DISCLAIMER…this is going to be really long…all of my Colorado trip will be included.

So, I have returned to the wonderful world of the Dalton, after my lovly trip out west. Colorado is a truly beautiful place. For anyone who doesn’t know, I was out there for the Neural Mechanisms in Cardiovascular Regulation meeting that occurs every two or so years in Snowmass (about 10 miles north of Aspen). We meet for two three hour sessions a day for four days, then one session on the last. Each session is a different topic, and the speakers are the experts in the field. But, this is not completly science motivated (one can see that from the last post). We all got from 1 to 6 each day to just screw around. Sunday I went horseback riding on this massive beast named Lurch. Very old and temprimental, but I got him to work right. Went up the south side of the ski trails, and looked around. Monday we (me, my advisor, and other sciencey folk) hiked the northern rim trail of the Snowmass Vally…got more looking around. Tuesday I didn’t want to pay to go to the river trip (72ish dollars, and it was rather cold that day), so got in some good vegitating…then Wednesday, went south a bit to the Maroon Bells Recreational Area. There we hiked to crater lake, a wonderful bit of water. It’s in the valley between Pyramid Peak (14,018) and the Bells (14,100ish). The Maroon Bells, call as such cause they are maroon due to the rusting Iron ore in their rocks, are the most photographed peaks in the nation….killer. This area is criss-crossed with hiking and backpacking trails, so I am going to have to go back soon

Needed a paragraph there. Thurday I cut out of the final session early so I could go south back to Denver (rented a car and drove to Snowmass). That way, I was able to check out Independence and Tennessee Pass…and see the Continetial Divide…TWICE!!! Independence was the highest I got on the trip, aside from the plane. 12,095….the sun was shinning there, but with the wind, damn it was cold. Neat though to get the west side and east side from one bench….

Here is the reflective moment in our program. Like I said above, Colorado (aside from Denver) is a beutiful place. Unbelievably clean. Most of that is due to the fact that aside from the ski resorts (which are so pricy that they have to be clean to actract the rich folk), the rest of the land is National Forest. Way to go Goverment. Most of these mountains are only touched by the hands of God (through avalanches and mudslides….dangerous stuff). It also shows what men will do to get the gold. I saw a channel that was built 11 MILES (?!?!) to divert water to a mill to power the pumps in the shaft….and this was built on the side of the mountain…120 years ago….maddness.

Now for the negatives…all the fun stuff I did was at about 10,000 feet each time…so was out of breath and antsy….Nose was constantly running, and had wicked cotten mouth…all sure signs of Altitude sickness. There was NO humdity in the air, which caused some of my sickness, and dried my skin out something fierce (when I got out the terminal at KCI, and took that first breath of air, I could feel all the water in my lungs…man it felt good). That and everything was expensive (2.30 for GAS!?!). Still, it was worth it. I may get to go next year for a different meeting, it I can get a project working.

That really one of the best things about these little meetings. Listening to people talk, all these ideas sprout in the head about projects that could be done, or how to make your just that much better so you can get publised. And I get to hobnob with the giants of my field (really held back some hero worship). I can’t wait for the next meeting, which is in two years in Vermont….which is great, cause I’ve never been there either.

So, I took lots of pictures…will see if I can get some of them up here for yous to look at….

And I was really glad I got back so I could see the girl…man, I missed her.

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