Wild Whiskey Willow: Year in Review

Hi Everyone! As this year is quickly drawing to a close, I thought now would be a good time to take a quick look back on Wild Whiskey Willow's last year.

"Wild Whiskey Willow" started off as a nickname for me. Jokingly, a name to use should I ever find find myself in a place where I would need to become a stripper :) (I have to attribute that to my good friends Jacqueline & Emily). Those jokes aside, "Wild Whiskey Willow" has turned into much more than that. It has become the name of who I always wanted to be, the places I always wanted to go, and the lifestyle I always wanted to have: spontaneous, adventurous, positive & in the moment.

After years & years of wanting to move to Colorado & never taking the leap (due to fear, finances, and a not-right-for-me boyfriend), I finally took the risk last September. The decision was a long-time coming. I had spent years talking to EVERYONE about how I wanted to move to Colorado. I would especially complain to my good friend, Potts. Almost every Sunday for quite some time, Potts & I would chat on the phone about life. Finally one day he blatantly said to me that he was tired of hearing it. That he had listened to my rants for far too long, and to call him when I "ACTUALLY move to Colorado." Click.

Silence.

Sh*t.

That clarifying moment was all I needed to light a fire under my a**. Within weeks I had put in my 2 weeks notice at work, packed up my car with only $2000 saved (I'd secretly been saving for a year: for travel & my first 2 months rent) and convinced my dad to spontaneously drive across the country with me. I only had 2 friends in Colorado, no job lined up, but thankfully did have a place to stay. As luck would have it, 2 days after I put in my 2 weeks notice at my current job on the east coast, they offered me a full-time position to work-from-home, remotely, in Colorado. What?!! Yes!!! (My acceptance was later followed by some dumbfounded, exuberant cursing :)

I spent 2 months in Colorado Springs but all along my destination was always Crested Butte; a town I fell absolutely, head-over-heels, in love with a year prior on a random solo snowboarding trip. The long-awaited (by many) & much needed breakup between my long-distance boyfriend & I, occurred a few weeks later. Two weeks after that- Hello Crested Butte!

It's been an amazing, wild, unexpectedly, perfect ride. I moved to CB and within a day, met the love of my life (Hi Shamus!), and countless other outgoing and like-minded people. I live in a town where we chase the sun, lose track of time, turn strangers into friends, and where a hug or friendly wave hello is never far away. A place where the old, the young, the long-time locals & the new kids in town, come together to live and love, in what we believe to be, Paradise.

Hope you all had as fantastic of a year as I did- and if you didn't.... what are you gonna do next year to change it? Life is short & it is here to be enjoyed.

Listen to the MUSTN’TS, child,

      Listen to the DON’TS

      Listen to the SHOULDN’TS

The IMPOSSIBLES, the WONT’S

      Listen to the NEVER HAVES

Then listen close to me-

      Anything can happen, child,

ANYTHING can be

-Shel Silverstein

wei-wu-wei, 

-WWW

Luck be a Katie

I can't tell you the number of times in my life I've been told, "You're so lucky!" or "Everything always works out for you!" or "You could fall in a pile of sh*t and come up smelling like roses!" These statements may often be right. But the way people look at it is wrong.

Let me explain. I'm not lucky by chance, I'm lucky by choice. I'm not lucky because the Universe spun a wheel one day and magically landed upon my name stating "Katie, from this day forth you shall go on living forever in luck." I'm lucky because I choose to be.

Luck isn't a matter of chance, it’s a matter of open-mindedness, positivity & taking risks without fear of failure. Like they say, if you never try, you’ll never succeed. Cliche I know, but so very true. This doesn't mean you won’t have some (or many!) failures along the way. Luck isn't a random win, luck isn't a lottery drawing, luck is a special moment when all the things you've been tripping over are suddenly stacking up in your favor. Or you suddenly realize that all the sad or crazy or weird things that may have occurred in the past led you precisely to this exact lucky moment. And you weirdly become grateful for those moments you once cursed.

Luck is a state of mind. Sure I'm "lucky" and that's what a lot of you see when you see me. My adventures, my friends, my love, my family, my home, my job. But it's because I choose to focus on these awesome things that I am lucky. I have plenty of bad days, plenty of bad mornings, plenty of annoying things happen to me and around me. But it's because I don't advertise those things, I don't remember those things, and I definitely don't use those things as excuses, that I am able to appear to be so "lucky." 

