Another Beautiful Day in Paradise

It’s gorgeous day up here at elevation 8305 feet. It’s days like this that make winter seem so hard. Like, I don’t ever want to go back and do that again. But during the middle of winter, it doesn’t seem that bad; I exist and find opportunities to enjoy it. I like many aspects of winter. I really do think that winter gives me a better appreciation for days like today. It’s nice to have days in the 70’s, to finally put on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt and not be afraid that some icy air is going to slice through me. Spring is all about building that confidence. Fall is all about breaking that confidence down, putting my guard up.

Last night, I could see the flashes of light from storms that were 50-100 miles away, even though the sky was clear. I love the darkness of night here. I just wish my immediate neighbors would turn off their porch lights that seem to burn 24/7 unnecessarily.

This day and evening will not be squandered.

A moment of zen

It can be harsh living at elevation 8300 feet.   Especially harsh are the winter winds, blowing with sustained speeds of 40-60 miles per hour, for 5 or 6 days straight.  Then an early spring day, like today, comes along and reminds me why I live here.

I hopped on my bike, rode up the peak-to-peak, to an area most people refer to as West Mag (as in magnolia). My original destination was the Champion Mill, but like last time, never made it. Last time I was distracted by an aqueduct, which I should re-post here for completeness.  This time I was simply not feeling the energy.  I’ve been dealing with a relapse of west nile the past few weeks, which flares-up a couple times a year.  This time, after following forest road 355 and taking a unnamed trail,  I stopped at a tributary to Beaver Creek.

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