You Have Feet in Your Shoes

The snow's melting and it's officially "mud season" in Colorado. Mud season does have its advantages though: a crisp cool feeling in the air, the sound of rushing water from all directions, the start of hiking season, the start of bear season (maybe not such a plus), kayaking/rafting, being able to change out your snow tires, and the ability to turn off your heat and save money on utilities. I've gotten really into a lot of the trails in the area, and hope to climb a 14er before the season's out.

What amazes me are the sights to see on these trails. These sights are only visible after hiking for a good hour or two (or five). You can't drive there, you can't fly low enough to see everything, and there's no gondola to carry you up the steep parts. How many people have seen these trees? These rivers? These falls? This mountain from this angle with the backdrop of that sky? Maybe 1000, maybe 10,000? I'm lucky enough to be able to see and do these things at any point in my life.

As you can see from one of the shots, people have been hiking these trails for decades. I like looking at all the carvings on the Aspen trees. I like to see who loved who back in '89. Or who was here in '95. The aspens grow around all those carvings and freeze that moment in time for everyone in future years to see. (That aspen is a shout-out to you, Rosebach, by the way)

I can't imagine what it's going to be like to leave here... to drive away from my mountains for good. You don't get this stuff anywhere else. This is the goods.

O, and I got into the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine's post-bacc for the Fall 2006 term.