Last March three thousand images in my iStock / Getty was my goal for 2015. I was hoping I could make it to the whitewater festival in Salida and maybe even the Garden of the Gods 10 mile run. Much to my surprise my summer was far more fruitful than that. There were sports events, trails to explore, fourteeners to climb, and road trips to make that I had not even imagined would be possible and over seven thousand images are the fruit of that bounty.
It took no time at all to upload the couple hundred images I needed for my goal of three thousand and much to my surprise autumn found me just shy of an amazing four thousand images in my portfolio. With tons of images to work on I knew I would make that goal this year too. With summer coming to an end and the peak behind the shadows until spring, I decided to take a break from shooting and concentrate on the uploads and the four thousand mark.
Finally towards the end of the week I uploaded the batch that would put me over the top. It turned out that number four thousand was a capture of the Manitou Incline, which I climbed for the first time last summer. It seemed appropriate to celebrate by making another climb to the top of the mountain stairway, so yesterday I loaded up my gear and pointed the car towards Manitou. Better prepared and better educated on the pitfalls of the 3,500 foot climb, I began my trudge to the top. About half way up I was taking a rest from nearly spitting out my lungs when a young lady churned past me using a technique that looked worth a try, half steps. One foot up, next foot up to the same step with a half second rest or so before putting the alternate foot up to the next step. With a half second rest on each step, the rest of the climb went without the need for oxygen stops. Soon I was hearing the cheers of the crowd at the top so I broke concentration and took a look up at the action. Much to my surprise I was already at the top none the worse for the wear.
Snapped a few pictures of the town and the snow on the old railway bed and headed for the Barr Trail. With proper running clothes on the easy downhill trail was just a little bit too tempting to run down, something I haven’t done in quite a while. Time to the top was 1:12 and my total round trip time back down the Barr Trail was 2:20 or so, I forgot to shut off my watch.
Where to go from here, guess I’ll take a break and do some meditating. It appears as though some of the efforts made by iStock and Getty to win back customers are beginning to pay off. Sales have begun to pick up dramatically so I’ll be watching to see what is selling and what isn’t The Pikes Peak Road Runners Fall Series is coming to an end this weekend, so maybe I’ll run up and see how that turns out so I can write the final report for the Examiner. Need to brainstorm on how to capitalize on my new status as “Denver Exercise and Fitness Examiner” as well. Recent workouts on the treadmill and the run down the Barr Trail have me wondering if some trail runs might be in my future as well! It has been a long time and I have missed the runs and the companionship with other runners terribly.
I don’t really have any more goals for this place at the base of Pikes Peak. There are one or two trails in Cheyenne Canyon that I didn’t get to, but the reason I didn’t get to them was because I wasn’t that motivated to do so. Would like to move further north, all the action I’m interested in is either in Boulder or up in Rocky Mountain National Park. Sports and wildlife in the SOCO are sparse and I’m not looking forward to the long hours of winter boredom. I had hoped to be out of here by winter but it looks like I’ll be braving the cold at 9,000 feet yet again. Oh well, as always I’ll make the best of it.
