Sunday November 18



This is the trail that leads from our door into the Flatiron foothills.  Mark and I hiked up to the Saddle yesterday, which is about 2/3 of the way up to Bear Peak.  About 7 miles.  And since now he's all the way over the pond in Switzerland, I figured I'd do it again today.  It's a gorgeous sunny day, approaching 55 degrees and quite blustery.  So I loaded up my Camelbak and brought along some extra layers and dried fruit and headed out at 9am.  I reached the Saddle around 10:30, huffing and sucking wind the whole way.  I stopped about every 100 feet to get my heart rate back under 200...crazy altitude!  But the cool thing is, there are so many other hikers out, some breezing up the mountain like it's an easy stroll, some just putting one foot in front of the other, just being out there doing it.  So I did some bird watching while I rested. 

Really windy and cool at the saddle today, but amazing views of the Rockies to the west and the front range to the east.  When the wind blows through the pines it really sounds like a train or a jet coming close.  It starts like a whisper but you can hear it coming closer, then it's on you.  I've always loved the wind, so this makes me really happy!

On the way down I found a flat outcropping that overlooked the range and Denver in the distance.  Just the spot for a rest.

So I'm here in Boulder for 2 weeks.  I'm here to get my bearings, to nest a bit in our borrowed house, and to acclimate to life out west.  And to continue the separation from Odyssey and life in Connecticut.  I was thinking, on the way down from the Saddle, how grateful I am to have had the opportunity to be part of Odyssey.  It's been a challenging journey, but one that I'll never regret having taken.  I've learned so much about myself through this experience and I know that I've been part of an amazing period of growth.  I feel that I've made a positive mark on my little corner of the world through Odyssey, and I'm really happy about that. 

There's a lot of time to think when you're on a 7 mile hike by yourself.  But I also love how meditative hiking can be...I can be fully present and feel part of the wider world; I hear my footsteps, feel the wind and sun on my face, concentrate on the path right in front of me, glancing often at the blue sky, distant plains and other folks (and dogs) coming up the trail.  I felt content and peaceful on the trail today, like I am ok in the world.  Imagine.