“Go west young man, haven’t you been told? California’s full of whiskey, women, and gold. Sleepin’ out all night beneath the desert stars, With a dream in my eye, and a prayer in my Heart.”
– Toby Keith – “Should’ve been a Cowboy”
I wonder if this has become my biographical title, let alone the first song that comes to mind when I dream about the west. What would life have been like back then? Dangerous for sure, but what is life without some amount of risk? Freeing is the feeling that comes to mind most often; imagining a cowboy riding a knife ridge looking down upon the valley floor with only sun dipping below the horizon in front of him and the sky above flickering to life as moon and stars illuminate his life. What lies ahead for the rider? Adventure? Solitude? Peace?
Today, the Olympics would remain a constant as I awaited any news from D & C Extreme on how the work upgrading Pearl’s gears was coming. We had made plans ahead of time to pick her up on tomorrow, since we would be getting dinner out and not be able to make it back in time. Gyu-Kaku was an interesting place. Japanese bbq served like a Korean bbq where you cooked the raw meat at the table. Hannah joined us and we had sake all around and beers with dinner. After dinner, we headed downtown and stopped at the Terminal Bar, grabbing drinks and a few games of shuffleboard. Josh and I teamed up to play the girls; we lost every game. Leaving Union Station, we made stops at Swanky’s, Up Bar, and Retro Room before heading home for a rousing game of Mario Party. We had quite the time, laughing more than once, hard enough for a a few tears to drop. Before calling it a night, we all enjoyed some good conversation and a night cap to top off a very fun night on the town.
Rising with all the energy I could muster, Josh and I were headed south to Colorado Springs to pick up Pearl. Taking coffee for the road, it was a long ride. Kelly met us at the shop and even gave us a quick tour through the backyard before we headed back to Denver. I had taken a quick peak when I dropped her off, but was excited to see all the old trucks, scouts, and a bronco. Taking it easy on the way back, we stopped at In-N-Out which sounded great, but maybe not the best idea. Finally making it back to town, we were both feeling the same thing when we started passing all the high-rise buildings in the tech center. Today would be a necessary day of rest. After a few episodes of Psych, we all went back to bed. Waking up, we all seemed to have the cravings only a zombie would have as it woke from a death slumber; just for food and not brains. Papa John’s was on the menu tonight as we watch more of the Olympics – actually being able to watch live events since it was prime time. All three American women qualified for the 3000m Steeplechase; two of whom are native Coloradans.
Sunday remained to be low key. I had plans to head off to camp for a couple days starting tomorrow, and stayed back at the house to take care of some laundry while Josh went to the gym and Selby went on a run, making sure to get long training runs in for a few marathons on her schedule later this year. Vincent (the dog) and I hung back, putting on our best impressions of cats just laying around the house. After running out to the store around lunch, Josh and I made a couple last stops at two breweries; Hogshead and Joyride. Hogshead is an English style brewery, serving a handful of their ales from cask; while Joyride is pretty typical of a western brewery having more than a few options of IPA, especially the Hazy variety. One last dinner tonight, before I set off again; we had grilled shrimp and veggies (zucchini and mushrooms), and rice. I also couldn’t leave Denver without heading to Sweet Cow one last time. Chunk stayed home, but I treated Josh and Selby to a treat for being such great hosts. I will miss Denver. It has been the longest I have stayed in one place since I have left North Carolina.
Knocking out a little writing, I stayed at the house through lunch. But I got packed up in the morning, enjoying a Nitro Cold Brew from Caveman Coffee. Heading south to Deckers, it was good to be back on the road, even for a quick trip. As soon as I picked up the river, my mood changed. Driving along side the river, I could see pullouts every so often; making note of the better ones I began to see cars and trucks that brought fisherman to the water. I followed the river all the way to the local fly shop. Deckers isn’t anything more than a crossroads, but that’s all I needed. I poked in to check around and see what the river was producing as far as flow levels and what flies were hot right now. Heading back north to the campground, I picked one of the many that I had passed and began to set camp. Enjoying the time on the river, I was at home. Chris Farley coming to mind, I could replay his famous SNL skit as Matt Foley living in a van down by the river. As the the night crept upon the waning day, I cooked up a pot of water for another tasty Heathers Choice meal and watched trout rise to surface taking in their own meal too. Sometimes, it is nice to just sit back and watch; a voyeur to the world, nature moves at its own pace.
SPLOOSH! just like that the silence is broken by a thunderous crash into the water and the calm, serene scene of a mountain trout stream is interrupted by the playful kids in the campground. Watching them pick up stones and chuck them in, I was reminded that I too enjoyed just chucking rocks as a kid. Finding a few smooth river rocks, I joined them and tried skipping them across the river.
