midwestery


even in the midst of being at the highest peak of crazy person over here, there is still time for a jot or two. it's like exercising: when life gets going you still have to get out and run around to burn some steam, it's extremely healthy and helpful to being productive. so exercising the mind via diction is the answer since there doesn't even seem to be time for physical movement.

i recently went to two new states. yesum.
and i guess three if you count a drive-by and a stop for lunch, but i wouldn't. plus it was nebraska and the only good thing to come of the state is the people, thus far from my observations. so that was the cornhusker state.
we roadtripped way longer than i have ever driven in one day and the time seemed to fly. i knew this had to do with who was sitting drivers seat and being in communication with said person. when the weather is lovely and the conversation of meaning and insight the trek to the destination is not the least bit daunting. this is also attainable when solo-tripping especially if you are in a point of extreme comfort with yourself and cherishing the time alone. this can be a beautiful thing.

well iowa was next up on the list and on into a small town of some notable architecture was upon me. i wish i knew more about american architects and had a plethora of stored knowledge of their design work destinations. alas, i don't. but this then gives the excitement when you find out there is something to gander at when in local-town-mid-west, u.s.a. and frank lloyd wright was the man of the hour here. we stealthily got in on a class tour and got the low down on this prairie style home frank designed back in 1908 for some wealthy couple who knew his capabilities and admired his work. i realized there is something to say for an architect who is known by so many for residential design. it would be hard pressing to find another such to fit this description, but then again, like i said before, this proficiency of mine is lacking. whelp, who doesn't enjoy a good frank lloyd wright house?!

i've come to realize that architecture and climbing can be the fuel to travel, for me at least. what is it you travel for? of course there are friends, family, sights for the tourist to gawk, pictures to snap with a held peace sign of such sights, stamps in a passport etc. but as reminded recently from a treasured friend: all the places we go and see and return to only mean so much as who we share them with. don't ever forget this [period]

oh, and i went to minnesota :)

] a frank wright feature & fall foliage [


] what people in iowa do for fun: junk parks [

] antoine predock designs sweet ceilings at UofM [

] frank gehry with a side of minneapolis [

sweetfayetteville

sheesh, i adore that town of fayetteville, arkansas. and was lucky enough to get to take a weekend trip there that was decided upon four days prior to departure. flying by the seat of my pants: not usually my style as i love to plan but have never ever been one to turn down spontaneity and travel whim. i think my major shortcoming, besides being an incessant sinner, is becoming upset when plans don't follow through as anticipated. but this didn't happen on this outing since there wasn't much to anticipate over the short days before. i just knew where i had to be, what time i needed to show up, when i was to return and most importantly how i was to dress while bouncing around.

the reason for the dash to fayetteville: [the land of razorbacks, surprisingly good mexican cuisine, wondrous fall foliage and quite thoughtful design hidden about], was a uniting of lovers. it was a fabulous wedding at that and such a perfect autumn day to say "ido". seeing so many familiar faces brought an even bigger smile to my face as each was embraced. but what all these familiar sights, sounds, faces, places, stomping grounds got me to thinking was the filter in which we perceive them in. as we evolve as a person, fluctuating in many different aspects of who we are, we begin to see things different as well. i can't imagine what my eyes would pick up on, if and when i travel back to rome, knowing without a doubt that each city we travel to serves us for that time and it's not always what the city's wonders show us but in what it can offer personally to those who choose to come.

i biked both days i was in fay. and as i pedaled around to remembered places of time well spent ,there was something different about being in these places, as if i was a bit removed. this little college town has undergone some enormous transformations, and fantastic needs that are good for this place. it pulled me in new directions both physically and mentally and left me not lingering on the past life i held there but what life could be like if i were to dwell in this town. pieces of me want this place to stay "as is" and left unchanged for fear of not understanding the locus anymore but i suppose this is the transformation that needs to happen. just as people are evolving, hopefully so, as are cities. and that is a bittersweet beautiful movement.

ze vol walker aka home for 5yrs.

a new parking structure and bookstore

a new bike trail of wonderful connections

i'm moving to I N D I A!

yep, come January i will be off to mussooire, a small town in northern india at the base of the himalayas. i will get to be a part of and do so many wonderful things in my time there. if you want to know more, contact me, please.

