Vegas Vacation

For Darin's 30th birthday we went to Las Vegas and stayed at the Ritz Carlton. The hotel is beautiful, we had a room with a balcony that overlooked Lake Las Vegas and the Ponte Vecchio. We met up with Darin's sister Kathy and enjoyed two shows. Friday night we saw the "Blue Men", which was incredible performance of visual simulations, music, audience participation and a digital narrator. Saturday night we went to "Zumanity" which is a Cirque du Soleil production and it was amazing. It was basically a nude circus act, but not trashy, very artistic and fun. We also went to the Bellagio and checked out the fountain show. We did gamble a little, but we didn't win. Monday morning we went and checked out Hoover Dam. I was shocked by some of the security for a Dam, but this thing is huge.






























































































After Hoover Dam we headed home, the long way, checking out some National Parks. We drove through Zion National Park and camped on the edge of Bryce Canyon National Park. The next morning we headed to Moab, Utah to see the Arches. We ended up renting an ATV and taking our own tour. It was so much fun to ride a 4 wheeler in the desert, surrounded by awesome rock formations and views everywhere we turned.

















































After Moab we headed back to Aspen. It rained the next morning, and gave us enough water in Slauterhouse to squeeze in some kayaking. The river was low, but tons of fun and the fall leaves were beautiful. There is snow on the mountains, but it wasn't too cold to get a little more boatin' in.

Fall and Fishing

Vintage Darin- the fish were much bigger back then...

Honeymoonin'

On our honeymoon Darin woke me up before dawn... to go surfing. We were up early and enjoyed sunrise on the beach. Neither of us had ever surfed before, but both of us caught a couple waves.

OPIE

Opie is an adventurous little mutt. He was in our wedding, and since then has gone about everywhere we have. Opie stayed one night at the Ritz Carlton in Vail, where they not only allowed pets, they spoil them. The first photo is Opie and I with the Maroon Bells in the background. Then we have Opie posing at Beaver Lake in Marble, and with Darin in Lincoln Creek. Last but not least, Opie and Darin roughing it while we camped at Gore Canyon.

Snowmobiling in Vail

For Valentine's Day we got a call from our buddy, Patrick Morgan, who was working in Vail as a snowmobile guide. We took a powder tour and eventually Darin and Patrick showed off on a kicker. It was a blast! That night we stayed 100 feet from the Gondola in Vail, and went snowboarding the next morning. It was by far my best Valentine's Day ever.

Tallulah Gorge

Natalie sliding Oceana for the first time, October 2004

Oh-Be-Joyful

We started the day with the Upper East, warming up for Oh-Be-Joyful in Crested Butte, CO. The put-in for the East is a stream that trinkles right under a bridge, but in no time you come to your first horizon line, and the slide begins. The run is less than a mile, and it felt like we were sliding the entire run. We hike through an incredible field of purple flowers, before heading to Oh-Be-Joyful. OB is just a few minutes down a dirt road. The run is on the other side of the SLate river so we hiked the entire run, because we weren't in a 4x4 to drive across the Slate river. The entire hike we were scouting and getting excited. I was a little more than my typical nervous, but I love waterfalls, and this run had several. The put-in is just above a 15 foot waterfall, we called Oh-Be-Ready. Then big slide, another 15 foot waterfall. rapid into 28 foot waterfall and a couple more slides. I rolled above the big waterfall. caught a micro-eddy and forced Darin to lead . He had a great line, but as I turned to watch I slipped out of my eddy, bobbled my paddle and had to go for it. I had a good line, and a great landing, but I wasn't graceful. I had my fun, and took out above the Beaver Dam rapid. Darin and Dave Kloberdanz styled the beaver and made the huge slide look easy. Crested Butte is one of the most beautiful places we boated this year and OB is the funnest river I have ever done.




For more OBJ pics check out the Water Slideshow

DK and friends stylin' the Crystal

TEAM Kellum Alaskan Adventure

A week before we got married, Darin and I took a trip to Alaska. We did a lot of fishing, and were able to bring back enough meat to serve at our rehearsal dinner. I caught a 57 lb. king salmon on the Kenai River in Soldotna, thanks to Dad Kellum and Kings Kitchen. We also went halibut fishing in Homer and took a tour of Seward. During the trip I saw a whale, sea otters, a wolf, an eagle and a moose. The trip was an awesome pre-wedding stress reliever and gave us a chance to see Darin's family that could not come to the wedding.