Boardin' and Beachin' it

An extra week off of work marked some big "first's" for Jill the California adventurer. The first week in April, I committed to visiting my dear friend Heidi in Avon, Colorado. It was a week to remember, as I got to spend a lot of quality time with one of the coolest girls I know - we spent mornings at a delightful coffee shop, stayed up late listening to music, and cooked up yummy treats. And then, she showed me her world - the slopes of Beaver Creek. With some borrowed ski googles, clunky boots, and a snowboard, I headed toward my destiny (as seen in the below picture).


Inside, I was slightly flipping out at the thought of sliding down a mountain or a slick metal board. I tried to hide it though, and I didn't have to worry too much because Heidi was a patient instructor.


Heidi started me on a green slope (the least steep, although it seemed monstrous to me at the beginning). As I struggled to stay standing once I was strapped onto the snowboard, I was surrounded by 4 year olds learning how to ski - with their 36-inch statures and 36-inch skis, they made it look so easy! Little by little, encouragingly coaxed by Heidi, I made my way down the slope, feeling out how to stay upright and feel out the edges of the board. At the bottom of the hill, I realized I had been holding my breath the whole time...so I let out a big "whew!" and raced to the lift to do it again! Once I got the hang of it, snowboarding was incredibly fun! I wasn't as graceful as Heidi, but I tried to follow her down the slopes as best I could. She convinced me to do a blue slope before we ended our day, and I successfully made it to the bottom! If I find myself permanently residing in a mountainous area in the future, a snowboard and gear could be at the top of my "to buy" list.


The fun didn't end on the slopes - we made a trip into Denver with Heidi's friend Noah and caught a Rockies game live from Coors Stadium! Upon entering the stadium, we all receiving commemorative "National League Champion" rings that celebrated the Rockies' successful season last year. We laughed as we posed for a picture showing off our "newfound bling."


I left Colorado unwillingly, but I am still smiling about the memories created that week. I arrived at the LAX airport in Los Angeles and started another phase of my week-long adventure with my roommate, Lori. She was staying in Redondo Beach for the weekend with some college friends, so I tagged along for the fun. We spent a relaxing Saturday at the beach, surrounded by surfers and skateboarders. The hot sand scorched our toes while walking along the beach, forcing us to refresh our feet in the chilly blue salt water. After a few minutes of wading around, it hit me - "THIS IS MY FIRST TIME IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN!" I yelped in delight! It was a startling and exciting thought. :D


We ate at a few delightul eateries and enjoyed the breeze of the Pacific mixed with the hot mid-90's temperature. One of the most hilarious things I saw at a surfer venue was the following sign showed below, and it served as a happy way to end my week of traveling.


Only in California, only in California...