Blogger + Friend = Blend.
Blend 2012 was one of the BEST weekends I’ve ever had. This past weekend ~70 women descended on Boulder for a weekend of fitness, food, and FUN.
Me and Heather, post-boot camp
Tina, Heather, and I took off from Atlanta Friday afternoon to attend the Blend Retreat.
I’d only met a two of the non-ATL attendees in “real life” before, but I can honestly say that I ended the weekend with several new close friends. It was one of those experiences where you meet someone and feel like you’ve known them forever (I’m pretty sure Heather is my soul mate.)
Armed with drink tickets and cupcakes, we kicked of the weekend with a group dinner. Right away it became obvious that is was going to be a laid-back, drama-free weekend.
It also became clear that we were going to blow up Instagram. #blend2012
Here's to new Blends!
My table-mates
Right to Left: Greg, Lauren, Kelly, Heather, Core Power, Fitmixer reps,Elizabeth, Me, Caylee, and Christine. Photo courtesy Janetha.
Both mornings we woke up to an hour-long boot camp. Day 1 was led by Tina and Lindsay (check out the workout here on Tina’s blog). Day 2 was led by one of our sponsors at Chobani. Both days kicked my butt… but Fitmixer’s Amino Acids drink helped us power through.
This view didn’t hurt either:
Saturday we took a casual 4 mile hike on the Flat Irons up a trail called Royal Arch.
It lead us to the top of this beauty:
Flat Irons
It took a little climbing, huffing, and puffing…
Unbelievably no one wiped out on the way down!
The view at the top was well-worth the climb (and post-climb soreness). I wish I could do this every weekend!
We made it!!
Know what else is worth it? A post-hike snack of Coconut Honey-Roasted Peanut Butter and Cookie Dough Nutty Butter, homemade by your FoodBuzz roomie/fellow weird food-living buddy, Sarah.
Me and Sarah
It really does taste like cookie dough. Be verrrry jealous.
After much-needed showers, we celebrated Cinco de Mayo in style, but you’ll have to wait until tomorrow for those fun stories. Let’s just say that there was tequila shots and a tattoo involved… 😉
You guys know I’m not a crier, but when as our taxi pulled away from the cabins on Sunday I may have felt a little lump in my throat.
Until next year, my friends...
I do have one problem after the weekend… what am I going to do with all this schwag?! Oh wait… I’ve already eaten a lot of it…
***
Thanks to Lindsay, Janetha, and Katie for pulling off an incredible retreat. You guys wore me out so thoroughly that I actually took a rest day.
Have you ever met online/blogger-friends in “real” life?
Do you like to hike? What’s the best trail you’ve been on?
It was so fun. I want to go back. At least I know I can hang out with you sometime in the not too distant future! That park date needs to happen.
I know! Should we do a lunch or afternoon thing?
Looks like so much fun! Lots of time to spend with people who share so much in common – with a great schedule of activities!!
yay! so glad to finally meet you!!!
I really want to go next year! I would love to meet everyone.
We kept saying we wished you were there. Next year!
FUN! I’m really going to try to make it next year.
And when I lived in Tucson, we hiked all the time. I miss it SO much!
Sounds like a wonderful retreat! I love hiking, too, especially when on vacation. I think my favourite hike was in Iceland where we hiked through beautiful mountains, to get up to the hot springs. It was SUPER windy and cold, making it difficult to hike, but when we made it to the hot springs, we stripped down and enjoyed the water until we were shrivelled. It was so hard to get out back into the cold wind! Do you have any hikes planned for your South American trip? My 5-day hike to the Lost City still seems very daunting!
I would love to go to Iceland one day. I hear it is stunning. No solid plans for hiking in SA yet, but I am sure we will do some!
I’m so glad I finally got to meet you and we were in the same house! It was a really great weekend. Can’t wait for the Saturday recap.
Loved all the pics I’d see when I’d scroll through Instagram over the weekend. Looks like you ladies all had a great time! 🙂 I’ve met Diana from Veggie Next Door when I was in Chicago a few months ago – it was so much fun! I hope to meet more friendly faces soon though 🙂 I loooove to hike! When my family lived in WA we’d hike Mt. St. Helens and Rainier all the time! I really need to get back to that…
WA has the best hiking! I’d love to live on the NW coast one day.
