Day 13 &14- Goodbye, Babylon

"Well I came to see, and what I found was not alright with me

Their desperation, some vocation, and it'd been the same thing all along

Goodbye Babylon, goodbye Babylon, goodbye Babylon

Now I know times are changin, and the people need rearrangin

So now, it's written here in song

Goodbye Babylon, goodbye Babylon, goodbye Babylon, goodbye

Now our boys, the fallin, all need us, or are all upon it

And you can bet by God, good will is gone

Goodbye Babylon, goodbye Babylon, oh goodbye Babylon, goodbye Babylon."

-Black Keys

So, these were the last two days of my trip.  As I was packing today, I realized how sad I was to say goodbye to the west.  These past 2 weeks have felt like I was living in a dream.  They seem transitory and intangible.  I have seen so many beautiful deserts and rocks and mountains and cities and people.  I have made new friends and have discovered new parts of myself.

These are some pictures from my last 2 days:

So on day #13, I met up with my friends from Plattsburgh, Kim and Derek.  Another crazy small world story- we grew up only a couple of miles from one another... however, we never met until we went to college at SUNY Plattsburgh.  We cheers-ed my arrival in Denver.  I was so excited to see them- it has been at least a couple of years!  I'm so happy that they moved out here and I hope that Denver will treat them well!

This was one of the coolest spots ever!  I think it was called the "Bike Bar."  As you can see from the menu, you can order a beer, a coffee, some food, and a bike tune-up... all in one place.  Hipster heaven.  The bartender was super friendly and let us stay past last call.  I highly recommend this bar!  

Coffee, bikes, and beers! 

A fuzzy picture of a great night!  This was taken at the Vine Street Pub.  We all match in our black t-shirts.  

I also got a chance to meet up with a friend from Tully, Jess.  We actually share cousins on the Lajoie-side of the family.  I haven't seen her in ages either!  It's funny that I have to drive across the country to see friends and family :)

This is the Butte River in downtown Denver.  The channeled part of it into a mini-rapids tubing area.  It was kinda smelly.  Not sure I would swim in it.  But these folks were all for it!

One of the most liberating aspects of this trip has been having the ability to drop all of my "roles."  I wasn't a daughter or a social worker or a friend or a wife or a lover or a roommate... I had no ties and no responsibilities.  Every day, I decided my own fate.  I woke up every morning, pulled out my map, and decided where I would go to next.  There is something to be said about solely relying on yourself for your own safety, sanity, and adventures.  At the end of the day, I had only myself... and I realized that, no matter what relationships are present in my life, at the end of the day, I still just have myself to answer to.  So I had better be happy and in-love with myself!  And hopefully I will find someone who loves me for all that I am.  But, if not, I know that I will continue to be happy and continue to burn a bright trail through this weary world.  I've made so much peace with my life over these past 6 months and I am so content right now.

Some folks think that just because you're alone, you're lonely.  I have always been able to do "alone" really well.  There were points on this trip where I was lonely- I wished that I had a friend with me.  When you're traveling alone, you are in your own head all the time.  I have chewed over my past, my present, and my hopes for the future.

Mostly, I hope to carry my sense-of-self, my strength, my heart, my unwavering capacity to give love, my passion, and my humor into the next chapter of my life.  This trip has helped to solidify who I know myself to be and I'm ready to return to the world as a woman who runs with the wolves.

Thank you to all of my new and old friends who have supported me on this journey.  I'm blessed to have so many people who send me lots of love every day.  I can't wait to see you all again!

Day 12- Only From the Heart

"Only from the heart can you touch the sky."  -Rumi

Today was tattoo day!  I got this one for several reasons:  

(1) To mark my flight in the sky in a hot air balloon

(2) To remind me to never let anyone clip my wings

(3) A snowbird always sings the song that is in her heart

(4) I must never stop singing or flying

I had this one placed over my heart to remind me of all the healing of heart wounds that have happened on this trip.  Rumi also said, "The wound is the place where the Light enters you."  I think about the direction that my life has taken over the past six months and I continue to find myself grateful for the pain and for the change because, with them, I have been given the gift of light and love and self-discovery.  I have reignited the spark that I had lost.  I have learned how to laugh and love again.  I know how strong I am.  I know how weak I am.  I sing every day.

So enough of the deep stuff :)  I also went to downtown Boulder and walked around and then headed up to Fort Collins to visit my friend Meg.

Found this card in a "European" shop in Boulder.  Hilarious!  

Bikes bikes everywhere!

Children playing in a sprinkler art thing on Pearl Street in Boulder.  It was 92 degrees today.

