The Great American Beer Festival

Friday September 30th, we ventured over to the convention center for the Great American Beer Festival to try out a few beers!

The common beers this year were smoked (tasted like camp fire), not the best. Then there was coffee flavored beer, ok to taste, but I could never drink more than that. And we even had a chili beer that burned for a while.

Check it out at www.GreatAmericanBeerFestival.com

Turtle Soup!!

Hi

Thought you might be interested in winning 2 weeks volunteering on a turtle project in Costa Rica for 4 people.
There's also a game where you have to save turtles, watch out for the puking swimmer!!
The more people you pass it to, the more chance you have of winning.

Click here for the turtle game and competition
http://www.turtle-soup.com

I am going to Costa Rica!!

I just got confirmation that I will be going to Costa Rica Oct 22nd - 30th!!! YAHOOO

Last year I worked an event and got a free plane ticket anywhere America West Flies, and here I go! I am going to Costa Rica!!!

Tyson and Barb will be there (which I kinda planned to go at the same time), so we can all hang out.

I will be in Phoenix 5 hours on the 22nd.
And 3 hours on the 30th!
I did that on purpose, so I could grab lunch or something.

I will be talking to you a lot more soon!!

Melanie

Rockies Visitors Locker Room

Emily and I went to a presentation and got to hang out in the Visistors locker room at Coors Feild!

Sunday Hike - Sept 25th

Here is a quick hike I did with Melissa and Laura! Melissa was an intern for i-to-i a few months ago!

I am Walking in the Race for the Cure

Dear Friends and Family,

I recently accepted the challenge to raise funds to support the 2005 Komen Denver Race for the Cure® on October 2, 2005 in the fight against breast cancer. One in seven women will be stricken with breast cancer in her lifetime and the more we raise, the more the Denver Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation can give back to fund vital breast cancer education, screening and treatment programs in our own community and support the national search for a cure.

Click here to visit my personal page and pledge your support.http://www.raceforthecure-denver.com/site/TR?pg=personal&fr_id=1000&px=1181937

Please join me in the fight by pledging in support of my participation in the Race or contributing generously to the 2005 Komen Denver Race for the Cure®. Your tax-deductible contribution will fund innovative outreach and awareness programs for medically underserved communities in Denver and national breast cancer research. It is faster and easier than ever to support this great cause - you can make a donation online by simply clicking on the link at the bottom of this message. If you would prefer, you can also send your tax-deductible contribution to the address listed below. Whatever you can give will help! I truly appreciate your support and will keep you posted on my progress.

Thank you so much for your time and support in the fight against breast cancer! Every step counts!

Sincerely,

Melanie Gentz

Volunteer Stories

I get to read volunteer stories and their experiences. We have the coolest 60 year old man in Peru right now teaching English. He has run in 155 marathons on all the continents. Utterly amazing, I may just post his bio.

We have a volunteer in Sri Lanka cleaning up from the Tsunami and is coming across flip flops of people who were washed away, absolutely heartbreaking.

Another volunteer is in Kenya feeding giraffes and zebras, she is hilarious! I may start posting some of their stories and linking them for your amusement!

Ah, and the 65 year old grandmother of two that has been all over the world and worked with all sorts of animals. I will elaborate on this one, but her goal this year was to go work with the gorillas in Rwanda, but instead decided to go to Sri Lanka with i-to-i and work with the elephants!

Here is a cool quote from a girl who did the tsunami project earlier in the summer
“I will never be able to communicate how thankful I am for this wonderful experience. I only wish I never had to leave!”

I just had to share this quote

If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one.

-Mother Teresa

September 21st - First Day of Fall!

Very excited! It's my first real FALL! Can't wait to grab the camera and go out and get some amazing photos!

Bronco's Win!

My first Broncos Game!