*i will keep this little blog of mine to share news and adventures a-plenty.

a few maps of the country

[a view from mussooire to the himalayas]

[landscape surrounding the town]

petit.grepon

there is too much outdoor terminology thrown around in improper ways. thus making for awry statements with said terms. so keeping this straight accurate: this past weekend was spent in incredible scenery with optimal temperature, chill company, solid rock to hold onto and soaring heights to ascend. all i know is, to climb mountains [with 70m ropes, an ice axe, a rack of trad gear, draws and slings, top rope setup, crampons or which ever your medium] is to make decisions on where to go next, when to rope up, when to belay, whether to rappel or down climb, whether to turn around or push on.

mostly it's about adjusting and in more cases than not, anticipating change.

so we set off for rocky mountain national park on saturday afternoon. much to our surprise it was FREE day at ALL national parks in the ENTIRE nation. all we could do was laugh as we were swamped with tourist bouncing around estes park and on into rocky mtn. we hiked the 5 miles in whilst admiring the golden aspens dancing above us. you couldn't ask for more in a hike like this: perfectly graveled, a waterfall for looksies, people staring you down for carrying a mondo backpack, 65 degrees of splendid blue rockie skies. content we were.
the climb we planned to conquer was the petit grepon, rising around 12,000 feet of soaring glory. it's funny because as you get above tree line, which happens easily around here, the decor of the mountainside becomes quite barren and gray-ish. this is fine. there is something beautiful and pure when the peaks are exposed and left to answer to the most extremes of mother nature. one can see for miles when you are above tree line with a varying view in every which way. we, however were mostly focused with the next 6 feet above our hands and the very texture in front of our eyes. i can barely explain the surge of energy running through your heart as you clamber up the vertical slab. i can raise my heart rate just thinking about it. there is something about alpine climbs that do this. the lack of green vegetation which is usually hustling around you, the quick notice when you nick a rock over the edge and see it waver in the wind or realizing you are merely a morsel in these mountains and they have free range to toss you around. yes, perhaps those are a few of the notions why i|you|anyone would notice and desire to float to such places to rise to such heights, to push limits and at times look fear square the face.
now if only i could lead traditional style climbing. |sigh|. soon, very soon.

well as it goes, we climbed longer than expected, rappelled in the darkness and hiked out with the moon as our guide and stars our map. i've gotten better at this whole being prepared for most anything sort of mentality as it's only taken me two years. the magic lies in what is unexpected and welcomed. a lesson learned from this trip: safety is still the root of it all and there is always time for a picture.

{a view to the east}

}hut-hut{

like i've said in the past, these three day weekends bring so much opportunity when there is only a stint of compiled time to bust outta this place. your place, my place, whomsoever's place it might be or what they/me/you are busting out of really doesn't matter. it's the feeling of fighting for the weekends to breathe mountain air deep into our lungs and stretch across trails of rock to feed our step with a little hop. so i think if we keep our head up and our arms out, we may never know what may fall into our life.

a few months ago, my adventuresome soul sister and i devised a plan. a plan to invite any and all denverites interested and longing to feel the freedom of what the outside realm can offer them, along with us. this can take place in a slew of ways. the biggest plight is making a decision on where to run away to as there are so many options [not a bad dilemma if you ask me]. the other weekend it was a secluded hut deep into the mt. holy cross wilderness area. her and i, along with 16 of our closest and new-ish friends set off. we backpacked in all that would be necessary for a two night three day excursion of mountain living, though to shelter and keep us close we added a rather large hut. we cooked and ate gourmet meals, had an impressive turn out of hiked in yummy beverages, slept wide eyed under the starry night, watched sweet sunsets up top the roof, heated up some logs and danced around a bonfire, all this in the name of laughter. labor day weekend two thousand and ten was a beautiful mess.
*a winter hut trip will be in the works soon :)

[from the roof]

[from the trail]

nashville&a.thought

i'm not sure if nashville is an overlooked city by most, but for me it most definitely was/is. one city i never gave much thought to. maybe that was a product of having zero ties to the place. errrr, maybe one, my love for george strait. i figured at the bright age of thirteen every country star was from nashville. to my amazement i came to find out he was from the city i lived in, san antonio. go figure. i only listen to country on a rare occasion now a days, this being a state of nostalgia. it seems to come every august, round the corner and hits me square in the chest. with no fail every august i feel intense amounts of grief about not being home, wherever home may be. but that is for another day and another jot.
so this past weekend nashville was the destination. love and marriage was the reason for the trip. good times with a side dish of humidity were in the forecast. friends came from arkansas, new york, virginia, colorado and of course tennessee. all gathered in the name of love and the time was such a delight.