Luck is a decision. Luck is a choice. Luck is a way of life. Luck doesn't mean I get what I want all the time. It means I focus on the times when I do get what I want and then slowly the universe starts to notice and delivers more of it....and more... And More... AND MORE!! 

So next time you look at someone and think, "Must be nice to be lucky like them." Remember, it is nice. And it is your choice to do the same. 

-WWW 

"In the long run, the pessimist may be proved right, but the optimist has a better time on the trip." - Daniel L. Reardon

No I can't lose 10 lbs in 22 days

Just as a quick follow-up, I did not lose 10 lbs before my trip. I did not run three times a week nor did I drink water or eat low carb. And that's all ok. Yes my shirts may be a little too tight and my jeans might rub into my muffin top but I quickly realized that being skinny and looking good isn't what was going to make me have fun in Vegas. It was the amazing people I was with. So I'm not sure who I thought I'd try to impress by dropping 10 lbs, because it surely wasn't them.

7 weeks of ski conditioning classes start on Oct. 1st. Maybe with a group of people it will be a little easier to get motivated. And if not, that's ok too.

-WWW

Can I Lose 10 lbs in 22 days? Stay tuned to find out....

Ok so the long-awaited Utah/Vegas trip is right around the corner. I had ALL summer to start eating right, lose weight (ideally 15 lbs), & exercise. Did I? NO. I drank, I ate, and I explored (but not with too much intensity). In recent weeks I did get in a few bike rides and some good hikes but nothing too crazy. But now we are down to the wire. I'm still about 15 lbs overweight (I don't have a scale, I can just feel what weight I am. Spent several years in college having to be a certain weight for the rowing team so you get to know your body's weight pretty well at any given time). Anyway, I don't fit into my bikini, or any of my shorts or jeans, and my shirts are all a little tight around the edges to say the least.

So it's do or die time- either start eating really really differently & exercising... or end up poolside in Vegas in a too-tight bikini with a muffin top all around the middle. That being said, I think I'm up for the challenge.

Here's the steps I plan to take:
1. Run at least 3 miles, 3 x's a week (did one 3 mile run yesterday)
2. The only thing I am allowed to drink is WATER (or club soda), nothing else. (success for 2 days- oh besides coffee)
3. No carbs, No sugar (ok so I had a handful of delicious blue corn tortilla chips last night, but you get the point).

I think that should all do the trick.... but can I muster up the discipline to follow thru? I've done crazier things....we'll see...

wei-wu-wei,
WWW

Thank you Frank Turner

"Cuz love is free and life is cheap and as long as I've got me a place to sleep, some clothes on my back and some food to eat, then I can't ask for anything more..." - Frank Turner

This is a song lyric that often helps me remember to just chill out, relax, and stop stressing about life. Recently my job has been crazy- some things have gone wrong, little mistakes were made by myself and by others working for me and I've been pretty stressed to say the least. But ya know what? In the grand scheme of things my job has very little to do with me. It could stay or it could leave, and I'd still be me. I'd still have the same family and friends who love me dearly and I'd still be pretty damn blessed. So if I mess up, or things don't go how I planned, whether with my job, or my boyfriend, or my finances, or my day... It will all be OK.

Because as long as I have a place to sleep, some clothes on my back and some food to eat, then I can't ask for anything more.

wei-wu-wei,
WWW

If Ever I Stray

Weekly Goals.... FAIL

So 2 wks ago I put a set of weekly goals in place in hopes it would spark some motivation in my life. However I only completed 1 out of 3 of them that first week. I did clean out the box of sh*t next to my dresser so that was a success. I didn't make it to the library or go on any hikes though (whyamIsolazy?). We did try to go on a 2.5 hr hike one day but as we started up the trail, a bang of thunder and a strike of lightening right over our heads had us running back to the car instantly.

However that week I had also decided to write down 3 things a day that I was grateful for- to stave off negative thoughts that so eagerly enter my mind all the time. Doing this was very helpful mentally. The first 2 days I'd do it right away in the morning but then as the week got busier I'd forget about it until later in the day. It helped though because as I was drowning in a very aggravating and busy week at work, it was when my stress was highest that I'd remember to think of 3 things I'm thankful for, thus calming me down, clearing my head and bringing me back to the reality that everything is ok.. 

