Day 1: 7/25/07: Quandary Peak: 14,265

Stats

6.75 miles	Standard Route – East Ridge	Company: Wendy Chi Wildlife: pika,goats
3450 feet	Start: 7:30 am Summit: 10:30 am Stop: 1:00 pm	Weather: Clear/cool – 6:00 am Cloud formation – 11:00 am Thunder/rain – 1:00 pm

There must always be a Day 1. Day 1 is for kicking off the dust, loosening stubborn muscles, working out the kinks with shoes, gear, snacks, breathing. Today’s Day 1 earned no special distinction. It was not epic- no trips, slips or falls. No famine or mosquito infestations. But in the absence of epic (which really means the situation is dire during but becomes rosy in hindsight recollections around the campfire) – there is pleasant. A perfectly lovely day with trail stretching out ahead and behind, meandering through alpine meadows of Indian paintbrush, purple aster and mountain bluebells. The sun was out. The goats were out. The people were certainly out (including 70 church camp kids from Wichita in t-shirts and jeans, sans raingear). I had good company (with Wendy Chi who will end up hiking 9 of 14 peaks with me) and a gracious host in Quandary Peak. Nothing to complain about. Everything to celebrate. It was good to get out!