Pearl Street in Boulder reminded me so much of Church Street in Burlington, VT.  Turns out that the same guy designed both!

I treated myself to a haircut today.  Wanted to look snazzy when I returned home.  Plus the dry desert had done a number on my hair and skin!  Lotion and chapstick are your best friends out here.

A piano busker!  That's dedication!  I would not be down for moving an upright piano around all day long!

One of my favorite shows when I was little!  Tin Tin!  His dog's name was "Snowy".... hmmm... 

So after bumming around Boulder, I took a trip up to Fort Collins to visit my friend Meg (whom I haven't seen in 4 years!).  We went to SUNY Plattsburgh together.  

Sunset through the smoke from the High Park wildfire outside of Fort Collins.

Okay!  Crazy story!  My friend Tom from high school (Tully, NY) lived in this house... with Meg from Plattsburgh, NY... what?!?!?  It's such a small world!  How two of my friends could meet up in a big place like Colorado... 

Meg's girlfriend, Jo.  One mojito is like 3 mojitos up here!  So fun!  We had matching t-shirts too!  

Playing pool... I promise that I was aiming at a ball... this picture was taken post-shot... and I only hit one ball in the whole game.  Conclusion= I suck at pool.  This is not a new revelation.  Now, if you give me a dart and a board, I could kick some serious butt.

 

Meg introduced me to some local beer.  I loved this one!

There are pianos everywhere in Old Town Fort Collins!  I played this one (poorly) and then Meg snapped a picture.  I'm in love.  Cool art too!

I had one of the best days/nights of the trip!  So much fun!  It was great to see old friends and to make new ones too.  A very big thanks to Meg and Jo and the folks in Fort Collins.  I beautiful city with beautiful people!  I will be back some day!

Day 11- Fire on the Mountain

"Long distance runner, what you holdin out for?
Caught in slow motion in a dash for the door.
The flame from your stage has now spread to the floor
You gave all you had. why you wanna give more?
The more that you give, the more it will take
To the thin line beyond which you really can't fake.

Fire! Fire on the mountain!"

-The Grateful Dead



So I arrived in Boulder, CO this morning.  Smoke-filled skies greeted me.  The High Parks fire is blazing north of here, about 15 miles west of Ft. Collins.  Needless to say, most everyone was spending their day inside.  It smells like a giant campfire!  I took a little drive up to Estes Park (nearer to the fire) and snapped some pictures.  Due to construction on the road, needing to take a shuttle, and the fire, I didn't venture into the park today.

This is the first time that I've seen clouds on this whole trip!  No rain though.  Colorado is in a state of serious drought (which is not helping the fire).  I think it's the 2nd biggest wildfire on record in Colorado at this point.  

Smokey skies!  This is the closest that I've ever been to a wildfire.  I'm covering all of my bases on this trip!  Unexpected surprises around every corner.

Making friends with a chipmunk.  They are super friendly around these parts.  And so are the folk in Boulder.  Hipsters are everywhere in this town!  Reminds me of being back home in Noho.  I miss all of my Valley loves!  I'll be coming home soon!  

I've been collecting rocks from my journeys... Sedona, Flagstaff, Shiprock, 4 Corners, the Arches, Canyonlands, Rockies... 

So, boring blog post day.  I did some laundry (woo hoo?).  After a week and a half of wandering around in the sand and mountains, my clothes needed some TLC.

I'm doing something special tomorrow to mark the wrapping-up of my Soul Journey... I'll upload pictures at the end of the day :)

I miss  you all back home (Tully, Plattsburgh, and Hadley)!  4 more days to live it up!

Day 10- I Feel It All

"I feel it all.  I feel it all.  I feel it all.  I feel it all
The wings are wide, the wings are wide
Wild card inside, wild card inside


Oh I'll be the one who'll break my heart
I'll be the one to hold the gun


No one likes to take a test
Sometimes you know more is less
Put your weight against the door
Kick drum on the basement floor
Stranded in a fog of words
Loved him like a winter bird
On my head the water pours
Gulf stream through the open door
Fly away
Fly away to what you want to make


Oh I'll be the one to break my heart
I'll be the one who'll break my heart
I'll be the one who'll break my heart
I'll end it though you started it

The truth lies
The truth lied
And lies divide
Lies divide."