what it got me to thinking about, which i had never pondered about before, was that these people i was meeting, seeing again, stepping into their home, very well could have been my life...had i made one decision different two years ago. i almost took the "safe" route and went where i had a job and all i had to do was sign. but instead, this curious character of mine had to take a different path and head straight west for the mountains. at first, i thought i should have made the move to nashville but slowly over a period of a few months i came to realize the many reasons for why i call denver home. how it truly captured me and cracked the shutters to let my soul shine a little brighter. it is just a bizarre thought to see in the living flesh who could of been in your life and what kind of days one might have been living. this isn't about regrets or anything of the like. i think it's about choices and what's best for you/me at the time. i didn't have a huge reason and still don't for my coming to colorado. i believe it was an attraction for what it had to offer and a love for adventure. these cities, they shape us, they let us know we are alive and deeply rooted to a place, we find ties to the places we call home that live on with us forever. cities change us, give us a sense of belonging and even a future to look on to. thank you denver for serving me well each and every day. i must be honest though, my eyes may be fixed on a new horizon.

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{man o man i do love these soccer sunsets}

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on the larger side of things...all life is, is an adventure. really the whole big deal of it is: places big and small we go, cities we seek and dwell in, people we encounter and let change us, views [both that we speak of and also physical] we take in with our eyes and lens that remind us of how small we really are. was christopher mccandless right when he said that happiness is only real when shared? spending time alone can be quite wonderful. but i don't think that is what he was getting at.
thinking about the saying:

"life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets. so love the people who treat you right, forget about the ones who don't and believe that everything happens for a reason. if you get a chance, take it. if it changes your life, let it. nobody said that it'd be easy, they just promised it would be worth it. "

though i prefer quotes that are shorter as i have a trend to not agree with it's entirety this one speaks a lot of truth and have always had a liking for it. it rings true with the adventuresome life i'm currently alive in. so live on and let be because time flies. suns rise and shadows do fall. let the time go by because there's no use fighting it.

man.thatwashard

listen up now. i'll tell you what the big deal is about hiking your booty up to 14,000 ft above sea level-------> it makes you feel damn proud when you turn around at the bottom and look back at the freakin mountain you scaled up in a single day. i've got one and three fourths in my bag and not sure i will be high tailing it up anymore 14er mountains any time soon. it.was.hard. quite possibly one of the hardest things i've done to date. moving so slow i could have sworn i went backwards a few times and might have fallen down to die a slow death if it wasn't for friends making sure i breathed in and breathed out and put one foot up up up in front of the other.

the mountain we tackled was mt. massive and rose to fourteen-thousand-four-hundred-and-twenty-one-feet of grueling beauty. side note: we started at 10,080' so don't go thinking all you non-coloradans that we started at sea level. i'm no sherpa and i do welcome oxygen. a 13.5 mile round trip trail took you through all sorts of scenery. the start: in the density of the trees. pines fallen in masses from the heart wrenching pine beetles. hundreds left to be burned or carried away, whatever their fate. as with most things in life, death often brings light to new life and baby aspens were filling in amongst the laid pine. as sad as it is to see fields of trees browned over, nothing could be sweeter than the rise of the harmonious tree that is the aspen. we welcome you. then as you rise in elevation you move above tree line and stop drinking your water for fear of peeing to a crowd. no, but really it is quite exposed and the vegetation is even more barren. some of the most beautiful of flowers survive the harsh winds, the sideways hail, the bitter sleet and the persistent snow. we, humans, were so lucky to encounter all these forms of precipitation which is why these little flowers amaze me each time i summit to another mountain top and find a cluster of colorful buds alive and happy as ever. then for the final push: up the talus field over that boulder past the many carins to the fateful tip TOP. we-made---it---. and as the clouds so kindly parted for us the view allows you to breathe for the first time in miles just a bit deeper. a much needed breath of fresh mountain air. ahhhhh.

oh wait, did i mention we were alone. all alone. i tell you this because it is rare and sacred, for me at least. for some reason people actually enjoy hiking 14ers and they are rather crowded on the weekend. i guess our plan to start late was indeed a good choice.

fotos>uganda

{------------ugandan----------------------------------------------------------------------}

{---------------------------------male rothschild giraffe---------------------------------}

{--------------------------------------------u.c.u chapel dancing-----------------------}

{--------------------------------------------------------------------metric scale-------------}

{----------------------------------------------- jinja advertising }

tobepresent

the great affair is to move and your feet will then bring you to where your heart is. all journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.

