hello Colorado!

[coraa]

I am currently sitting in the hotel bar of the Vail Cascade resort, the day before Sirens begins properly (there's a dessert reception tonight, programming starts tomorrow), enjoying the comfortable chairs and enormous windows that look out over the mountains. (The bar isn't open right now, so it's also nice and peaceful.) I can see aspen—some green, some deep gold-yellow, as they're mid-turn—and some kind of pine or fir, and a creek, and the clouds passing overhead. It's quite pleasant! Right now we're at 8000 feet, but I'm keeping hydrated and resting a lot, so it isn't bothering me too much.

I road-tripped the distance from Los Angeles to Vail with sartorias and rachelmanija, which was a lot of fun. It's apparently either two long days or three short, easy ones, so we went with three. We passed through Nevada (straight through Vegas, in fact), the upper corner of Arizona, Utah, and then Colorado.

On the way, we saw a lot of beautiful views: the weird twisted shape of Joshua trees, deep rusty-red cliffs, spires in layers of gold and brown and red and black, swift dark rivers, bluegray volcanic rock that drips and pools as if it were poured (because it was). Rocks in shapes like hands and fortresses and towers and elephant toes and trees and, um, unmentionable things.

I'll post more about our stop at Cove Fort and the petroglyphs once I get the pictures off my camera and uploaded.

Last night was the Sirens Supper, at which I got to see several people I met last year and meet several more new ones, during varied discussions including books that changed your life, historical figures and events that nobody would believe if they were in fiction, and the Ig Nobels. I also got to see rhinemouse again—the four of us are rooming together—which was awesome; we're planning on being NaNoWriMo buddies this year, which is good because I can always use the added kick in the pants!

Anyway, we're here, and I'm very much looking forward to the start of Sirens tonight! I'm going to try to take notes/liveblog the panels I go to, since they sound really cool.

Comments

[maggiedacatt.livejournal.com]

It's apparently either two long days or three short, easy ones, so we went with three.

LOL. When we lived in the LA area, we did it in 1 (and that's going on past Vail to Denver). Now, from Santa B, it's too far and we go in 2.

I'm really down right now, and it brightened my day to see a post from you. I miss you guys so much more after seeing you.

[coraa.livejournal.com]

We are wusses and don't want to get up early on vacation, hence the longer timeframe. ;) Also we stop a lot.

I miss you too! I wish it were easier to see you more often.

[maggiedacatt.livejournal.com]

Not a judgment--you should stop a lot! There is a lot to see along the way, and I've never properly seen much other than gas stations.

[gwynnega]

Sounds like big fun!

[jessryn.livejournal.com]

Right now we're at 8000 feet, but I'm keeping hydrated and resting a lot, so it isn't bothering me too much.

I learned to love my hotel provided humidifier last year.

I'm going to try to take notes/liveblog the panels I go to, since they sound really cool.

This is very exciting to me!! Continue having an amazing time.