What Goes Up, Must Come Down!

For those of us who heard the plan last night and were able to rouse ourselves out of bed, we met Molly at 6:30am for a warm-up workout greeting the day with enthusiastic vigor. For those of us feeling a little less perky, like me, we caught a few extra zzzzz's, glanced at a few headlines and ate breakfast in the resort dining room.

Around 8am, our driver collected us from the resort. We dressed in hiking attire and slung sparsely filled day packs with energy bars, water & cameras over our shoulders. We expected temperatures to reach the mid to high 80s, thus the extra layers of clothing were unnecessary. Our driver, Richard, gave us a brief tour of the Broadmoor from the comforts of the transport van. If the Manitou Incline didn't spark our desires to plan a future trip, the Broadmoor certainly did.

Richard kindly delivered us to the outfitter leading us on our rappelling & hiking adventure in Cheyenne Cañon.

Molly quickly divided us into two groups, five hikers and six rappellers. To start, Trina, Esther, Jama, Lynn and I ascended 1000 feet, climbing to a panoramic view of the sawtooth Rockies on one side. Panning 180°, we witnessed the flat, soil-rich, uniform landscape of the Great Plains. Oh what an amazing contrast to see this beautiful country laid out before our eyes.

Meanwhile, the other half of our group, including Molly, Stacey, Mary Ann, Tobi, Martha & Tricia, slipped into harnesses , gloves, clips and helmets in anticipation of throwing themselves over a 100 foot boulder.

Those first six women waited their turn anxiously. The first few ladies, put on a brave face, showing nervous smiles to pave the way for those who followed.

Each brave woman, took her turn, trusting herself & the equipment to safely conquer that towering boulder. Some bounded downwards in gleeful fashion,

while others chose a more cautious approach.

When each group completed the hike & rappelling adventure, we switched activities giving everyone an opportunity to test lung capacities climbing the canyon

and conquering the rough terrain of the boulder.

Early afternoon, we returned to the resort for lunch. Some of us spent the afternoon spoiling ourselves in the spa as others frolicked in the Garden of the Gods.

Before dinner, we convened briefly in Molly's room to imbibe with wine and to watch a slideshow capturing our Colorado exploits. When Molly announced her next destination adventure trip scheduled for winter 2014, we giggled with enraptured delight. As we moved our group to the resort's outdoor dining area, we found a beautiful table set in our honor.

Knowing this would be our last evening together, we settled into our chairs to select our options of food and drink for the culminating celebratory meal of the inaugural Mojo Active Adventures trip. At one point, chatter turned to the breathtaking topographic sunset surrounding us. We rose from the table to capture the spectacular setting in our final group photo.

We look back on the last three days, proud of our personal & collaborative feats. We feel bonded with our group of eleven amazing women. Each of us tried something new, faced a fear or two, found confidence and affirmed friendships, old and new. Tomorrow, we will return to our regular lives, feeling a sense of accomplishment and hopefully applying the various personal lessons learned on this trip to the journey of our everyday life. When we come across a treacherous pass, we will dig deep in our soul to slow down and navigate cautiously. When we trust ourselves and our surroundings, we will feel the freedom and confidence to fly with the wind and and let go. Despite testing limits and reaching new heights, we have most enjoyed letting loose and getting silly during moments of lighthearted gaiety.

A big thanks to Molly for organizing and leading this adventure! We look forward to many more.