though all have some level of truth i still have yet to discern which of these themes rings most true to me . i've only been home from uganda for 3 days now and should probably give it some time to let thoughts, emotions, feelings rise and surface. unlike the time i lived in rome, this trip came to fruition rather quickly and didn't have too much buildup in terms of expectations. the only thing forecasted was that my eyes would open a little wider, and they did indeed.

what qualifies a country to be third world? are there such things as second world countries and why does it always seems that there is not as much room for the middle? except some things feel like all parts fall into the middle. anyways, in this idea of a "western culture" and all that is developed with exponential growth that happens year by year these two extremes of third world to first world are moving rapidly in the opposite direction. or better yet, one is staying still and the other is shooting like a rocket, comparatively. you can not help but judge what you know and are comfortable with to the unfamiliar and straight up unnatural. i tried my hardest to not do a lot of adverse thinking while in africa and wanted to be my most present self. though the inevitable scrutinizing humans that we are makes this a challenge.
i think if i could amend one of the first mentioned statements i would go to great lengths to say that: all journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware until fully immersed in the present state of their surroundings. or something of the like. i'm not such a quotist, but i'm working on it.

ride dangerously.take a boda

so here i am at the eMi offices in kampala uganda about to go fall asleep in a hammock. i don't really know what to write as there is so much to say and the last thing i want to put down is a play by play. i want to note about things experienced, feelings felt, relationships with ugandans and americans, adventures survived and so much more of the like.

tomorrow i leave early for murchinson falls which is on the western most side of the country and will be there for three days. i'm going to safari around with others [others i don't yet know and hopefully speak a common language, but if not that's fine too] and see animals we only see in the zoo. i suppose this is an extended trip through an african zoo. yes, i like that. i would say this creates mild to medium excitement. okay but really, it's going to great! just another amazing adventure i've already packed into these short two weeks.

this morning i experienced all that is unreal about driving in kampala. it's CRAZY! i mean, i should have already known this from traveling previously to some similar countries but this is something altogether new. my friend and i chose to venture downtown on bodas. bodas are motorcycles with an impressively skilled driver who can maneuver through anything. i could have sworn my leg would have touched another moving vehicle at least 15 times and a person 7 more but in the end i was clean of any contact. helmets seem non existent and new borns in mother's laps are encouraged. girls sit two legs on the side and men three deep [perhaps a child on the shoulders as well] i'm not even kidding. we were dropped off at the aweeno market and didn't see another mizungo [translation=white person] until we were back at the offices. needless to say we got some looks. all in all it was a fantastic taste of ugandan culture.

of course...more to come :)

westtogunnison

yes, it's been a while. but this doesn't mean i've been bumming it on the couch waiting for adventure to seek me. it was the first-climbin'/campin'-trip of the summer weekend, family time x 2, and attempts at long haul climbing.
this past weekend just so happened to be a three day weekend [athankya fighters of our country past and present]. and when you work in the 9-5 world of business these little gems of free days off are glorious beyond spectacular. it means you can travel just a little further, stay for an extra night, not have to hustle back and of course pack in more action. or relaxing. or hiking. or simply staring off into the rockies. you can take your pick. we choose gunnsion with a side of laughter.

gunnison is home to western state college, a small state school that i don't know much about. it is summer time so the students have already launched into their summer plans, leaving the place a underpopulated, at least one would think. though this town was packed with people, be it bikers, climbers, babies in buggies, runners galore. we soon came to realize that there were three competition of sorts going on all in the same recreation area. splendid.
we were there to climb. the endurance climb actually. this entailed throwing your body up against conglomerate granite and hoping to the rocks gods that your shoes held on for dear life. thankfully, they did a better portion of the time. you could even go 'hands free' this rock had so much texture. it was fantastic for smearing [scientific climbing term which really just translates to nontechnical footwork gone awry.] we took on the challenge of climbing for 1,440 minutes. or 24 hours, if you wish. either way, we didn't make it and decided that once our tenacity ran dry and i took a nose dive into the dirt we best call it a night. this place, hartman rocks, is an excellent mecca for a weekend combo of climbing, mountain biking and trail running. it was inspiring to be 30 feet high on a climb and look out to see bikers moving so swiftly through the sand like texture and turns of the trail. it makes me admire and give respect to each nature loving sport. another thing that made me smile was taking part in a favorite past time of mine: getting hot and sweaty and then plunging into some body of water. the blue mesa for us which definitely deserves a trip back around to.

