Can I please move to Ouray?

So I haven't been running at all over the past few weeks. After San Juan Solstice it felt like my foot was broken or on the verge of breaking. I went to the doctor and she told me to wear a boot for a week. I wore it for 5 days and couldn't take it anymore. I've started hiking again and am slowly easing back into things. I didn't want to be the blogger who complains about how much it sucks to be injured so I haven't had much to write about. Until now!

Last weekend we went to Silverton for the Kendall Mountain Run. Cory is trying to get some points in the Sky distance races (marathon and shorter) for the US Skyrunning series and I am trying to do the Ultra distance races. Unfortunately because of my injury I wasn't able to compete at the Power of Four 50k on Sunday. Having an extra day to hang out in the San Juans was even better.

We left on Thursday after work and camped in Salida. On Friday we hung out in Ouray and did a shakeout run with the pups.  Now I want to live there. We headed over to Silverton for packet pickup and camped for free on South Mineral Creek Rd. Cory got 11th place man (12th overall) at the race and felt pretty good about his effort. 

On Sunday it was rainy but I suckered him into hiking up to Island Lake. I don't really have words to describe how beautiful this hike was. Instead, here's an anecdote. As a kid I would go to my grandma's house and, being a good Swiss woman, she would let me watch the movie Heidi. In the movie Heidi, my doppelganger, lived in this picturesque cabin in the mountains where she could roam free and breath the fresh mountain air. Well it's Grandma's fault that I moved to Colorado because Heidi's living situation always seemed pretty great to me. When I got up to the basin that contained Island Lake, Ice Lake, and many other lakes, I realized that this is where I want my cabin in the mountains. When I got my first view of Grant Swamp Pass over Island Lake, I screamed. The Hardrock course was right in front of me!

We were sad when we had to drive home but fortunately we will be back next weekend to vacation with my parents and get Cory through the Ouray 100 course.

Fair warning, the rest of this post is going to be pictures.

Sunset over the collegiate peaks as we camped in Salida

Pinnacles around Blue Mesa

Playing ball with the pups at the park in Ouray

Mayla looks really happy

Shakeout run in Ouray

Exploring Ouray

My new tiny house

I mean, how would you not want to live here?

My future swiss chalet

FJ Summit in Ouray... check out this sweet setup!

The race finish with Kendall Mt in the background

Neither of us felt it was ok to pose next to the rock until we run the race

Our campsite the first night on Mineral Creek

Pre-race jitters

Fast start

Kendall Mt looms over the town

Blue bird skies in the morning

Sage got first... big surprise

Timmy Parr in 2nd place

Andrew Benford cruising in for 3rd

Stevie Kremer was the women's champion! 

Cory sprints it in

The view from Molas Lake Campground where you can buy a hot shower

Silverton to Durango

The view from our campsite the second night 

Cadi in her cave

Snuggly Mayla 

Rainbow over our camp site

Sunday hike up the Ice Lake Trail

Happy puppy!

Llamas

First view of Grant Swamp Pass!

I asked this girl if it was weird to take a picture of her puppy and she said, "How could you not take a picture?"