Farewell, Cairn! We wish you a wonderful time and will definitely think positive hair thoughts for you. We'll be reminded of Cairn's camping trip when we shampoo. Happy Trails : )

Anais

I'm home! And I had the most amazing week of my life! Our first day in Colorado was spent whitewater rafting. The next morning we went rock climbing and rapelling, and in the afternoon set out on the trail for five days of backpacking. It was very challenging, but wonderful. It felt so good to get out of the rat race (or rather, from sitting at home in front of the computer all day doing nothing  ) Being in the mountains for a week with nothing to think about besides one's relationship with God and where to dig a biff (bathroom-in-forest-floor) does wonders for the soul and for the hair - all those natural oils had plenty of time to work their wonders.

I discovered that egg + olive oil make a wonderful pre-trail oiling mixture which, followed by tea tree oil shampoo and a light conditioner on the length, left my hair feeling super-soft and manageable for days. I kept my hair in two braids for most of the time on the trail, and didn't even comb until returning to our base camp in Buena Vista. We were all VERY grateful for the showers (and the toilets!) when we got back. They cost 25 cents for five minutes, however (the showers, not the port-a-potties), and I didn't feel like wasting precious quarters, so I only took a five-minute shower. That only gave me time to shampoo my hair and body (shampoo is a good substitute for soap if you're packing light), but it turned out just fine.

After showering I got in a conversation with some of the girls in my group about hair matters. Locks of Love came up - a couple of the girls had donated in the past and recalled crying in front of the mirror after making the 'cut. We spent a couple glorious minutes talking about the ease of caring for long hair, then someone asked me if I was planning on donating my hair. I explained how I was too attached to part with it, and how Locks of Love reaps more hair than it needs and has some questionable business practices. No one seemed too interested however, and a couple of the girls were set on donating again in the future, so I didn't pursue the issue. It's a noble idea, after all, if a less-than-noble organization.

So anyhoo, that was my trip to Colorado in a very tight nutshell. If anyone's looking to get away from the demands of life for a few days, I can't imagine a better way to do it.

Welcome back!  Glad your week in the wilds gave you the physical and emotional refreshment you were looking for.  Any escape from your regular routine can be helpful in helping reflect.

Quote:


No showers for a week and a half? Goodness, and I thought we smelled bad after five days!  

Quote:


How very true...if only we remembered more often that he's everywhere no matter where we are!  


It was also a bit of a culture shock coming home; for a week I had little more than the clothes on my back, a Bible, and miles of wilderness, and wasn't bored for a moment. Now I'm home with a computer, dozens of books, a car (not to mention a shower, toilet, bed...), and hardly know what to do with myself. Ahh, to live the simple life...I miss being in the middle of nowhere.