There really is no place like home. Being born and bred in the Rocky Mountains, specifically Eagle, Colorado, allows me to escape the busy life I have in Boulder and to go home and get a breath of fresh air. This past weekend, I abandoned all my responsibilities—just for a day—and took a trip home.
Fall is truly a spectacular season in Colorado. Every year when the leaves start to change, I expect myself to be not as impressed, but every year, fall never fails to take my breath away. While I was driving home this weekend, I was overcome with a wave of calmness as I headed over Vail Pass, trying not to swerve into the left lane as I snuck glances at the wave of golden trees on the mountainside.
As always, my first order of business when I go home is to take my dog, Ripley, for a walk, swim, or hike. This time, we drove up Sylvan Lake Road to one of my hiking spots that does not require a park fee to gain access to Sylvan Lake State Park (not that I have a problem paying the fee, this trail just usually has no one on it!). Sneve Gulch trail is a part of the National Forest, and is basically all uphill, but the calf workout pays off when you catch a birds eye view of Sylvan Lake. The trail starts out immediately in an aspen grove, which this time of year is like walking through a curtain of gold trees, and meanders up to the first ridge.
Overwhelmed by the silence, except for Ripley’s excessive panting, (she’s 70 in dog years), I was finally able to be present in the moment. A thought never crossed my mind except for how fortunate I was to live in a state with such beauty that it cannot be put in to words.
Even though it was quick trip home, I headed back to Boulder with my head clear and my feet grounded below me. In the words of John Muir: “Keep close to Nature’s heart and break clear away, once in a while, and climb a mountain, or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.”
