The day before Colorado I spend packing and doing laundry and playing poker with Bob, running errands, taking a walk (I'm training for mountain climbing), dinner with Bob, and deciding what I want to take with me... during and through and all the while imagining what these beautiful, magical days will be like running around with my favorite members of The Adventurer's Club.
Apt 11
11766 W.
Chenango Dr.
Morrison
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Let's back up 20 or so years to when Renee founded this very elitist club. We were early teens and had to perform a great and adventurous feat, chosen by the club founder and president, in order to be initiated. Jenny had to collect over 100 golf balls from a driving range we were cutting across when lost in Tennessee. We convinced ourselves these balls were left and forgotten in this golf ball graveyard. Deep down we knew better because the three of us were nervous as hell as we scurried around collecting them up to help Jen reach the designated 100. She was successful in her challenge, as there were over 150 little white balls stuffed in our pockets, purses, and homemade shirt pouches. We gave them to Dad in hopes to make him proud. He let us know we were indeed stealing, but he said they would make good practice balls for him to use. Whew. Grounding averted.
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This is the three of us flying to New Mexico back in the
days of The Adventurer's Club |
I was not a member yet at that time, but hoped very much to be one someday. That same year, on a summer day free of hotel cleaning, Maxine Kenny and I threw cherry bombs off the tower on top of Mt. Baldy in Saugatuck. We had to climb the 270 odd stairs to the top of Baldy, then squeeze through the hole in the fence, and climb the rickety and rusted staircase to the top of the tower. We sat up there for what felt like hours smoking, talking, giggling, and boldly lighting four or five smoke bombs and letting each one drop. We thought we were some hard core bad asses then. Apparently, so did Renee, and we were both sworn into the club that day.
So this Colorado trip, originally about me going alone to hang with Zack and Heather (which was enough joy in itself), turned into the beginning of an amazing tradition with Jen and Renee that each year takes me back to the spirit of those Adventurer's Club days. When I wrote the entry above, I was bursting with renewed anticipation and excitement for any adventure that could and would unfold. I can see how that may not have been adequately captured for you, my reader, which is why all this extra explanation.