Well, it's not like I just went to the game and tailgated and did all that fun stuff football fans do. But I went at 10am nonetheless, but to help my friend Raise money for leukemia. She will be running in the marathon next month in San Fan. But it was the first time I have been to Invesco field and it was AWESOME. The energy was high, the Broncos were down, but they came back and tied the game. Then would you believe, they with :09 seconds left kicked a 23 yard field goal and WON!! It was awesome. I figured since I live here now, I am a Broncos Fan.

Can't say I will be too true to my AZ Cardinals. But it was an awesome game and I got to see just enough of it!

I just forgot the camera :( no photos.

Oktoberfest

chicken dance and polka!

Prost!!
It's not Munich - it's Denver!

Ok, well I managed to make the most of Oktoberfest here in Denver! It certainly wasn't big, nor Munich, but with the right frame of mind, lots of fun to be had!!

Here is the link to the photos!
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/melanie_gentz/album?.dir=36c7&.src=ph

September 11th

Wow, four years ago, everyone knows exactly where they were when they heard about Sept 11th. Think back at how you felt and reacted. What are you doing today? So much has happened in our own lives, and in the world in the last four years. We have lost our own loved ones, welcomed new ones, and moved and as life does; change.

We have seen other Terrorist attacks, in Madrid, London, and so many other places, we have seen natural distasters as the Tsunami and now Hurricane Katrina.

Again, what are you doing in your own life to help others. Really, isn't that what life is all about, being surrounded by the ones you love and helping the ones you that need your help, no matter who they are.

This world needs to become more selfless and give as much as they can. I am not too sure what I am doing myself, but I will be there for you if you need my help.

Horse Back Riding in Estes

Here is a link to all the photos in the Rocky Mountain National Park as we drove over Trail Ridge!

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/melanie_gentz/album?.dir=/81f9&.view=t

Sniagrab

It's Bargains spelled Backwards!!!

Getting ready for Ski Season already!! Not only did I get a tent about a week ago (a real REI deal), I am sure I could have gotten a cheezy tent at Target for a fraction of the price, but I am so cool on the name brand stuff, but -> ok, not only did I get a tent, but I got my skiis, goggles, boots and yes my CO ski pass!!!! I am investing in my future!!! The future of Colorado!!

SO WHO IS COMING TO VISIT!???????

Hurricane Katrina

You know, I really am speechless when it comes to this hurricane. I am in tears when I watch what people are going through. I have heard from a friend in Baton Rouge that says, you really don't, or you can't even fathom how bad it really is until you see how people have lost EVERYTHING. I got an e-mail from an American in Ireland right now that just says she is embarrassed because they report it as, this tragedy is in America and Americans can not even help.

I am just heartbroken, and I am not sure what we can do as people. Are the American people reacting as they should, are they coming together and helping these people? More people were lost in this than Sept 11th, but are we doing our part?

ONLY IN AMERICA
I was watching the news, and you know, only in America will we take this terrible disaster and make a reality show of it. As I flipped through the stations, I had a few choices of the news and the rest were reality shows. Now, why wouldn't we create a reality show out of Katrina? Basically it is, what companies will react faster and make it a race to give people diapers and food. But still.

I am impressed with the amount of money that the American people are giving to the Red Cross and the companies that are donating in such large sums. Also, you can't help but really admire those who have done what they can as individuals. Helping other individuals get out of there and start their lives anew.

South Africa Lions

You know, I get to hear the greatest stories EVERY day, but one of our volunteers sent me these photos the other day from the Lion Park in South Africa (here is a link to the project)

http://www.i-to-i.com/ProjectBooking.aspx?mid=3281&tabindex=1&tabid=941&subtabindex=0&subtabid=942&ci=en-us&pmt=255&prj=3&dst=20&pkg=1&stg=2

But better than that, here is a link to her photos, the lions are ADORABLE!!! ah, I just want to get on a plane and go to South Africa!
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/melanie_gentz/album?.dir=5f29&.src=
ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/melanie_gentz/my_photos

Mount Massive

Here is Jennifer and I and you can see the summit of Mt. Massive, another one of Colorado's 14ers. This one was 14,421ft. However, with a rain scare we turned around at probably 13,000ft in fear we would get rained and hailed on.

