I just spent two days climbing Pike's Peak!! It was my first fourteener. I joined my high school best friend, Julia Phillips, and her 10yo daughter, Lola, both from Iowa. Julia had done this climb before so I decided to join her this time. It was one of the most amazing adventures I've had in my life.

The mountain is so exotic -- every section has its own beauty, surprises, views, habitats and discoveries. The forest is like Sherwood Forest, full and lush and thick and so green! (Anyone who lives in Colorado can appreciate green!) Then there were parts that were full of boulders, or full of caves, or full of nature-sculpted deadwood. And the wildflowers and alpine meadows! At timberline there is an A-frame cabin, situated in an alpine meadow that was covered with bluebell flowers, with a mountain creek babbling through, and an amazing view -- it was exactly like a picture from the classic book, Heidi! Now I've got to get my kids up on this amazing mountain -- it's a world full of adventure and exploring and playing just waiting for us, right in our backyard.