[hartman rocks : lovely photo by sejal]

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...and if you ask for something you have to be aware that it just might be granted to you.

denverrides

this city i live in, denver, makes me happy all the time. yes, i receive good vibes and a charismatic touch from the city. it is alive.
it also decided to start [with thanks to Hickenlooper and his green outlook on denver] the nations largest bike sharing cooperative to date. it's been a few years coming and hard work but now, today :earth day: it's making the launch. there are 40 or so kiosks with 8 meticulously crafted bikes at each station around the inner city limits of denver. the trek designed bike has a basket, gps tracker, fenders, chain guards, built in lock and automatic lights [awhat?] included in the cruiser style fit for any person. i know this because i went to a v0lunteer training where it took two men to hold up the 45 lb bike in all its glory.
though i think the rides are a little expensive there is really no way around the "cost" of using the bikes. austin tried this initiative with yellow Lance bikes and they were repeatedly stolen and found damaged. it would be a beautiful thing to share with out price and rely on our fellow neighbor to return the toy but alas it's not looking promising. but that is not here nor there and a fare there must be. i can't wait to see these bikes cruising around town and will get to jump on one tomorrow for a test ride and promote what this is all about. if you are a denverite go check it out!

[designs and branding by crispin porter + bogusky]

gettinglost

so back to adventuring.....ahhh yes
i know sometimes it's great fun and all to get lost and even healthy to wander without knowing where you are going but i got sickly lost at cherry creek state park the other day. now, this place is 4,200 acres of hugeness. i did all the things i thought i should: scoped out a trail map prior, rigged the entrance fee by "walking in," set out a few hours before dark and even had high hopes of running the whole time. i did not intend on asking for directions but after meandering for a good 1.2 hours i opted for the second runner i saw of the night. whew! i turned around and started running with him and into the semi correct direction. thank you kind sir. the only frustration was that it was getting dark and i also had somewhere to be getting to. if it wasn't for these two factors, this is with out a doubt the best way to explore an unfamiliar place: get deeply hidden and discover your way out. if this poses some dangerous threat[in a light hearted way], all the better.
i used to run at a fabulous place in fayetteville that was an escape, if you will, to school and the whirlwinds of life. the ability to go there and move to nothing but the sound of the adjacent lake or the leaves bustling around you was great time spent. i've longed for a place like this in denver and think i may have discovered just this, it only took me 1.7 years, sheesh. being an urban park, cherry creek state park gives fascinating views of the cityscape, the chance to run through and near herds of mule deer [not the skinny kind of deer you see in san antonio because they are literally locked within the city neighborhoods] but free roaming and startling huge animals, plus some beautiful mallards in the water. i could go on about animals, but then again even a bunny will get me all giddy.
i'm not a fan of getting in your vehicle to drive yourself to a location to run. it just seems silly. problem is this is not a prime location from my house but i suppose neither was lake fayetteville and seemed like a treat when i got the chance to go. not being readily available is maybe what adds to the attraction of a place. well, next time i'll hopefully not ask for help with reckoning.

thoughtsalongtheway

sometimes the need to break free is so overwhelming that i'm not ever fully convinced what it would look like.
is it teaching english in another country, is it an extended road trip, is it moving into a colorado mountain town, or is it conforming and going to grad school to seek the life of being a student again? i think that this takes the words right out of my mouth:

"There is a secret set within each of our hearts. It often goes unnoticed, we rarely can put words to it, and yet it guides us throughout the days of our lives. This secret remains hidden for the most part in our deepest selves. It is simply the desire for life as it was meant to be. Isn’t there a life you have been searching for all your days? You may not always be aware of your search, and there are times when you seem to have abandoned looking altogether. But again and again it returns to us, this yearning that cries out for the life we prize. It is elusive, to be sure. It seems to come and go at will. Seasons may pass until it surfaces again. And though it seems to taunt us, and may at times cause us great pain, we know when it returns that it is priceless. For if we could recover this desire, unearth it from beneath all other distractions and embrace it as our deepest treasure, we would discover the secret of our existence.

- we long for life and we’re not sure where to find it. We wonder if we ever do find it, can we make it last? The longing for life within us seems incongruent with the life we find around us. What is available seems at times close to what we want, but never quite a fit. We must journey to find the life we prize. And the guide we have been given is the desire set deep within, the desire we often overlook, or mistake for something else or even choose to ignore. The greatest human tragedy is simply to give up the search. There is nothing of greater importance than the life of our deep heart. To lose heart is to lose everything. And if we are to bring our hearts along in our life’s journey, we simply must not, we cannot abandon this desire."