Feeling the temps drop and seeing a few dark clouds roll over the mountains, I made sure to tie down my rain fly and headed in to stay dry. With few options before I was fully asleep, I chose to listen to a few tunes before my eyes closed and I sank into a slumber.
I woke the morning of August 3rd with one goal in mind – fish the South Platte River. Spending to much time in camp, distracted from my primary goal, I began to pack up; realizing it was time to get on the river, I made my way down the road to find a good pull off. Late to the game I had passed every spot and had to make new plans. Not realizing I wouldn’t have any signal in Deckers, I made new plans to head to Pine, grab a bite, check in with everyone and find a new place. to camp and fish that afternoon. Unlike much of the west, Colorado is surprisingly wet this year. Checking the weather over lunch at Snowpack Taproom, it was clear that a storm was coming. While I’m not afraid of a little rain, storms come up quick in the Colorado mountains and I have heard its not something to be caught in, even though I did have shelter, I didn’t have a real plan. Knowing I would head back through Denver to pick up a pack of stickers I ordered, I made my way back and checked into a hotel around Golden. Settling in, I wasn’t hungry for much, but had a quick snack and plenty of water before crashing well before it was dark.
10 hours of sleep, it was a high score. Must have really needed it and I was happy I had a comfortable bed to catch up on the sleep I needed. Packing up and checking out, I made my way into town, stopping for coffee and a bagel at Leroy’s, before heading to REI to restock on my camping supplies. Then finally heading to grab the stickers I ordered and had shipped to Selby’s house. Saying a quick hello, I was off again as fast as I made it to town.
Headed for Rabbit Ears Pass, Pearl and I first had to tackle Eisenhower Tunnel. The climb was a bit rough, even with new gears though they weren’t fully broken in. We made it up and through, taking our exit as we descended down the other side. A friend of Josh and Selby’s, Tom, had mentioned to me couple good spots to do a little dispersed camping. This one would certainly not disappoint. Finding my way, I picked a spot over looking a large meadow with a stream running through it. Hoping to catch some critters, I pitched camp and sat back to enjoy what nature may unfold for my viewing. Intermittently receiving messages, being disconnected in this place was just what I required. The landscape before me never quite came alive as I had imagined. It was also one of the few places along the road that was open enough to see the vastness of the night sky. As darkness fell, I climbed in the tent and read a bit of Modern Huntsman before falling sleep.
Waking at midnight, I had planned to snap a few photos of the stars and hopefully catch the Milky Way. Either I was still in a daze or it was cloudier than I had thought, I could not see clearly. setting up my GoPro for a nighttime time lapse, I headed back to sleep.
It is eerie how quiet the forest becomes, still as the night, it quickly comes to live with the rising sun. Crows were first to caw this morning, waking me around 6am. Dense fog had settled over the meadow focusing around the water, like a scene from the moors of Scotland. Taking in the sights and sounds of the morning, I enjoyed a couple cups of coffee from the warmth and comfort of my tent and sleeping bag. Deciding to grab breakfast, I headed for Colorado Bagel Co. in Steamboat Springs on the recommendation of Selby. Having my fill of coffee and a delicious bagel, I made a few notes in my journal and hit the road. Stoping in Craig for fuel, I heard from Ryan Branham; he had been in Steamboat helping his dad at their place.
Continuing on, I had planned to visit Dinosaur National Monument, but first needed to have the gear oil changed to complete the break in process. Making my way into Vernal, I found a shop and waited on them to drain and replace the required oil. While there, I needed to return a call. from my Deacon back in South Carolina. It was so nice to finally chat with her. I filled her in on what I was doing and where I was. She had taken a similar trip with her husband in the past. She has been to 49 states of the Union.
With the work completed on Pearl, we were headed for Dinosaur. Who doesn’t like fossils? Jurassic Park never left my mind while I walked through the exhibit. I would remain inside the park and camp along the Green River. Pulling up to the campsite, a caravan of rafters parked across a natural area from me. Accompanying a few sets of adults, were very energetic young kids. What a trip it would be to experience that as a young kid. As they settled in, the tunes came on and I enjoyed a reprieve from my daily soundtrack. As I was about to cook dinner, one of the moms came over and asked if I was hungry. They had cooked too much and had had enough for one more plate. Graciously accepting, it warmed my heart. Humanity still the world, and I have found that the camping and outdoor community is proof, everyday I am on the road.
Week 11 Mileage – 579