Even just writing down 3 goals I think was motivating, even though I only did one of them. The next week I didn't write down any goals but felt more motivated than I ever have been. This past week, I went on three 2-hour hikes (of varying difficulties & all to places I hadn't hiked yet). I also went on a 2 hour mountain bike ride on the Lower Loop trail, and finally after years of wanting to try rock-climbing, I finally did on Sunday! It was absolutely terrifying, and very difficult, but fear tends to be my motivation. So hopefully the patient,  kind friends who took me climbing with them this weekend will be willing to let me tag along with them again!

Had to take a pic at the end of my awesome bike ride

Corey climbing up top, Chad belaying

Our Tuesday Evening

Weighing in...

During the time I spent daydreaming of moving to Colorado- I had big dreams and expectations. I was certain I would get out here, get healthier, lose weight, gain strength, bag peaks & get lost over & over again the wilderness. And while I may appear to be seemingly active to friends back home, I'm actually quite lazy and have grown a bit lazier since moving to Colorado.  I blame it on the drinking & working from home... It's hard to get up and motivated each day when the only thing you have to do is crawl out of bed in your pj's and walk into the other room and stare zombie-eyed at your laptop screen. I don't even have to make my own coffee... my hard-working boyfriend is up at 5:30am every day for work and makes sure there's hot coffee waiting for me by the time I wake up at 7am. I live the life eh? While this may seem like the life to most people and of course I can not and will not complain, it doesn't do much for my well-being, my state-of-mind or my laziness. 

Since moving to Colorado I have gained 20 lbs (5 of which was lost in the past couple weeks....impending trip to Vegas has helped with that one). I also found out at a recent doctor visit that my blood pressure is too high for my age (pre-hypertension...what?!) and the eye doctor told me my "eye pressure" is high...I didn't even know what that meant and then she said something about Glaucoma. Awesome. 

So not only has my health declined since moving to Colorado, but my motivation has declined along with it. What's up with that? That's not me.... That's not the girl who used to get up before work and go run 3 miles everyday. That's not the girl who would walk/bike everywhere in walking/biking distance. That's not the girl who used to do crew races & a marathon & several other running/obstacle courses. 

I didn't know anyone when I moved here, so instead of doing something healthy like joining a local club or introducing myself to people at a coffee shop or library, I went to bars. And while this helped immensely for my social life- it didn't do much for my gut or my next-day's activities. So as someone recently interested in self-improvement I've decided to try something new this week; to hopefully help my laziness & my health. I've decided to make 3 goals for the week (3 goals which do not cost money). I'm starting off small- I don't want to make big goals that you and I both know I won't carry out. They may seem small or cheesy but my hope is that with little goals being accomplished, I'll naturally set and complete bigger goals down the road. On top of all this, I've decided to write down 3 things a day I'm thankful for just to keep my mind in a positive place. It's also a good exercise that once you get in the habit of doing- you will naturally look for the good things all around you all the time, instead of always seeing/feeling the negative. 

"Thoughts attract things, so pick the good ones."-Mike Dooley

Let's see what I can do & I'll let you know if it helps my mental/physical state throughout the week. Anyone like to join me? :)

Goals: 

1. Go for at least 2 one-hour+ hikes

2. Go get the 2nd Hunger Games book from the library. 

3. Clean out the box full of sh*t I have next to my dresser. 

Thankful for: 

1. Living in a place where everyday I'm in awe at the beauty around me 

2. All the friends I've made so quickly in my new town

3. coffee, coffee, coffee

What are you thankful for? 


wei-wu-wei, 
WWW

There's Something About Hometowns...

I recently went on a trip back home to Levittown, PA. This trip came at just the right time for me. During the last few weeks leading up to this trip I was actually getting a little homesick, or as I like to call it... "peoplesick". It wasn't Levittown or "home" that I missed so much but more the people that come with it. The reason being- I am one of the luckiest people I know. I come from a big, loving, caring, Irish & close (emotionally & geographically) family. I grew up with 2 sisters & 7 cousins all within a 4 block distance of my dad's house. I was born with best friends already in place. And along with the cousins came 4 aunts, 3 uncles, & a very loving & caring grandmom. At any given time- I had 5 houses available to me. 5 houses full of people who loved me. 5 houses within walking distance. 5 doors I could walk in at any time of day without knocking. 5 refrigerators I could raid without a raised eyebrow. 5 different places I could call home. Needless to say, my adventurous spirit aside, these were hard things to leave behind when I decided to move across the country.

