So teach us to number our days so that we can present to Thee a heart of wisdom. Psalms 90:12
Why would I not visit this magnificent valley in 24 years living in Colorado? I had never ventured on the Road to Jefferson through the Tarryalls from Lake George. The mountains are at 11,000 to 12,000 feet above sea level and there are paths crossing many of them, but they are not famous. They pale … Continue reading Magnificent Secret
Out of Buena Vista, Colorado lies one of my favorite roads leading to Cottonwood Pass, and Crested Butte. It follows a beautiful creek, has Hot Springs and some of the favorite hikes of my past. Denny Creek parking lot was very full, so we traveled on to the Ptarmigan Lake Trail. Starting at 10,000 feet, … Continue reading Cottonwood Lake Lesson
The sign stated “Live to Hike Another Day” at the beginning of the trail in Palo Duro Canyon in Texas. This was followed by a sign telling you how much water you should have for each hour you expected to be hiking: 1 Gallon for each person and pet for a six mile hike. High … Continue reading Live to Hike Another Day?
“One’s most effective work can grow out of first learning to do nothing well.” Backpacking with the Saints, Belden Lane P. 215 Americans only see ourselves as productive if our calendars are full and we are really busy. The pandemic hit this notion hard when we learned that the world did not revolve around our … Continue reading Resting Well
Visiting a cousin in Mineral Wells, Texas was stepping back in time. My father became acquainted with her just one year ago when she came to a “Stinson Memorial” gravestone ceremony in Evansville, IN. She has been researching the Stinson name for 50 years. This is before Ancestry and 23andme were even a thought. She … Continue reading Elders Remember
Five of the six days of our Montana road trip were beautiful – warm, sunny, no rain to speak of. Perfect weather for exploring. And we did take … Montana road trip, part III: First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park & Gates of the Mountains
The Silence of Nature allows reflection. Not matter how challenging today is with all the stress of disease, money, war and politics, I can be still in nature, and think about similar times in the past when I was much younger. I reflect on my peace, not because I have retired, but because I have … Continue reading Abilene Reflection
“There is a deep mystery in being poised on the edge of something new in my life, asking how to maneuver the next part of the trail before me.” St. Bernhard of Montjoux (Backpacking with the Saints, Beldon Lane p.218). As I approached a monumental birthday, and truly a change in status of age, I … Continue reading Girls Weekend Changes Me
Two Visits this year to this charming small town in the upper reaches of Texas Hill Country. Hico, Texas motto is “Where everybody is Somebody.” A Brownwood couple had recommended we visit, and we made a side stop in the Winter to Wiseman Chocolates. It is a quaint shop in the old doctors victorian house … Continue reading Hi Ho. Hi Ho. Off to Hico we go
Why is it that we never deeply explore our own ‘backyard’ adventures as much as the visitors and tourists do? As we travel, I am always looking for green tracts on the maps. Because of the dog, we are identifying places to stop and let him run and sniff a bit. That is how I … Continue reading Backyard Beauties