-Feist


Today, I took off from Leadville, Colorado and headed to Colorado Springs.  I googled "Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman Museum and Colorado Springs."  Sadly, nothing came up.  Boo!  That was my absolute favorite show growing up (Saturday nights at 8pm... eating popcorn and sitting on my Grandpa Cook's lap).  I dressed up as her for Halloween 3 years in a row!  That's dedication (or plain craziness).  My parents brought me to Toys R Us so that I could buy a fake rifle and pistol in order to reenact the experience with more accuracy.  I dream of marrying a Sully!  I won the "Pioneer Trivia Contest" in my 8th grade Social Studies class solely based on my knowledge from that show.  I haven't re-watched it now that I'm a grown-up.  I'm curious to see if I still view Dr. Quinn as  a feminist or not.  Ok, enough with the rant about childhood obsessions.


This is the view from my motel in Leadville (not to make y'all jealous or anything...).

I think that's Mount Massive in the distance.  Leadville has the honor of being the highest incorporated town in the United States.  Luckily, I've taken these past 10 days to slowly build up to being 10,000 feet in the air.  No altitude sickness yet!  

So today I decided to drive up Pike's Peak near Colorado Springs.  Holy cow!  I was having a mini anxiety attack driving up the giant mountain!  There are no guardrails and basically the edge of the mountain/cliff is 6 inches from your tire.  Above is a picture of me at the summit.  Over 14,000 feet in the air (that's like 2.7 miles).  When I was walking around, I felt like I was drunk!  I stayed at the top for about 30 minutes until I felt less woozy.  

I was basically sitting in the clouds, a happy little snowbird.  I also got to see a bunch of Aspen trees!  They are my favorite (and apparently they are my plant totem too).  

A picture of my Aspen tattoo.  I got this for my 27th Birthday, in the midst of moving out of my apartment and into the Sweet Demon Collective in Hadley in February.  It serves to remind me that I am capable of letting the winds of change blow through me and around me without me breaking.  I aspire to be as strong and resilient and rooted and beautiful as the Aspen tree.  

Another picture from the summit. 

It was about 45-50 degrees up here.  Chilly!  I made a snowball!  

Okay!  Crazy story!  This picture was taken at the "Brake Check Station" halfway down the mountain. Everyone has to stop and have their brakes checked before they can continue.  My brakes clocked in at 450 degrees!  The maximum passing standard is 300 degrees!  Whoops!  I had to pull over to the side of the road and wait 30 minutes for them to cool off.  And then I got a lecture from the park rangers about only using 1st gear when going down (which I was doing anyway, duh!).  At least I wasn't the only one who had to pull over... or else I would feel like a bigger idiot.  Anywho, I obviously made it down the mountain safely or else I wouldn't be writing this post.

So I'm spending the night in Colorado Springs and then am heading up to Boulder, CO for a couple of days.  I have a big surprise in store for tomorrow.  Stay tuned!

Day 9- Across the Great Divide

"Across The Great Divide, just grab your hat, and take that ride

Get yourself a bride, and bring your children down to the river side

I had a goal in my younger days, I nearly wrote my will

But I changed my mind for the better

I'm at the still, had my fill and I'm fit to kill

Across The Great Divide, just grab your hat, and take that ride

Get yourself a bride, and bring your children down to the river side

Harvest moon shinin' down from the sky, a weary sign for all

I'm gonna leave this one horse town, had to stall till the fall

Now I'm gonna crawl, across The Great Divide"

-The Band

Today was a magical drive!  I went from Crested Butte up through Redstone... then up to Aspen... through Independence Pass and on down to Leadville, CO.  When I struck out this morning, I made sure to ask the locals about scenic roads that wouldn't kill me.  I got lots of laughs... and the recommendation to go route 12 to Redstone.  Hey- when you are a girl from the farmlands of upstate NY, and have spent the last 4 years in the flatness of Mass, big mountains are intimidating!  

Kebler Pass on Rt. 12... Dirt road all the way!  Dad- you would be proud of my superior driving skills!

I think this is near McClure Pass on Rt. 12.  More white-knuckled dirt road drivin!

McClure Pass again.

Hays Creek Falls, outside of Aspen on the way to Independence Pass.  The water is so cold!

Hays Creek Falls

On my way to Independence Pass.  Snow on the mountains.  Snowy is at home here!

There were definitely parts of the road that were one lane... and no guardrails.  Coloradians (is that a word?) are some serious drivers.  Massholes would not survive out here!

Oh give me a home where the buffalo roam...

I want to build a little log cabin right down in that valley... probably not a good idea come winter.  Anyone want to start a ranch with me?  

I want to ski down that!

I made it!  One of the highest places in Colorado.  That equates to 2.29 miles in the sky!!!  I'm walking on clouds!  Note the snow/ice on the pond in the background.  It was chilly up there and the wind was whipping up a storm.  So glad my car made it all this way!