Just the 10 of us- Me, 2 sisters & 7 cousins

I've always been adventurous though. I think it comes mainly from having a mother who created a terrible environment at home- so any possible adventure was a welcomed escape. And so I embraced adventures excitedly. The further I could get from home and the longer I'd be away, the better. Mexico, Europe, Africa- all visited by the time I was 18. And that's continued to be my path for the next 11 yrs and I hope it continues to be the path I take for the rest of my life. Aside from escaping my tragic mother, traveling has always opened up my mind, my heart, my senses, and my self-inflicted limitations to new possibilities. 

It's always been known to friends and family alike that I "leave for a living." It's always been known that I wouldn't live in Levittown, PA for the rest of my life, or even in America. (I think the family will agree they are happy I chose Colorado for now, and not some jungle off the radar in Africa, but never say never ;)

With all the traveling I've done, decisions I've made, and new paths I've chosen to take, I still miss everyone back "home". I miss the late nights with cousins & aunts & too many cases of Yuengling Lager. I miss falling asleep and waking up to my dad playing his guitar in the kitchen. I miss the walks to Gram's house with my cousin Tony. I miss the laughter of late nights and the shocking sound of birds chirping at Aunt Janie's. I miss those times when Maria made me laugh so hard that milk came out of my nose on more than one occasion. I miss walking barefoot on warm pavement during summer nights to cross the street to my best friend Jacqueline's house. But I know it's all our love that keeps us together over every distance. And I know that every time I come home, we will pick up right where we left off. And their support and respect for my decisions and mine for theirs is what keeps all our relationships strong. And I know that even at 29 yrs old, I can still walk over to Jacqueline's house, barefoot at midnight and be greeted with a large glass of wine, smiles & great friends (and that's just what I did a couple Friday's ago when I was home). 

Maria, Me, Jacqueline

I guess what I've learned is that home is a special place- a place that will never be replaced by any where else on this earth- no matter how beautiful, how tropical, how seemingly perfect- there is only one place that will always be home. This doesn't mean that I have to stay there, or choose the life that my parents, siblings or cousins might choose. My hope is that I can create a new, beautiful and different life here in Colorado, one that my kids (ha!), when they are traveling to far off exotic places, will be calling home. The place where they grew up, were loved, and had the memories that no other town, house, or street will ever give them. 

My Current Home- Crested Butte, CO- Not a Bad Place to Be...

wei-wu-wei, 

WWW

Spanish Creek & Sheep Creek.... Or Lack Thereof (April 28th-29th, 2012)

One of the most amazing things about Colorado is the unlimited amount of open and public space available for anyone to go explore. On our way home from Penitente Canyon last weekend, we passed signs on 114 for turnoffs to Sheep Creek and Spanish Creek. We thought it might be a good spot to check out for our next camping adventure the following weekend.

So once again, stocked with alcohol, coffee, Powerstop sandwiches & a couple Monster Energy Drinks, we headed out of Gunnison on a Saturday morning & toward the signs for Sheep & Spanish Creek on 114.

Surprisingly soon after turning down the 2 track dirt road toward our destination, we rounded a corner and came upon a beautiful backdrop of rock cliffs. We turned down another road to get a closer look and check out the scene. There was a campsite & fire pit ready and waiting for us with not a soul in sight. We couldn't believe how quickly we happened upon such a beautiful and quiet spot, but that's how it seems to go in Colorado.

We didn't want to commit so easily to a campsite so we decided to venture further in to see what other spots we could find. The roads were lined with beautiful campsites, all vacant. We also wanted to drive along and find Spanish Creek or Sheep Creek- but after following some misleading signs and going down a few roads, we sadly found neither.

We started driving a rocky dirt road up a mountain. Along the way we saw more campsites tucked away in the trees but decided the weather was getting a bit too chilly to stay too high up in elevation and we'd be happier down at the first site we came to. However we decided to keep driving up a little more to see what we could find. We saw a bunch of deer and some really cool beaver construction sites. I really wanted to see a beaver- these guys had done quite the job out here- but none were to be found. We climbed further and further up until we came upon a sign for Lujan Trailhead. It said it was a 4.1 mile hike to Baldy Lake. We decided we'd come back and hike it the next day. Much to our disappointment however, the next day when we returned to the trail in search of this lake we never found that either... bummer!!

