flatlander

[author's note - i have recently relocated to the front range of the colorado rocky mountains. here, i am known as a flatlander, since i am new to life at altitude, hence the name of this post.]

these days, i find myself ensconced in the home of my friend, heather, and her lovely family in colorado. this is amazing on many, many levels, to be sure, and i find myself wanting to record how drastically not just my life has changed, but also about how the details of my life have changed. for example...

BATHING/GROOMING/HYGIENE/PERSONAL CARE - this must be the place i start, as obscure as this topic may seem at first blush:

• there are no HEATERS in ANY colorado bathroom i've ever encountered. home designers, this is directed at you. what gives? who designs a home with bathrooms that are not heated, are situated against an outside wall, and said wall lacks extra insulation? BRRRR. on the upside, my yoga practice is going to be vastly improved, as my balancing skills are put to use every time i set foot in the tub.
• this deserves further elaboration, specifically bath versus shower:
• BATHING - STOP. DO NOT ENTER. DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT SETTING FOOT IN THE TUB WITHOUT FIRST TURNING ON THE WATER FULL HOT. resist the temptation to cool the faucet water down. trust me on this. the water will cool rapidly due to the exterior wall and lack of heater... and your own freezing cold body in desperate need of warmth. to this end, it will behoove you to delay disrobing until your bath is fully drawn.
• SHOWERING (women, this is for you, well, because men, this would just be weird - unless you're an athlete - then by all means, proceed!) - when shaving while standing, balance on one leg and raise the other to the wall in front of you. balance only on one leg and one toe pressed against the wall. this way, you minimize contact of body parts on any surface. yogis, rejoice.
• BATHING PRODUCTS - body wash, at elevation, does not foam well or for any decent length of time. anticipate using twice as much of any product (see exception below). i suspect the same goes for shaving cream, although no woman in this household uses it. my semi-educated guess as to the reason for this phenomena is lack of available oxygen in the air (we currently reside at 7300 feet of altitude).
• MOUTH WASH - this is apparently the exception to the body products rule. mouth wash foams at an alarming rate, and if you are not prepared to spit, you will end up with cheeks like a chipmunk and mouthwash spurting out at an alarming velocity. practical tip - use 1/2 your normal amount and rinse twice. my hygienist friends will appreciate this advice.
• LIQUIDS - in general, anything that does not exist in a solid state is going to explode at some point if you don't properly prepare prior to your arrival. ziploc baggies are your friends. use them copiously. double-bag EVERYTHING if you are ascending over 5000 feet. also of note, if you loosen the caps on items, you will minimize the explosion and thus loss of product. or better yet, if you are traveling to altitude for a short time, wait until you get to your destination and buy your toiletries there. this may seem wasteful at first, but especially with toiletries, why risk having them thrown away at the airport for being too large or worse, having to clean up the explosion once you've arrived?
• SALINE NASAL SPRAY - if you are hailing from a humid climate, saline nasal spray will be your best friend... that and your LIP BALM with SPF of at least 15 and KLEENEX. consider these three items the holy trinity for traveling to altitude. bring or buy copious amounts of these items and keep them with you at ALL TIMES. miss one day and your lips and skin will severely reprimand you.
• SUNSCREEN and SUNGLASSES - these really should be part of the holy trinity of which i just wrote, but that just screws up the metaphor. you are at least a mile and perhaps 2.5 miles above sea level, which means you are that much closer to the sun. you will burn here any time of year, as the summers are very hot and the winters typically include snow, which reflects sunlight onto your skin and eyes. don't spoil your trip the very first day by blistering your eyes, lips, and skin in the sun.
• WATER BOTTLES - hydrate hydrate hydrate. you cannot drink too much water here. oh, and do the earth a favor and buy ONE nalgene or "reusable" bottle. despite what my friend heather says, buying 15 nalgenes to color-coordinate with your outfits is not an excuse for said bottles eventually ending up in a landfill FOREVER. seriously - this stuff actually does not decay over time - unless we are thinking in geologic time. then yes, they will eventually degrade, in oh, about 60,000,000 years. ok, end of earth stewardship lecture.
• STATIC ELECTRICITY - it's here. it doesn't go away. be kind and discharge your built up static electricity onto a metal object before you touch a person. or an animal. or any living thing. be kind. ESPECIALLY at a gas station.

dinner is ready and i am starving, having spent all day yesterday throwing up... but that's a different story for another time. of note, it's currently 1.2 degrees with blowing snow... the windows have fogged up so the view of the snow is obscured. i'm adapting surprisingly well for someone who despises being cold. it's amazing what God can do when He calls you follow Him...

soli Deo gloria. much love, friends.