The unicycling is progressing nicely! On my return to Colorado Srings on Sunday afternoon I managed to ride what must have been more than 100 yards, plus starting to get to grips with turning left and right, almost managing a full figure-of-8 at one point. I think this one is almost in the bag!
Other goals are proving to be much more challenging, and fundraising progress is slow. I do realise that financially, it probably couldn’t be a worse time to be trying to get people to donate, but it’s still frustrating.
Exercise continues, and slow progress is being made, and I try to practice the harmonica regularly, but can’t find too much enthusiasm for it at the moment, as again I seem to have plateaued.
But life in Colorado Springs continues to be interesting and fun. Yesterday Tim picked me up early, and we started at the foot of The Incline, which took 53 minutes at a steady pace. From the top we continued for another four miles or so up the Barr Trail to Barr Camp.
Barr Camp is a wonderful place in the forest halfway up Pikes Peak. It is staffed by Neal and Teresa, a very welcoming and friendly couple who live there all year round. Inside it is very reminicient of one of the Nepali tea-houses that I so enjoyed on my Everest Base Camp trek. There is a stove in the centre of the room, and it is all very homely. Fresh coffee and pancakes and herb bread were very welcome after the hike up there.
It was a beautiful sunny day, and the exterior of the cabin felt like something out of a Disney cartoon! Gold-mantled ground squirrels ran around our feet, and ate from an almost empty peanut-butter jar on a tree stump. Tiny humming birds dipped their beaks into a sugar-water feeder. Forest chickadees would land on an outstretched hand holding seeds.
I konw that I will get grief from one or two sources in particular, but I have to come clean! I did hand-feed the squirrels, the chickadees, and most amazing of all, had tiny hummingbirds land on my fingers to feed from the sugar-water dispenser. I have no excuse, other than that this has been going on from way before I ever arrived here! As always, comments welcomed!
After a quick, well-deserved nap mid-afternoon, we headed out for another first for me – a baseball game. A big group of us gathered at Tim’s house, and headed off to the game. I received all sorts of information on what was going on and why, as baseball has always been somewhat of a mystery to me.
The SkySox were badly beaten 7-0 by the visiting team from Tacoma, but I didn’t mind too much either way. I had enjoyed the game, and despite the current six-pack goal, and much to Val’s disgust, I had enjoyed the experience of having the almost-obligatory hotdog at a baseball game!
Thanks to all who came along and made my first experience of baseball so much fun:-
In the crowd photo, top row left to right: Val, Brenda, Judy, Mary, Diane and Bob
and bottom row: Beth, Durwin, Cailee (sp?) and Tim.
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Accountability Progress Report:-
Sunday 13th June
Learn to ride a unicycle – half-hour practice with some great progress turning
Develop a six-pack stomach – gym session at local gym
Learn the harmonica – 10 minutes practice
Learn how to lucid dream – no dreams remembered
Set up the “BlindsidedNetwork” support forum – tried for some time with Yvette to sort out blog issues
Raise $50,000 for charity – sold 3 pix
Night skydive – rain stopped play again!
Book deal for 100goals – spoke again with Yvette about writing, etc.
Monday 14th June
Learn to ride a unicycle – 2 x 15 minutes practice, frustrating today
Develop a six-pack stomach – good workout with Val at gym
Learn the harmonica – 10 minutes practice
Learn how to lucid dream – nothing, only vague pieces of dreams remembered
Set up the “BlindsidedNetwork” support forum – nothing
Raise $50,000 for charity – no progress
Night skydive – rain stopped play again!
Book deal for 100goals – a lot of self-publishing research
Tuesday 15th June
Learn to ride a unicycle – nothing today, but reasonably confident now
Develop a six-pack stomach – 11 mile hike with Tim to Barr Camp
Learn the harmonica – nothing
Learn how to lucid dream – don’t remember any dreams from last night
Set up the “BlindsidedNetwork” support forum – nothing
Raise $50,000 for charity – scheduled a call with eBay for tomorrow
Night skydive – nothing
Book deal for 100goals – nothing
