enoch photography: hiking

You know I noticed I haven't been posting any personal stuff for a while now... well except for yesterday. So here some of the small amount of stuff we've done in the last few months. Enjoy!

Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose. ~From the television show The Wonder Years

Here's an image of the Balloon festival we attended --- love it when they let them burn!

At the Zoo feeding the Giraffe's --- om nom nom nom

Kenzie a few months ago... getting to be a big girl

After a while... we all start to dislike the camera, 2 year olds are not excluded!

She got down to make a sand angel...

She's so pretty...

... still so pretty... like Mommy.

The most wonderful girls in my life.

My beautiful wife... she just had a b-day a couple days ago.

...see Kenzie's pretty like her Mommy.

My Mom came to visit a few months ago as well... --- she doesn't like her picture taken... so let this be a warning to any family members... take a good picture or you have the silly ones end up online!

We were walking up to Helen Hunt falls (not the actress) - had to stop and take a snap.

We went to Arizona last month - had a blast! Here's Kenzie with 2 of her cousins.

Sweet beautiful cousins hanging out on the steps --- just chillin

It was dress up time -- Kenzie was the damsel in distress --- then you have the superheroes and villains.

These last few were shot with a Point and Shoot - My good friend Darrell came to visit this past weekend, we had a full fun filled weekend.

Hiked this past weekend at Glenn Eyrie -- autumn was around everywhere in the Pikes Peak National Forest.

Kenzie ME and Tara...

This was the ride up to Pikes Peak - no rails once you're up over treeline. It's a bit nerve racking.

Here's Darrell - we're nearing the top ... it was about 22 degrees up there... in the single digits with the wind chill.

Ok. time for sleep. Adios.

//enoch

Enoch Gonzalez
Wedding Photography
Colorado Springs, Colorado

We rolled out of bed early Saturday morning, 2 am to be exact, mentally prepared to start our adventure up Pikes Peak, later I would wish that we would have went to bed 4+ hours earlier as fatigue from lack of sleep would be a factor to our ailing bodies. We arrived at Barr Trail head and set off at exactly 4:15 am, head lamps in place lighting our way through the 1st couple miles up Barr Trail. The air was crisp and cool and it was dark, pitch black with a hint of blue coming from the glow of the moon. As we started our accent of 12 miles we said a prayer and went on our way. Tara, Mike, Teri, Courtney, Dek, the dogs (Boucho & Eho de Boucho), and myself...

10 hours later and Tara and I made it to the summit at 2:15 PM, beating away fears of not being able to complete the task, mental and physical exhaustion. We did it. No one else but us and the will to keep pushing through the physical and mental pain - we did it. Along the way we met strangers that had a word of encouragement that was truly a blessing to help us along our path to help us during those times when we wanted to give up. The last 3 miles was just me and God and his strength, without Him I couldn't have made it.

There were times that I would think to myself that this was not going to be possible for me that I would have to turn around and give up. But I would only give that voice a second or two to live and then I would kill it and push on, feet dragging, mind feeling faint - He was with me. The first 9 miles were great and fun and then the last 4 this was the gut check time, that gut check calling of those that can and those that couldn't.

I can truly and honestly say this was the most grueling, back breaking, tiring, fatiguing thing I've ever done physically. At mile 3 I thought I re-injured a broken bone in my foot - at mile 12 I knew that I had and could barely place pressure on it, at mile 2 I hated that I brought that much stuff in my backpack - at mile 12 I could barely walk and grasping at times to keep myself up, stupid idiot for carrying so much I would think...

I'm proud of Tara and myself and our accomplishment together, she is my champion. And for her and I, we're starting to train again to be better prepared for the next journey up Pike. I'm extremely proud of those that hiked with us... you guys Rocked! And especially to Mike and Teri Dyer - you both are an encouragement to me and your will power and strength to do this time and time again is something to admire.

Pikes Peak Mountain - 14,110 feet - We climbed her. //enoch

In the mountains there are only two grades: You can either do it, or you can't. (Rusty Baille)