Wind And Waves

Me, on the gruelling hike up to my special nook in the world

Eli, in the cabin, taking a breather after chopping down a dead tree with a dull ax!

I hadn’t been to the cabin in more than two years and I was Thrilled to find it in the best shape ever and still…….. only the lucky few know about it.

(JJ if you create a map, just know that I will hunt you down and make SURE that map doesn’t get out :-))

From Seth Godin’s Blog:

Expose yourself…

With so many options in media, interaction and venues, you now get to choose what you expose yourself to.

Expose yourself to art, and you’ll come to appreciate it and aspire to make it.

Expose yourself to anonymous scathing critics and you will begin to believe them (or flinch in anticipation of their next appearance.)

Expose yourself to get-rich-quick stories and you’ll want to become one.

Expose yourself to fast food ads and you’ll crave french fries.

Expose yourself to angry mobs of uninformed, easily manipulated protesters and you’ll want to join a mob.

Expose yourself to metrics about your brand or business or performance and you’ll work to improve them.

Expose yourself to anger and you might get angry too.

Expose yourself to people making smart decisions and you’ll probably learn how to do it as well.

Expose yourself to eager long-term investors (of every kind) and you’ll likely to start making what they want to support.

It’s a choice if you want it to be.

So, after the U.S vs Ghana game, I was depressed :-(.  I took my depressed self up to my moms cottage in the mountains.  The ride on the curvy roads to get there was wonderful and I went from a hot sticky trafficky city…..to quiet calm, cool and green, and lots of little living creatures!  Ahh, just what my soul needed.  My mom’s neighbors had a BBQ and during the BBQ there was a riveting thunderstorm  nearby that knocked the power out.  Good thing it was a BBQ!  Great people were there and we had some fun conversations.  And this beautiful rainbow to top it off.

I went for a run early this morning and when I got back, the little girl I live with came rushing to the door to answer it (she could hear me turning my key) and instructed me to be very quiet.  She and her brother were preparing breakfast in Bed for their Dad, with this card placed on the tray.  It was so cute!

In town I absorbed the scene, people watching, looking in artsy creative stores and then I found the perfect restaurant to eat dinner.  AMICAS, wood fired pizza and Mircorbrews.  YUMMY!  It was hopping! There were people everywhere.  This is the good thing about eating alone, usually you can get a seat immediately.  They sat me at the Community Table.  Community Table!  How cool is that? !  I made quick friends with the fellow who was already seated there.  In fact, my interaction with him fueled me with  an inspiration that enhanced the rest of my adventure! This fellow was the real deal.  Out in nature, exploring the back roads on his kLR650 for the pure love, of nature,motorcycling, reflecting, photography,time away from people…. I could really relate.  He had been so many places around Colorado and spent weeks camping out.  Wow! I’ve not taken my explorations that far………yet!  We were talking about how great it is to get out and travel and the different characters that you meet.   And none to soon……..In walk two rowdy, polite cowboys fresh from laying fence in the mountains.  They came in with a wild energy that had the owners watching closely…….they were ready to raise some hell for their friday night Let loose!

In the Am, we met at a coffee shop back in town and he was kind enough to fill my  map with highlights of the favorite routes he had discovered over the years.  It was a pure joy meeting this fellow. Our spirits seems so similar. I was extremely inspired, to continue my quest of understanding myself and whats important (to me) in life and committing time to doing it….AND I mean really doing it!  Just getting out there.   In the city…..its easy to spend hours talking about IT, but when you go out there and do it, you are rewarded by meeting people who are simply doing.



“ The byway passes through the heart of five million acres of both the San Juan and Uncompahgre National Forests. Traveling the length of the byway will take you through high mountain passes and historical towns, and by waterfalls and acres of wildflowers.”

I was super excited all week getting ready for this three day exploration and my excitement lasted me the entire trip.   Every moment, I felt Soo appreciative to be on a new adventure on my own stopping grounds of Colorful Colorado!  My motorcycle isn’t as safe and ready as it probably should be……….BUT sometimes you just have to cast the bowlines and go.  I have met a lot of sailors who have “swallowed the hook”…..meaning they aren’t going anywhere, even though their boats are fit and ready (as much as you can ever be ready for a big trip).

My philosophy = use your windows of opportunity when they come, its alarming how quickly they evaporate.

Leaving Denver opening out into South Park. Yippee!

First Stop: Lunch!  I met my mom for Buffalo dogs, shakes and a good visit, at the famous Coney Island in Bailey Colorado.  She wished me love and luck and then, I was officially on my way!  Yes!Yes!yes!  Have I mention how much I love being on a trip!!! 🙂   I was thrilled to be zooming towards the freshness and freedom of  mountains, and away from cars, traffic, concrete and cubicle world (where things are………..not natural, to say the least!)

I took a small detour to Salida and loved it there so much, I decided to set up my tent and stay the night!  I got as close to the raging Arkansas as I could (I love the sound of running water when I’m sleeping) BUT it was so loud, I actually found it hard to sleep!

On my walk into town from my campsite I found JO.  Looks as though……he had a little too much to drink last night!

Salida is a neat place.  Beautiful mountains towering over it, raging river running through the middle of it, lush valley, artsy, creative, sporty……My kind of place.  That thought was cinched, when I came upon this house :-).