We are ready for spring. The lack of snow has created one long mud season here and we are just over it.

So tomorrow Puck and I will head to Salida! To camp. Just the two of us.

I like to think I can be pretty brave in new situations. And I grew up backpacking with my Mom, so it’s not like I don’t have camping experience. But while Puck and I are excited to try camping all by ourselves, I have to admit we are both a little afraid of noises in the dark. We should be quite the pair out there in our little tent.

I didn’t want to go overboard for our first solo trip, so we will camp 2 nights and then stay in an Airbnb for 3 nights. Baby steps.

Salida is only about 2 hours away from Crested Butte, but it is in what they call the Banana Belt of Colorado. It stays drier and warmer, the trails stay open, and I have been assured by the local bike shop that it rarely rains. Therefore, I am ignoring the weather forecast that says it is supposed to rain.

I am taking my mountain bike, my running shoes, and about a ton of camping equipment. It looks suspiciously like we could survive for a month on what I have packed. Between two weenies with bad joints, we need a lot of stuff: Soft camp beds, sleeping bag, extra blankies for Puck, extra blankies for me, 2 stoves I hope I remember how to use, a tent that arrived in the mail today (thank you REI dividend), a camp toilet (no digging holes for me!), tent floor cover, camp chair, camp table… you get the point. Roughing it takes a lot of stuff. Clearly.

This will be the first time on my mountain bike since the KNEE INCIDENT. I’m excited! I don’t plan any epic rides, mostly I will be thrilled if I can successfully clip out of my pedals.

I did my first official trail run post K.I. today and it felt great. I was pretty stiff by the end, but I am happy with how the knee is coming along.

Wish us luck. Hopefully I will be sending pictures of a successful camping mission soon.