Tonight, I'm staying in Leadville, CO.  This town keeps it real.  It's an old mining town that boasts a visit by Doc Holliday way back when.  I think I'm at about 10,000+ feet in the air.  Definitely felt it a little when I was walking around earlier.  I've been careful not to drink too much coffee- I'm jittery enough as it is.

Also, I've been keeping a close eye on the High Peaks wildfire that is 20,000 acres and 0 % contained.   Apparently, it's one of the most intense fires in recent memory.  It's definitely all over the news here.  Don't worry, parental units- I will be far out of harms way!

I am thinking of all of you back home, as I walk among the clouds in the Rockies.  Part of me wants to stay out here forever and part of me can't wait to return to all of you who love me and support me.  I'm lucky to have such amazing friends and family!

Day 8- Salt of the Earth

"Let's drink to the hard working people
Let's drink of the lowly of birth
Raise your glass to the good and the evil
Let's drink to the salt of the earth

Say a prayer for the common foot soldier
Spare a thought for his back breaking work
Spare a part for his wife and his children
Who burn the fires and who still till the earth

And when I look into the this faceless crowd
A swirling mass of gray blue
Black and white
They don't look real to me
In fact, we all look so strange

Raise your glass to the hard working people
Let's drink to the uncounted heads
Let's think of the wavering millions
Who need leading but get gamblers instead

Spare a thought for the stay-at-home voter
His empty eyes gaze at strange beauty shows
And a parade of the gray suited grafters
A choice of cancer or polio

And when I look into this faceless crowd
A swirling mass of grays and
Black and white
They don't look real to you
Or do we look too strange

Let's drink to the hard working people
Let's think of the lowly of birth
Spare a thought for the rag taggy people
Let's drink to the salt of the earth

Let's drink to the hard working people
Let's drink to the salt of the earth
Let's drink to the three thousand million
Let's think of the humble of birth."

-Rolling Stones

I sent some of the pictures I had taken when soaring in the hot air balloon and a thank you card to the family that runs the business.  Today, I received the sweetest email from the wife of the captain (who is expecting their 2nd child).  She will be using some of my pictures on their website (wicked cool!).

Today was a lighter travel day- only 2 1/2 hours.  I drove from Ouray, Colorado to Crested Butte, Colorado.

Blue Mesa Reservoir.  Baby blue waters washing against the brown mesas.

More San Juan mountains.

My first glimpse of the Rockies!  

Cows!  Baby cows!  Do you think I could squeeze one into the overhead compartment on the ride back?  I think the chickens and the baby cows would get along famously.  

More mountains...

The view from my hotel room.  This town is definitely where rich, white people come to frolic.  It's a little too bourgeois for my taste.  I'm not a card-carrying member of the upper middle class (thank goodness).  Give me dive bars and bikers and cheap beer anytime over fancy boutiques and wine bars.  I'll do my best to play the part while I'm here though!  It is an absolutely beautiful town.  When I checked into the hotel, the front desk manager informed that there would be a complimentary wine tasting in the lounge at 4:30pm.  Apparently, when you stay at bourgie hotels, the desk manager memorizes your name, makes it his sole goal to introduce you to the others staying at the hotel, books your reservations for dinner, and give you a glass of wine every time you walk through the lobby.  I had drinks with the State Treasurer of Colorado and a couple who owns their own golf course resort thing.  Topic of conversation: politics in Colorado.  Apparently, Boulder is full of "crazy hippie liberals" and that the western half of the state is full of sane, conservative folk.  Me being a social worker from Mass (who works with the unruly scum of the earth), and a woman traveling alone (gasp!  women need to be escorted by men for protection!), was very entertaining for them.  I tried to keep the conversation as real as I could.  During this part of the trip, I have been thinking about classism excessively.  I did not see a person of color in Crested Butte, nor anyone that was lower in class status than upper middle class.  I am always conscious about how my White skin offers me a somewhat "free pass" to have drinks with the social elite of Colorado.  And I'm constantly assessing how I am able to "pass" and/or "not pass" in the Owning Class world.  I'm proud of my blue collar, working class roots and being in thrust into the middle of Owning Class land throws me off kilter and puts me on my guard.  I try to approach these situations as a social anthropologist would and use this environment as a case study.

Ok.  I'll get off my soap box now :)

A really lovely coffee shop in Crested Butte with friendly folk.

The other crazy concept of this trip is that I am walking on earth that is 8,900 feet in the air.  Hadley, MA is only 129 feet above sea level.  That means I'm walking 1.68 miles in the sky!  How awesome is that!?!?