Anyway, This Sunday, Jason, Trevor, Jennifer and I climbed Mt. Massive. We started at 5:30am, and well at about 10am we made the call to turn around so we didn't get stuck in the rain, and made it back down to the trail head just after 1pm.
Jennifer clocked it as 7 hours and 42 min hike!! Not too bad. Can't say we made the summit, but, we sure did have a GREAT day of hiking.

Here are the photos:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/melanie_gentz/album?.dir=/d09b

Travis' graduation

Uncle Bobby and Aunty Terry with Travis

Well, I spent the weekend in RI, CT and MA and a small drive through NH!!

Travis graduated from the Navy, from Sub school before he heads off to Hawaii to work at Pearl Harbor on the nuclear submarines!!




Here's Mom, Travis and I.

Old Friends

Abby and Lauren and I all met in Australia. Haven't seen Lauren since she left, and Abby I saw at least over two years ago. Anyway, we were able to meet up for dinner in Providence, RI! Amazing how times just flies by, yet we are all still the same!

Long's Peak!

At the Top of Long's Peak!!!
My first 14,000ft mountain!!

Well This past Friday I climbed 14,000ft. How awesome that!??

We started at the Trailhead at 9:45pm and then started to trek up the mountain. I had enough energy to keep me going for a while and it did. I had no idea where we were going or what I was getting into. We kept moving and the hours were just flying by.

I was so busy looking at all the stars and staring up at the milky way! It was just spectacular, you cannot capture that sky anywhere (well just anywhere, wish I was there Thursday night for the meteor shower). I saw a few shooting starts and wished upon a few, but can’t remember them.

About 4am we got to the keyhole. About a half hour after we got there other people joined us, and we all chatted for a while trying to decide what to do, and then maybe 4:30am or so we decided to do that ledges and as we were going along you could see the light starting to approach. I could start to see the mountains and how massive they were. And also, how incredibly high we were and how steep those mountains were. I started to think, I am ok right now, but that I may be really scared going down the mountain.

We got the notch and stopped again and took some photos. We were passed up by a few guys who were just booking it and they actually made it to the summit to see the sun rise. We unfortunately were on the wrong side of the mountain to actually see the sun rise. I was determined to get up there as soon as possible so I could see the sun.

We did the homestretch as quickly as we could. There was a bit of ice that made it a little slippery. We got to the top about 6am. I was the 5th person on the mountain that morning. Those two guys then Jason and Trevor then me. We took our photos at the top. (As you can see).

You know what blows me away. There are some days that I have climbed Squaw Peak (in AZ) and I was much more bothered than I was climbing this MASSIVE mountain. I am not sure, but I am just so happy by body was working with me.

We stayed on the top for maybe 20 minuetes and looked at all the ranges of mountains. Then we started to head down, which was just a killer on the knees. Gosh my knees were really bothering me, but fortunately the next day and today they don’t hurt at all. (The thighs were another story).

The way down .. the long walk seemed to be going forever, and ever. By the time we got to the bottom I was imagining the parking lot. It was just crazy. I really did see cars at least three times, but I really think I was dreaming. With the altitude and the lack of sleep. I saw all sorts of stuff. Cracked me up. Jason and Travor thought I was nuts.

Then, we got back to trailhead at 1pm. That was 15 hours of hiking… with stops here and there, but it was still fairly intense and it was awesome! I now can say that I hiked that, and I am really proud of that (thanks Jason for inviting me)!

Then we ended up staying up there in Estes Park for Saturday night. Much better idea than driving down with no sleep. And Estes is amazing!

Anyway, don't want to go on too long. Here is the link to the photos

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/melanie_gentz/album?.dir=1ce0&.src=
ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/melanie_gentz/my_photos