Angles

The banister post is not parallel with the fifth stair like I once thought it was. A glance always gave the impression that if I took a string and pulled it tight it would create an exactly straight line. I realized today that it doesn't and for some reason I feel bothered by it.

Slickrock

The sign at the trail head reads "This is the toughest trail in Moab, it is not for beginners. Unfortunately, many people have been seriously injured on this trail." You can understand my initial reluctance to carry on, having not ridden any bike since I was thirteen. However, I wasn't about to tuck tail and wait for my brother-in-laws in the car, so with possible maiming in mind I peddled awkwardly to the starting point. Up and down, up, up, up and down. The wind blew so hard even the downs felt like ups. I walked my bike like a sissy up many of the steep climbs. I even was passed by a couple girls, and just hung my head in silent shame.

All that being said, the scenery was amazing (of course!) and as it always is, looking back it was worth it - all 12 miles !

Which Ways North ?

Wind Rivers Stough #2

The Winds

I recently went on a backpacking trip to the Wind Rivers in Wyoming with a group of friends. Its an amazing range spanning 80 miles long and 30 miles wide with several wilderness areas throughout. We went to the Popie Agie (pronounced poposha)wilderness about 8 miles in to Stough Creek Lakes. Its a pristine alpine landscape with granite spires in every direction and lakes dotting the amphitheater floor. The trip was one of the best I've been on for several reasons: the trail was shaded the whole way. There were NO BUGS at all. The weather was perfect the entire time and I wasn't mauled by a bear.

We stayed 4 days, hiked probably 20 miles and saw some beautiful country. To quote a phrase from a favorite novel it became "more perfect" daily. On the last evening I slipped away from camp and sat next to a lake watching everything. A muskrat swam around in the middle, back and forth like a lap swimmer in a pool, then dove and reappeared with a fish. The sky was clear and I spotted a falcon miles away, circling a huge cliff face. I felt like Ralphie on Christmas night as he clutched his Red Ryder BB gun (with a compass in the stock).

Colie takes a hit