Why I love hiking

Matt had a medical clerkship in Colorado Springs last month.  I happily tagged along.

We saw some old friends and got in a couple of hikes.

When we lived in Colorado, I much preferred the summer outdoor activities to the winter sports.  Why?  Well, hiking is free, does not require a lot of gear or technical skill (both of which I don't have), and offers such colorful and majestic views.

Here are some shots from last month.

And to think that God just spoke this into being...

For some reason, we both felt compelled to put our hands on our hips at this next spot.

"Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; burst into song, O mountains!
For the Lord comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones."
Isaiah 49:13

There's something about being out in God's creation that makes His Word come alive to me in a very distinct way.  And I find it easier to forget myself.

I came upon this verse the other day - "Just as the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people, both now and forever." - Psalm 125:2.

I love the imagery of that.  He's so powerful and protective.

I love too how none of His colors clash.

(It's fair to say that my tank top does a little bit, but I mean none of the colors in nature.)

"Let every created thing give praise to the LORD,
for he issued his command, and they came into being!" Psalm 148:5

Matt found this little fella sitting up in a tree.
Reminded me of our brief pet swallowtail butterfly
that was first mentioned in this post.

We did break a couple cardinal rules of hiking in Colorado:

1. Start early enough to get off the mountain before the afternoon storms roll in.
2. Wear layers

Consequently, we got caught in the rain, and we were cold.  Our own faults.  We go livin' in Kansas City for a year and forget all the rules of mountaineering.

I don't think it dampened our experience though.  When it was too cold to hike, we drove, and eventually found our way up to the top of Pikes Peak.

I love the rain in the background of this picture.

almost to the top

America the Beautiful

Little factoid for ya

Standing in the spot where Matt proposed.  You can't tell, but we're really cold in this picture.

So glad for the chance to go back.