I love hiking, this looks like so much fun!
Looks like such a great time!
I get to see you SOON!! Let’s make it happen!!
Yessss! Let us know when you make it back to this coast.
Looks like a blast! Check out that hike!
This was one of the BEST weekends ever- and hanging out with you was definitely one of the highlights!! I can’t describe how awesome everything was- and can’t begin to pick a “favorite” part of the weekend. Everything was my favorite!
I need to be making a trip down to the ATL soon. And catch a Braves game, of course.
Love you tons!!! xoxo
So were YOU!!! Please do come to ATL. We can do it up right with the Braves and some fun local treats. 🙂
i’ve read so many blend recaps this morning! it looks like it was an amazing experience!
i really like hiking, but the closest good hiking is almost an hour away, so i don’t get to do it as often as i’d like…
Great recap! Such a fun time – and so great meeting you! 🙂
So great meeting you too! I’m loving everyone’s recaps. 🙂
Fabulous recap!! It’s so much fun reading everyone’s take on the weekend and seeing all of the different photos. You are such a sweetheart and it was great to finally meet!
Thank you! Your pictures are amazing. I think it’s gong to take me a week to catch up on everyone’s recaps… but it’s so much fun re-living the weekend.
It was fabulous to meet you. 🙂
Thank you so much for coming – I loved meeting you!
I absolutely loved meeting you too. You are the BEST! 🙂
You know I love you.
That is all.
Oh, and I definitely need to get to ATL this summer!!!
You MUST! We need to have a mini-Blend in ATL.
xoxo
I love hiking!!! It looks like y’all had so much fun!! Can’t wait to hear more about it 🙂 Oh and I am definitely jealous of the cookie batter nut butter.
Duuuude. You should be. I’ll share a bite though. 🙂
You took a rest day?! Mission accomplished. You are one adorable pint sized piece of amazing! Thanks for coming!
LOL! You are also one pint-sized bit of amazing. I’m so glad 2013 is in the works. You ladies ROCK!
You and I somehow look about 12 in that first photo – too funny! 🙂 Such an awesome weekend, I’m enjoying reading every single post!!
I know – you look like a baby! 🙂
Wow!! What an amazing opportunity! And Boulder is such a gorgeous place. I love meeting bloggers in person– I met a few at the Houston marathon, and a few more at Austin’s. It’s amazing how close you can feel to people when you already “know” them through their writing. I can understand the sad departure!
That event looks so fun, and the hiking looks spectacular! Glad you had such a good time.
Lookd like a fabulous time – with good, exercise, friends and activities how could you ever want to finish such a trip 🙂
Glad you had so much fun!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Wow…it looks like you guys had a BLAST. So much fun!!! I have had 2 blates in person and one via Skype today w/Hayley (oat couture) SO much fun! I can’t wait to hear about the tattoo….im intrigued.
xoxo from Trinidad
Skype dates are such a good idea! I need to figure that one out.
I was wondering what Blend stood for/meant! I saw all the pictures on instagram and it looks like you guys had such an awesome time – plus the view on your hike = gorgeous. Colour me jealous!
It was an incredible experience. Maybe you could plan a trip next year?! 🙂
Looks like such a fun time!
So much fun!! It was great meeting you roomie 🙂
It was great to meet you too! Best of luck this week in Tampa!!!
How much fun! Looks like it was a great time!
ah! love your blog and all of the fun pictures 🙂
Thank you!!! 🙂
this has been too fun just reading! and i loved the instagram pics.
p.s.
I think i am your soul mate too.
😉
We kept saying we wished you had come!!! You totally are my other soul mate. 🙂
i like to think i was there in spirit.. yes?
😉
Aww!! I started reading this post last week, but wasn’t able to finish it! Love, love, LOVE that I got a chance to meet you! I swear it really does feel like I’ve known you forever. The weekend was more than I ever could have dreamed of and I can’t wait for next year! Ugh, one whole year seems so long to wait….I’ve GOT to find a way to make it down to Atlanta for a visit! 🙂
You must!!! We aren’t THAT far apart. You should come down for our next ATL blogger meet up!
WAY behind on reading recaps, but this weekend sounded like so much fun! I definitely want to go in the future!