Wild wheat dog

I spend most of my day feeling like I don't belong. My brain races with inappropriate thoughts, and although most people think I'm blunt, I keep most of my ideas tucked inside this sphere of bone. There is one thing that I do that I feel completely at peace. Hiking. Being outside. Surrounded by nature. It's only better with my dog.

Today I bundled up and headed to an old damn, that is now a path, and the lake a golf course. Beyond the golf course I noticed a sort of path and decided to let Fresa illegally off leash in the grass.

This area of the city is up high. The views incredible and forever. As I walked down the path I came to a sign that describes this area as a reclaimed landfill. Interesting. No digging please. Well, that would explain those vent pipes sticking out over there. Releasing methane?

As I walked north, the sun behind me, I was mesmerized by the swirling darkness.

The dipping spouts. Huh, is this tornado weather? The wind was whipping. I looked around for a low spot, a ditch, just in case. My thoughts were, well, if this is the time to go, let's go. I did have an image of Fresa and I being swept up in the funnel and dropping somewhere not too distant. 

I've heard coyotes around here before, so I was conscience of that as I let Fresa run around.

Her wheat fur matching the wheat colored grasses of the plains. We wandered for an hour or so and the feeling of freedom, energy, life surrounded me. I need to hike every day. 

Revelation # 841

It was yesterday that I realized that not only do I love all things hiking, being outside, wandering along paths, it's actually my favorite activity. For the past several years I've search for and been on some pretty amazing hiking adventures but as I walked through the tree lined, pine needled paths of Harris Lake that I felt the realization that this is exactly where I want to be. Not at Harris lake persay but hiking. Outside. Among the trees and birds, wandering through nature not seeing a single building, store, or many people for that matter. In the past two days I've hiked 10 miles and passed 4 people.

I've also come to the realization that I am quite the introvert. I would choose going out into the woods on a hike over a party without a second thought. The one thing that does make my hike better is my dog. I want to spend more time hiking and less time working. 

I am going to spend more time outside and less time working starting now. 

Dog time

There's not much that I love more than being outside with my dog. I feel that the art of enjoying a peaceful, non material moment is becoming a lost art.

Blue Friday

I spent Black Friday with two of my favorite people in an amazing place. The drive there and back took me through a chunk of mountains and during those 3 hours I had some time to think. Think about that existential bummer. I was surrounded by images like this...

Breathtaking is a perfect description because as you pass through the bulging landscape you forget to breathe. This time I was conscience of my thoughts and tried not to think about dying or this being gone, or pollution or trash, or how wasteful the holidays really are, and instead I tried to just take in the snowcapped, tree dotted lumps backdropped against the bluest, clearest, most pristine sky you've ever seen. Gorgeous, true beauty, amazing, stunning, I actually felt content, happy, satisfied. 

After a few cloudy days the Colorado blue skies returned, and the contrasts of colors blinded me into peace. 

In Salida we decided to take the pups for a few adventures. Walking down an old railroad path I was stopped in my tracks by this image...

and then this....

Friends, pups, peace, I'm pretty sure that is exactly how Black Friday is supposed to be spent.

Hunt not a complete fail

Last night we went in search of a view of the Supermoon. All day the clouds were building and as the evening grew closer the clouds grew thicker. With low expectations we headed out to Fort Fisher State Park to wait out the moonrise. Fresa's first trip to Ft. Fisher was filled with digging, sniffing and more digging. This end of the peninsula is protected from commercialism and there is not a house or store to be found. Just endless stretches of sand.

I forgot about the tire tracks. Driving on the beach, huh.

The clouds let through a bit of the sun set.

The clouds to the east were thicker and thicker and spread from sky to sea. I refused to leave and although we didn't see the awesome huge moon rise on the horizon, we did get a glimpse peeking through the clouds.

It was nice to see a handful of people down at the beach to try and see the Super Moon. Gives me hope that people have not completely lost touch.