Women's Quest

I committed to the 2014 Colorado Women's Quest - Adventure Retreat to jumpstart my rut.  I had no concept of what it meant and was quite intimated about meeting a bunch of strange women.  The focus of the retreat was mountain biking, hiking, yoga, meditation, along with grounding and balancing our hearts.  As most of you know (if you have read my blogs), I became a widow almost a year ago.  It left me floundering a bit as the ground of which I stood on was suddenly cracked beyond repair. 

 I read a lot and when I say a lot, I mean A LOT.  I have read every self-help, get stronger, get more confidence, etc. and thought okay it is time to test myself with real experiences.  My first solo trip ever!  I planned everything from booking the retreat, buying the plane ticket and arranging the two hour shuttle ride from the crazy Denver airport to Winter Park, Colorado.  The planning was just the beginning of self liberation.

 I am not totally sure what I was thinking when I booked the trip as my physical self runs 12 miles a week (4miles each day) and do yoga for 20 minutes twice a week - that is not a whole lot of physical exertion compared to Colleen Cannon.  She was a successful triathlete and in her racing days, she was World Champion in 1984, and National Champion in 1988 and 1990. She also was a multiple U.S. National team member.  Colleens goal is igniting sparks and passions in people for the outdoors, their own bodies and their spirits.  She creates a safe environment for women to experience new kinds of activities and to not feel rushed, intimidated or threatened.  We all live in a very competitive world and Women's Quest is a safe haven from all the craziness of that competition.  From Colleen's years as a professional athlete she saw that we needed more women in sports.  Since then, it has been her personal mission to get more women involved in sports on a level with which each woman is comfortable. Regardless of your age, fitness level or athletic background, it is never too late to learn to love an active lifestyle and feel truly alive.

Another fundamental reason for creating Women's Quest was to educate women about healthy body image, nutrition and a fun, active lifestyle (which hopefully gets passed down to their children).   Their goal is to introduce women to the healthy aspects of being balanced and to connect people with the biggest playground we have - the outdoors! 

By the time I arrived at the Woodspur Lodge in Winter Park, Colorado on Sunday, I was feeling a bit punchy.  I met four other women that were going to ride on the same shuttle to the same Women Quest retreat and looking at them I did not feel so bad.  They weren't in any better physical condition that I was except for Katy from Alaska.  She brought her own mountain bike.  Even though, I was glad that Colleen has asked if I wanted my own private room a few days prior to taking off for the trip instead of sharing with someone I did not know.  I accepted of course.

The lodge is a rustic a-frame with lots of character.  Unpacking my bags, I thought it would be comfortable for the five days I would be staying there.  Our group of thirteen women all arrived and we had an introduction session and then we went down to a stream full of bubbling energy.  I was feeling a major shift in my energy already.  I live in Florida so there are no mountains and no streams that come from snow capped ranges.  I just realized that I had tapped down my need for the beauty and energy of the great outdoors.  We connected back to the earth with our bare feet (shoes removed) and I worried about poison ivy (none they declared).  Hooray!!  What was also a major perk, the food provided with our retreat and the lodge was delicious.

On Monday was our first mountain bike ride and all I could think was oh no - the last time I went bike riding was in Stoney Creek, Michigan and they were hills not mountains.  They eliminated the intimation by trial assessment.  I could not get the switching of the gears right so they put me in a group that would take the paved paths.  What a blast and I did get the gear switching finally!  The beauty was breathtaking and I wasn't so focused on the trails that I couldn't look around.  I loved the speed of the bike, the curves, and wind in my hair.  We then went to a rougher trail - just a couple of us that were up for it.  The quest leaders were very gentle and warm with of us, I was getting more and more comfortable by the minute declaring I can do this! 

Monday set the tone for me.  On Tuesday, we went hiking - four hours and seven miles later, I felt remarkable.  So what my legs were burning and my toes felt like they were going to fall off.  Colleen had thought we would be tired and return within a couple of hours.  We blew her mind that we hiked all the way to the water falls.  What a beautiful sight!  We ate our lunch while soaking our feet in the freezing cold water.  It was quite the experience.  On the way back, I started to spill by history to Christina, a quest leader.  She was a very good listener and full of age advice.

Before too much longer, I had shared my history with a few more and they accepted me without reservation.  They too shared their own burdens and history.  What a cathartic experience.  I felt like a ton of bricks had been lift off of my back.  They were helping me to carry it.  The group size was small by Colleen's historical measure, but the group dynamics were through the roof.  By the time we had gone through yoga sessions, another mountain bike ride, and another hiking trip all the way up to the continental divide, I felt so amazing!  Stronger, happier, and loved.  I met my soul sisters there.  There seems to be a liberating light that is mysteriously ignited when we got out into nature. This is where the fun began.  This was the best trip ever for me! 

I would recommend Women's Quest for all.

God Bless
Keep it R.E.A.L.