Some diligent beaver work

 As evening was closing in we went back to our original campsite, set up camp, started a fire, and then got Shamus' "new" 1942 shotgun out. This gun was an heirloom passed down from Shamus' great uncle, to Shamus' dad and finally now to Shamus. We fired off some rounds with the shotgun and my beautiful Springfield Armory 9mm. After that it was back to the fire for some food, drinks, and appreciation for another beautiful night.

No cell phone service, no electricity, no bathrooms, no people.... no problem ;)

Shamie's got a gun

Our hangout for the night

Oh and the dogs had fun too!

wei-wu-wei,
WWW

Penitente Canyon, Colorado (April 21-22, 2012)

By way of invite from our friend Meg, Shamus and I packed up our car early Saturday morning (7:00am!) to head to Penitente Canyon for the weekend. We drove out to Gunnison to meet Meg at The Powerstop to fuel up our gas tanks and more importantly- our hungry, hungover bellies. The Powerstop is a gas station/convenience store in Gunnison, CO that has an amazing and fulfilling list of breakfast sandwiches. They cook them right there on the grill in front of you. My favorite sandwich is the "Gutbuster"- chicken fried steak, egg, hashbrown, bacon and gravy piled between two buttery pieces of Texas Toast.

After gathering some necessary provisions from Walmart & City Market (like bullets, alcohol & energy drinks) and then taking a few glances at the Penitente Canyon map, we hopped on the road. After about 2.5 hours of beautiful scenic driving, we turned down an empty road, past the quaint & inviting La Garita Store and then down a dusty dirt road to Penitente Canyon.

Penitente has several paid camping sites upon entrance to the park. Each site has room for about 2-3 cars to park, 2-3 tents to setup for the night, along with a large concrete picnic table and man-made fire pit.

After setting up camp, we decided to go explore for a bit. We hopped on a trail that crossed directly behind our campsite. After following the trail for a half mile or so, we hopped off and decided to climb up a nearby hill to get a better view of the land. Off in the distance you can see a beautiful mountain range and a small glimpse of the Great Sand Dunes National Park & Reserve.

After our hike, we relaxed for a little bit in the convenient travel hammocks Shamus always has on hand. Then it was time to get down to business- break open the beer, the whiskey bottle, and the dice-rollin' drinking games. We also eventually started a fire, cooked up some delicious dinner and proceeded to finish off the bottle of Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey between the 3 of us. As the sky darkened, the fire dwindled, and the stars starting poking through the black sky we all decided to retreat to our tents for the night.

The next morning I woke with a fierce craving for some coffee (probably because I knew none of us had any). So with our hopes high, Shamus & I hopped in the car to drive back to the La Garita Store just a couple miles from the canyon in hopes they 1. Were open (it was 7am) and 2. Had some fresh hot coffee for sale. Thankfully we lucked out. We walked in the old log building to find a kind, old woman behind the counter eager to greet us. She scurried into the back to get us our coffee so we took the chance to look around. There were some cute souvenirs and other necessities for sale. Also the place was adorned with pictures of proud hunters next to their elk kill. An older man, who I assume was an owner along with the friendly old woman, saw us fascinated by the elk photos and called us into the adjoining room to take a look at the enourmous elk head proudly mounted on the wall. After paying for the coffee and taking a peek at their food menu (which we definitely will have to go back and try), we headed back to camp to make breakfast, pack up our tents, and take a nice, long sunday morning hike.

We hopped back on the same trail we had started down the day before but this time followed it all the way out to some other trails. One of the trails lead us to some old wagon wheel tracks rutted in some large boulders. The tracks were made by carts of Hispanic settlers in the 1850's. We also headed down the Witches Canyon & Rock Garden trails, where we also ventured off and did some more exploring over tree limbs and large rock scrambling cliffs. After about 3 hours we ended up back at our campsite, continued to pack up the car and said our goodbyes.

Shamus and I happily headed toward home after another wonderful weekend in Colorado...but of course not without stopping on some public land to shoot our guns ;)

wei-wu-wei,
WWW