The clue as to who we really are and why we are here comes to us through our heart’s desire.

[desire:eldridge]

the closest things i've got to what i envision simply contains more than one ardor. i believe, the real secret to any one's existence will run dry if it is one passion singly deep. passions [not to be confused with fascinations], to name a few or the real few to be more honest [in absolutely no order whatsoever]are: architecture, soccer, jesus, climbing, jewelry design, cities and how they function. i would be inclined to say traveling, but who doesn't like traveling, its a luxury and a great deal of fun and though liked more by some than others, it just doesn't seem fit. i would put traveling as a means to pursue my passions. and sometimes that is just as so traveling to the nearest hobby lobby for supplies and goodies.
isn't this blog supposed to be about embarking on adventure and going new places?
i think i got a little off topic on this one but felt compelled and would hope you are out there doing the same thing, using your means accessible to cultivate living passionately as there is no other way to be.

snowshoethissnowshoethat

what more could the state of colorado possibly have to give? don't answer that, not just yet. i can't get over how much there is to explore and it's not like i'm sitting around thinking about the one great weekend trip that happened two summers ago when i first moved here and reliving that. to have a passion is to purse something with intent. deeply. along with so many other Coloradans there is a true pining to be outside. there isn't much to explain here, just that this is how you are wired and what you long for. i suppose i have a crush on the rocky mountains and sometimes they like me back. isn't it rather amazing that people live in flat places with no geographical flux around them? and more than this, they are okay with it. perhaps there is proximity to such terrain. how dare i be so presumptuous? don't answer that either.
great news here: the means to pursue the passion of this so called outside life can come in so many forms. you can hike it out, ski down it, run through it, climb up it, bike around it, float down it, snow shoe into it and these are just what come to mind. i'm partial to a few but always willing to give anything* a shot.

so, the weekend before last we went on a hut trip. not until two months ago did i actually know what a hut trip was so don't feel unfit if you don't know either. apparently and supposedly there are a network of cabin like huts that connect vail to aspen. and here in the rocky mountains they are the 10th mountain huts, 29 of them to be exact and built for the men who trained there during WWII. pretty sweet if you ask me. well, we snowshoed in with 7 new friends and gained around 2,000 ft. over 6 or so miles. it was tough, but not like the hate-my-life-rightnow-why am i doing this for fun-tough. just the ordinary great accomplishment feeling where you are still in decent spirits. we blazed through new snow, got the hut heated, melted and boiled snow for water, played cards on an elvis deck and chatted with new friends all the while up in the mtns. in the middle of nowhere colorado. and thanks.


*by anything i mean almost anything, where right now i'm not sure there is anything i wouldn't try but not just anything.

snowfriends

"wandering re-establishes the original harmony which once existed between man and the universe"

two great friends came. one from the northwest. one from south texas. we ventured to the mountains and skied at keystone, one of my favorite spots. there is a way back part of keystone and takes some time to reach but feel like you are in the depths of the mountains and far away from all built infrastructure, except of course for the crucial ski lifts [but those can stay]. here you are free to wander in all the silence of snow capped nature.

[Manda rockin' skis]

[Court on her new board]

glenwoodsprings

so we have a fun list. a list of fun things. fun things we want to do. the list is long. things we think will be fun. and most usually they end up following though. this past weekend was nothing shy of that. great fun.
since we have 10 days to expend at Vail and Beaver Creek we thought we better use them since the snow will soon be gone and these are both unbeatable places to ski. you could spend a whole season at Vail and still not touch every run, it's THAT big. trying to get lost is always the objective when riding there. just when you think you've seen enough on the front side of the mountain you finally cat-walk-it to the back and embark on a new plethora of white trails. a world of bowls and moguls and trees to play in. you could take one named run and never ski the same line twice.

so we decided to stay in Glenwood Springs which is a mountain town west of the two ski resorts and has tons to offer. a town of about 8,000 and not trying to grapple with the showiness of other colorado ski towns. i just found out that Amtrak makes a stop at Glenwood, must be a heck of a great place. Not far from outstanding skiing, tons of mountain biking in the roaring fork valley and all things water on the colorado river. the laid back folk, and a hostel for us to stay in rather cheaply is exactly what we enjoyed. and, after a hard day of riding nothing sounds better than soaking in the hot springs. it's an entire pool of natural water full of salty minerals, diving board included. you betcha we froze our butts off to wait in line behind the 8 year old's to get a few good cannon balls in. nothing like jumping off a diving board takes you back to that childhood feeling. though jumping off of a diving board wasn't on the "fun list" it was a small surprise and these sorts of things happen when undertaking adventure.

