The Prying Eyes of Aspen, and Dodging Bullets

The "Quakies" may not be changing color just yet, but their lush bedding below certainly is. What is it about aspen trees that makes them so interesting...so unique, with individual personalities? It has to be their "eyes," always watching, noticing, prying. If I could design my own forested back yard, it would be open meadows skirted with groves of aspen and forests of ponderosa. Throw in some mammoth granite boulders...a little creek for the birdies...and I'm good. Now, back to our hike; where were we?

Unanticipated Merits of Summer Employment; Plus, A Novel High-country Hike

The spirit's "uptick" is in play—counting down the days now till Goldie's RV rubber hits the road. On the brink of Autumn my mental and emotional footing finds solid ground. The most tedious  chores of summer are in the rearview mirror, and my Polo work-shirt is laundered, pressed and hanging in the closet awaiting a well tanned, rested, and wandered thin Gallery Boy's triumphant return from saguaro strewn deserts come spring. I take immense pleasure in performing the few remaining RV tasks—little toy projects compared those "life and death" maters from long ago treadmills...the one's where back seat driver bosses from hell scrutinize every move, or lack there of, and second guess. Indeed, by comparison, RV problems are water off this ugly duck's back. 

Good Light and Shadow at Bullion King Lake, and The High Cost of "Free Energy" from the Sun

Mike and Nancy, Marathon Man Leonard's brother and sis-in-law, came calling on him up in the Big Box, Californicated, Desert City of Mo-Town...said they'd like to do a light hike someplace Purdy (they're from Austin and that's how they tawlk). So ole Leon contacted the professionals at Mark and Bobbie's Guide Services of Lovely Ouray for ideas about a place to go that would knock socks off...but not put them in a casket—a place where he could maybe take an ice water plunge, preferably in a lake he hasn't seen yet, and not too far of a drive, and less than two level miles from the parking lot. Spreadsheet says....

Project "Storage Box," and Some Solar Input Needed From Readers

Glory to the gods of Treadmills, Anchors and Short Leashes, for they have taken pity on an unrepentant, poorboy-of-a-wanderer. My summer "sentence" at the Skol Fine Art Gallery has been officially commuted, so pardon me while I unleash some well earned exuberance! And what clever irony, that Labor Day will be the finale. To quote Dr King, "Free at last, Free at last, Thank God almighty we are free at last." 

The Courthouse Mountain Hike "To Simplify Glenn" Missed

A half naked Marathon Man Leonard strikes a meditative "half lotus" pose on Courthouse Mountain. I have no doubt that but for the pointy rocks (thank you Jesus) he would have gone "full monty," forcing your's truly to leap from the cliff. Being so far removed in wilderness might call for some antenna assistance, and I was happy to oblige..."How about now, Leon, feeling anything?"

Really Cool Minimal Living Guy Drops Into Lovely Ouray!

My curmudgeon (but evolving) pal Boonie took hold of the horns of the Universe and with bare hands (ok, an email) bent two separate, wandering paths to intersection. Well, to be honest, our path wasn't going anywhere for a while so I guess The Boonster had only to nudge one path, and it wasn't all that difficult because it was a path so light and blithe it almost floats like a ballon—impacting Mother Earth with a gentle green kiss on the cheek, as opposed to our carbon footprint's repeated sledge hammer blows to her head. Yes, Glenn, the CEO of "To Simplify" paused in Lovely Ouray, took pal Boonie's advice and looked us up. 

Blood, Sweat, and Gears, Part Deux...

Where were we? Oh yes, back in the Subaru, cruising south on County (Back) Road 14, "Moon Roof" wide open to better accommodate the often vertical views and near perfect weather...which is to say, threatening clouds, but at a distance.