u/Hockey618

Planning a Colorado trip and I’m trying to make sure I don’t accidentally overdo it with altitude sickness.
I’m coming from basically sea level, and I’ve got this stacked itinerary in Colorado Springs:

Day 1 — Arrival
Land in Denver, drive to Colorado Springs
Take it easy, maybe a short walk at Red Rock Canyon

Day 2 — Incline
Early morning Manitou Incline
Afternoon at Garden of the Gods (assuming I’m still functional lol)

Day 3 — Pikes Peak
Drive up Pikes Peak Highway
A few scenic stops, nothing crazy
Maybe Cheyenne Canyon / Helen Hunt Falls if energy is there

Day 4 — 14er attempt
4:30am start
One mountain attempt
Back down by midday, full recovery mode after

Day 5 — Leave
Check out
Quick stop at Red Rocks on the way to Denver
Fly home

Here’s what I’m unsure about and honestly a little nervous about:

I’m doing the manitou Incline, Pikes Peak, 14er all within a few days after coming from sea level. My friend and I are in good shape but I know altitude sickness can hit randomly with anyone.

Is this too aggressive for acclimation?
Is doing the Incline that early a bad idea or actually fine?
What are the “this is going sideways” signs I shouldn’t ignore?

Right now I think keep everything planned.

What would you actually change if the goal is still pushing ourselves, but not gambling the whole trip on altitude luck?

Thank you all in advance for tips!

Hello! I’m 27 and feel like I’ve finally hit the point where I want my investing life to become simpler instead of more “optimized.”

I started investing young and opened my brokerage account as a teenager, which I’m grateful for, but over the years, a family friend who works as a financial advisor kept suggesting different ideas, tilts, funds, strategies, etc., and now my brain feels completely fried from trying to build the “perfect” portfolio.

Right now:
My Roth IRA is invested in total US + international index funds

My 401(k) is entirely S&P 500, but it’s still relatively small compared to my other accounts since I only recently became eligible for it at my current job

My taxable brokerage is the account I’m trying hardest to rethink…

My goals are:
-long-term growth
-tax efficiency
-simplicity/KISS
-flexibility before retirement age
-something I can stick with during bad markets without constantly second-guessing myself
-I may eventually use the brokerage account as an early retirement bridge, so accessibility matters to me too.

I went through all the usual rabbit holes:
-growth tilts
-QQQM
-small cap value
-trying to make every account “complement” each other perfectly

I think I’ve reached the conclusion that simpler may actually be better for me.

The setup I keep coming back to is:
-keeping international exposure mainly inside the Roth
-keeping the 401(k) simple with S&P 500
-making the taxable brokerage just a total US market ETF and leaving it alone

Part of me worries that would leave me too US-heavy overall, but another part of me thinks I’m overthinking something that may not matter nearly as much as consistency, staying invested, and continuing to buy for the next 20–30 years.

I’d really love to hear from people who simplified their portfolios after years of chasing optimization.
Did you regret simplifying?

Did going “boring” actually help you stay invested long term?

*Apologies for the long post*