[winter aspens of beaver creek]

[the view from copper mtn.]

on winter:
there is a privacy about it which no other season gives you ..... in spring, summer and fall people sort of have an open season on each other; only in the winter, in the country, can you have longer, quiet stretches when you can savor belonging to yourself

i once spoke about seasons. how seasons are an amazing attribute to a place and its specific locality. when a city can offer the residents 4 distinct seasons, i am allured. thank you denver for doing just this but my heart is longing for warmth. spring just needs to hurry on up.don't get me wrong i'm all excited for march skiing and great powder and attempting to wear shorts while flying down a hill of snow but the trip south to mexico hasn't curbed this desire long enough. that is why a trip to moab, ut is in the works. all for some red rock climbing, miles of mountain biking trails, camping along the river and least of which 70 degree sunshine in the desert. it seems that in the depths of the winter i finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer. does summer time seem to set you as free as it does me?
as i looked back to what i described my season of life to be, i've realized since a year ago how i have lived through that season and on into others. not always so boldly obvious but that there was a time needed for that spell of my life. if i gave thought and limited words to the current season i would say: a time of never-looked-at-before-reflection with a side dish of simplifying material needs and a glass of looming educational dedication..hmmm, seems odd. but maybe that is just the winter speaking.

keystone

skiing. wooooooo.
justcan'tgetenough.
justcan'tgetenough.

pretty much views like this keep me coming back for more. and the company :)

[back side of keystone]

[mark and adam about to fight the wind]

slow.it.down.now

gosh i love maps. gosh i love guide books, and i'm partial to the climbing ones. they all help you to understand where you are going, what you are getting into and how in the world you get there. the location for this trip was el potrero chico, mexico. and what? mexico has 31 states. we were in nuevo leon and most near the town of hidalgo, population 22,500. hidalgo is honestly known for its proximity to an endless plethora of limestone towers. offering thousands of feet of bolted lines to climbers of any skill. part of the beauty is that you could come with the most talented of climber and find something to challenge them, while alongside a novice climber and still have routes to choose from.

the camping setup was beyond luxurious and made the 8 days of outdoor sleeping incredibly enjoyable. i've never done camping where you get to take showers every night and a full on kitchen to cook up a storm at your convenience. there was a pool, restaurant, casitas, people from all points of the world laughing, sharing stories, learning languages and all the while with the amazing backdrop of the sierra madres. truly unbeatable, spoiled camping no doubt.

even though we were two or so miles outside of hildalgo we still got to share these week of life in their culture, if you choose to do so. even the people who owned and ran the campgrounds were native to hidalgo and great people to chat with and be around. so i attempted my best spanglish, we went to the local tuesday market for deliciousness of all kinds, we trekked into town in search of a restaurant where a woman in her kitchen make us a burrito to share, even though we ordered two, we drove and got lost, we jammed out to some great Mexican music on many a climbs and just really slowed down to what the pace of life is like there. and time is not of the essence. unless of course you are starting an 11 pitch climb behind a slow moving duo that happen to get there 7 seconds before you and happen to be kicking off their multi pitch experience on the exact same climb you are destined by the stars to climb on your last day, theoretically speaking. other than this scenario that may or may not have happened, there is no rush of any kind really. now i could get used to this. hopefully some of this approach to life will carry with me in my life here in colorado. maybe i'll start with the slow food italian notion which “establishes that people should eat and drink slowly, with enough time to taste their food, spend time with the family, friends, without rushing. slow food is against its counterpart: the spirit of Fast Food and what it stands for as a lifestyle.” we forcefully did it when we lived in rome, which yielded fantastic results and great times.

don't you believe this amazing diverse world has so much to teach and enlighten us about how to live life? i loved that being immersed in other cultures when traveling to an unfamiliar country makes you question your current lifestyle. hopefully enough to attract yourself to get up and change a thing or two.

