The Loop

Colorado, what a wonderful place, yesterday cold und unfeeling, today a wonderfuul sunny 25 degree day with no winds. It feels like 70 degrees at this altitude. We did the "loop" this morning, a set of trails that have varying mileage. We live adjacent to the Pike National Forest and easily walk to the fenceline from our home. We start this specific loop at the end of Wilson Lake and walk the valley following Fish Creek for about a half mile. There are probably 5 beaver dams, along the creek, a badger den, and animal track forever. This morning we saw a blue herron that we thought had died ealier in the year. The two little lakes are frozen over, won't be long till the icefishermen find them. The loop then meanders through a Ponderosa Pine forest going upward in elevation to the top of a ridge, and follows an old pathback to the lakes. Our dogs love the "D-Mail" along the route.

Tonight is the Martini Hut's Christmas party for staff and friends. The Hut is closed to the public for the event. The owners are friends, so we will make an appearance for an hour or so. This year is pot luck and free drinks, Karen is making something. I can only handle one martini, lol, guess I'm a cheap date. Last year it got pretty sexy. So many "proper" people getting drunk and making asses out of themselves flirting and stuff. No fights, the Martini Hut a different class of people. But I be alot of the husbands got cut off! Guess we all are guilty of gawking now and then. Well, I suppose I should start getting ready.

The best to my readers and friends,
Rocky

Another cold day in December

Well it isn't any warmer than when I first wrote this morning. We went to the gym this afternoon and got in our time. It went from sunny and 20 degrees to cloudy and 6 degrees in lest than three hours. The gym is about 17 miles away and for the most part downhill. We do have to go over Ute Pass to get there. I don't know why we punish ourselves.

I am really looking to understand this blog thing so I can use it to the best of my ability. Perhaps I will take my time and write when I feel the urge.

An open thought for my blog December 17, 2005

I was born on February 18, 1949 in Dover, Strafford County, New Hampshire. I am currently 57 years old and live in the beautiful mountains of Colorado. I would like to begin this experience by talking a little about me so you may solidify in your imagination a vision of the me I have been and the me I have become. There came a time in my life when I realized that no one really knows me. My wife, Karen, probably knows me better than I know myself, but the general public has only been privy to snippets of the many facets of the true me. I haven't reached a point of knowing exactly why I have done this all my life. It could be that I was insecure about being accepted for my true self. Perhaps I enjoy playing the "dark, mysterious, exciting" guy of others' fantasies.

It is my intention to use this blog as a conduit to bring forth memories and view them in maturity, as a "third eye", and not from the memories of a child. As I explore my inside, should I discover the answer I promise to return to this point and insert my revelations. I want to take this opportunity, through these personal stories, to give my progeny the details necessary to know me as I have never allowed before.

It was ten below zero at daybreak today. I'm so tired of this deep freeze that we have been experiencing for the past week or so. It is unseasonably cold. Can't walk the dogs in the woods when it is under 10 above or so, it hurts their paws. My wife, Karen, and I normally walk everyday, with the exception of extreme cold, which is rare here. We have a three mile trail that we power walk. We started at 55 minutes to do the trail in 1999, and have trimmed our times to about 40-45 minutes. It takes time to fully acclimate at 9000 ft. Not much oxygen up here, but when we travel to sea level all that oxygen makes us monsters in the gym. Our dogs, Buck and Hannah, are ditzy Golden Retrievers, yet well behaved and great trail dogs. Buck is 13 and Hannah is 3. Buck is a rescue, rather large for a Golden, Hannah too is a rescue. We call her our $11,000 dog. She was abused at eight weeks and lost her left rear leg after a full year of surgeries. All the veterinarians pooled their resources and we paid very little of that total cost. What a darling she is, she loves everyone and everyone loves her. But don't threaten her momma, Karen.

It's a gym day, as soon as it gets a little warm we will walk the dogs, come home and shower and head to Woodland Park to work out for an hour or so. I promise to be prolific and make an attempt at talking about something each time I am on. May your day be peaceful and may you have personal thoughts of peace. And may the Universe smile upon you and those you love.

Rocky