Finding time in a busy life of adventuring to write about my adventuring. That’s the trick, the magic. Holding on to those thoughts and feelings long enough to convey them into words on this medium. I arrived in CO almost two weeks ago but just now I’m going to write about it.
The road has been my home for over two years now. Moving, always moving. I’ve house sit or had extended stay with friends but all my belongings are in a 5 x 10 storage unit in Oakland. After stopping to switch out gear for the summertime I hit the road again. I had planned to be in Wyoming for part of June. Idaho for the beginning of July. But decided to head to Colorado first to see my family. And of course I drove there.
On the way I made a stop at the Burning Man ranch to see my friend Jay. I love the desert. Something so simple yet complex about it beauty combined with harshness. Dinner followed by a walk through sagebrush with the setting sun to soak in a hot spring fed by a geyser. Good company, conversation, fluffy clouds and warm waters. It was a good night and I was happy.
On my way to Reno the next morning I had to stop and walk on the playa. One of the many places that I call home in this world. The wind caressed my face. The silence enveloped me into a peaceful state. I walked for a while, my feet turning white and smiled.
The next stop of my journey was Reno for a couple of days. Some good friends are working on a large scale Burning Man art project. They’ve partnered with an art group in Taiwan to create a beautiful space, Mazu Goddess of the Empty Sea.
http://www.mazugoddessoftheemptysea.com/
I am so proud of my friends and I eagerly anticipate this project on playa. I spent a couple of days hanging out and lending a hand when I could at The Generator in Reno. I met new friends and reconnected with old. This community that we created, it has teeth and is growing into something so profound.
After Nevada it was onto Utah.
Oh Utah . . .
“Men come and go, cities rise and fall, whole civilizations appear and disappear-the earth remains, slightly modified. The earth remains, and the heartbreaking beauty where there are no hearts to break….I sometimes choose to think, no doubt perversely, that man is a dream, thought an illusion, and only rock is real. Rock and sun.” ~Edward Abbey
Utah is magic. So many varied landscapes that don’t seem like they’re from this world or the next.
I decided to head to Colorado via the 70 which skirted parts of southern Utah and then through the mountains. Along the 70 I started seeing signs for Moab, Arches National park and Canyonlands. The exit approached and without thinking I turned off. Heading the 30 miles to Moab and Arches National park. I don’t think words could describe the beauty that I only saw briefly. I did a quick drive to the Windows portion of Arches. I was spellbound for the short duration of my stay. Red rock formations rising skyward with arches scattered throughout. The La Sal mountains green and still tipped with snow in the background. I would like to say that something profound came to mind but all I could do was stare with my mouth hanging open. The one thing I did realize, is why Edward Abbey was so fierce about protecting this land.
After Arches I ran into Moab to check the town out and grab lunch. It’s an adorable place with red rocks and mountains plus a river running through it. An outdoor lovers paradise. It had a good feeling to it. Made me happy. After only spending a couple of hours there my mind was already scheming on how to live there next spring for a month or two. Climb, hike, bike my heart out.
Back on the 70 I was speeding towards Colorado. Hwy 70 is a beautiful highway. You rise through foothills into canyons then huge mountains. It’s breathtaking the whole way. I had to pull over many times just to try and get some pictures that would do it justice. The hardest thing to do it take pictures of mountains that do them justice.Sadly my iPhone wasn’t up to the job. I did manage one panorama outside of Breckenridge at sunset that was lovely. I will leave you with that for now. Next up my time in Rocky Mountain National Park.