-to the left-

-to the right-

finally got a camera and can now take pictures of my own again :)

homeagain

say we take a look at things backwards.
homecoming: the final physical step of the leave.

even though the adventure is over with, nothing wraps up a traveling time more than a joyous homecoming. to hug again. to share stories. to see that face. to sit in a known room. comfort food. how the flood gates of familiarity are something that always opens and fills a void. a void you might not of known was missing in the act but can't help but fall into once embraced.
beginning to express the integrity of coming home is something i haven't given too much thought about. though i do know there is importance in the immediate feeling and actions and are about as noteworthy as the head end of the trip. remembering back when i first came home from living in Rome, i was probably the least talkative i've been in my life. not sure if i was taking American lifestyle all in again, or just not used to English echoing everywhere, maybe i finally understood that you can learn a heck of a lot with just listening and watching, most especially when it comes to other cultures.
yesterday morning i got home from a climbing trip to Mexico. this had to of been the most rushed homecoming to Colorado encountered to date. i was literally 7 minutes shy to missing my only nonstop flight which precisely got me back to Denver with enough time to swing by home to change and make it to work in a "i'm only moderately late and not late enough for anyone to really notice, and not late enough to have to stay extra late to make up for it" timely fashion. i plopped down at my desk and didn't know what in the world to do. the whole day was uncomfortably still. the contradiction of this is that Mexico is a slow pace kind of lifestyle and especially in the small town of Hidalgo, our location for the trip. so why would the transition of getting back to work and sitting down and slowing down be an obstacle? i think what it comes down to is a matter of the heart. I recently read that "loving requires a heart alive and awake and free". this is not to say my heart is not alive at work or by routine life, by no means is this what i am saying. i just know that with an adventurous soul and being out filling that, my heart is utterly free. the sun waking you up. the moon crooning you to sleep. mountains delighting in your presence. and all i realized with the homecoming. this transition from travel is crucial and deserves a moments thought and perhaps, personally, some patience to readjust.

mountainoffering

i was recently asked by a friend from a warm climate texas city if the snow and all the effects it has on everyday life is still exciting after living in denver for more than one winter season. now, i personally would much rather be running in scorching heat than see your breath cold, and biking in humidity you could swim in than bundling up for a bitter frozen ride. some might be more inclined to play in the cold, and respectfully so, though just not for me. i account this to my southwest upbringing. though what i have realized most about the colorado winter is that you have to roll with the punches. there is a big difference in getting all giddy about the snow falling from the sky as you watch out the window all snuggled up in a snuggie with some hot tea versus gearing up to go compete and revel in what this snowy wonderland has to offer. even if i supremely hated the wintriness i don't think i could pass up what it has to afford to give the adventurous soul. the biggest bummer about taking a winter weekend trip is that you can't camp, well not really. i mean i have, but pretty positive i wouldn't do it again. it is not very fun setting up your sleeping arrangements on a few feet of snow and only hoping there is enough whiskey to go around so you can fall asleep to a drunken lullaby and forget about that draft of wind. i feel like there is so much hate that spurs from cold weather whether you want to admit it or not.

this weekend was spent taking on what the white covered mountain had to throw at us. it's not everyday you get to ski snow capped mountains with the sun shining down on you. with perfect temperatures to not feel too cold but just cold enough to keep you moving you can't help but be grateful for moments like this in life. i'm glad my friend i was skiing with could agree whole heartily. conversation sparked about how lucky we are as colorado residents to enjoy the mountains year round, that is, if you wish to stomach the cold of mother nature. and if you do, i can promise it will bring you alive a little more.

(hopefully soon i'll acquire a camera and will take and post pictures of my own again)

twoten

the pleasure of start that we loose with time.

ahh, the joy in starting. something. anything. a new year. a skinny love. a hobby or art.

when i think of january i can NOT help but think that it marks the beginning, but why? why can't it just be the next month after december and the month before february, as it actually is? the calendar really is a fascinating thing. mayhaps i'll do some more research on that at a later date.
well, to conform with the norm and bring in the new year and start fresh, what better place to be than steamboat? i went last year and was so happy it worked out again this year. now this is a tradition i could get used to. a long weekend in a cozy welcoming house to reside at, fresh powder snow to ski on, hot springs of water to lounge in, sights to let the mind drift away to. all things i thoroughly enjoy. so we banged some pots, we skied some slopes while dodging trees, we soaked in hot tubs, we snowshoed with too many clothes on, and enjoyed wonderful company. sounds to me this year of two thousand and ten was started off beautifully.

so my hope for you and me this year would be to live in a way [with words from italo calvino] "that what he sought was always something lying ahead, and even if it was a matter of the past it was a past that changed gradually as he advanced on his journey, because the traveler's past changes according to the route he has followed"