jedi and Mr. UpCyclist played on the lawn next to the venue.  It was the right combination of hearing JD and letting tears well in my eyes without feeling embarrassed about them.

About crying:  One of my coaching instructors told me crying mean "there's something important there."

I agree.  There is something important there.

How's your summer?

xo,

Jen

Living Like a Local

When we travel or spend the summers in Breckenridge, we try to embrace the mantra, live like a local. For us that means, taking advantage of local spots, events, festivals, and amenities.  A few that come to mind this summer include....

• Hearing the local orchestra play (and bringing our badminton set to play on the lawn while we listen).
• Attending the ribbon cutting for a new train playground (photo above). Breck has a rich history of trains and mining.  We may have also enjoyed cake, cookies and lemonade while we were there ;)
• Working or volunteering at our favorite shops like the Fresh Soap Company or Breck Bike Guides.  
• Checking out books from the local library and participating in library happenings.
• Going to local festivals or events.  Recently, Lil O and I went to our first hip hop competition in the mountains.  An all girls crew won called the Janes; those girls were so impressive.
• Enjoying local fundraisers.  We have two coming up - one for Francie's Cabin (which makes me think of my mom, Fran) and the other for Domus Pacis, which provides free vacation housing to families who are battling a terminal health issue.

The secret to living like a local, in my opinion, is three things:

1.  Stay one place long enough to feel like a local.  I think a week or more can do the trick.

2.  Tap into the community by reading the local newspaper daily or talking to locals about what they enjoy.  In Breckenridge, I literally read the local newspaper daily and find most of my gems in there.

3.  Be open to the "local lifestyle," which typically means being unrushed.  That part is great for me this summer since I am working on living in the present moment.

What are your thoughts?  Do you like to live like a local sometimes?  If so, what are your tips to do so?

All the best,

Jen

Way of Life

Every morning around 6-6:30am, I take Jedi on a morning hike, swim and stroll.  This morning, we met a guy from Pennsylvania who is in Breckenridge on business.  The guy was so happy to be out in the morning hiking.  He said he didn't pack hiking shoes because he didn't think he'd have time to hike, but when he realized he would, he went out the night before to purchase new shoes in town.

What I loved about our early morning exchange, besides his enthusiasm for the mountains, was he totally got it.  Being outside.  Enjoying the trails.  Getting lost in the beauty of the mountains.  That is the way of life around here.  There is no "exercise."  Hiking, walking, biking, and moving are just a way of life in towns like Breck.  Those activities are just that - activities.  Not exercise.  Not separate from life.

They are life.

So, if you are wondering where I am.  Why my blog posts are so sporadic or you can't find me easily. It is because I am living life.  And I'm incredibly grateful for it.

Jen

Being Present in Colorado

I just love Breckenridge, CO.   No, duh, right?  It's the town, the people, the energy, the pace, the fresh air, and there just feels like there is so much to do or not do.  I also love just looking at the mountains and leaning into them.

One of my goals this summer is just to be.  Do you know how hard it is to just be sometimes? Without thinking of what's next or what just happened?

Being present in the exact moment of time is tricky.  However, I do believe that is what is so magical about being outdoors and being lost in the mountains (or the sea or the jungle or wherever you are outdoors). Being outside is probably the best and easiest place to just be.

When I am just in the present moment (the opposite of worrying or planning), I admire all the amazingness that life and Breckenridge offers.  Things like bouldering, hiking above tree line, admiring the cutest foxes I've ever seen, seeing Molly and Mr. UpCyclist ski/snowboard in early July..... (Didn't I tell you Molly was rad?)

Going sledding with Lil O and Cousin A (in July)....

Watching the gals ride our DIY long board (a snowboard mounted with wheels) and celebrate our newest family addition, the Diggler (which you can see in the background; Lil O is riding it).  The Diggler deserves its own post.  You know how long I've been wanting one.

See you on the other side of the weekend.  It's time to get back to being present.

xo,

Jen

Missing This Place

Every once in a while (and maybe more often than that), I miss this place - Breckenridge, Colorado. It's where we have our fun ski condo and where my soul resonates with the Rocky Mountains.  I was too happy, but not the least bit surprised, when Emma from A Beautiful Mess declared her love for Breckenridge, too.  That mountain town is delightful.

Like magic,

Jen

PS - Those letters are magnets.  I bought them at Joann's using as many coupons as I could muster as those magnet letters never seem to go on sale.  Our ski condo has a gigantic magnetic board in it; the metal letters will hang there.  You can see them when you visit Breck (wink, wink....even though I'm totally serious).

Featured on CRAFT - Yay!

Silly me!  I forgot to tell you, I'm blogging over at CRAFT as part of their travel series.

Lots of photos, info and Breckenridge love!

Check it out here and big thanks to Jamie for inviting me.

xoxo,

Jen

Thank you, Breck

Dear Summer in Breckenridge, CO,

Thank you for providing cool temperatures, tons of interesting activities, welcoming our sweet puppy, Jedi, and making all four of us smile from the inside out.

We so enjoyed our two months with you.

With love & gratitude,

Jen

PS - The photos below are from our last day there.  

Mountain biking as a family......

The riders - Mr. UpCyclist, Jedi and Lil O.  Jen on camera balancing on a log to take this shot.....

Celebratory slurpees with another new straw!  You remember how cute the last straw is, right?  Dinner in town and Jedi joined us on the restaurant's deck. Breckenridge, no one does flowers like you do.  Please thank the gardeners and watering cart gals who keep the town looking so delightful.

Finally, a "couples" photo.  Lil O just loved playing in the river and jumping off rocks.  Actually, we all loved playing in the river and jumping (or sitting) on rocks.

Oh, how I love these people photographed above and that furry hound in that special town.  Now, time to unfreeze my mind and meld back into Merryland - typo, completely intentional.