It's time to trade...

Mountains for mesas and forested creeks for rocky canyons. I'm on my way to the Red Rock and Canyonlands country of Utah. But first, I took a time out in Grand Junction, Colorado. 

I hiked in Colorado National Monument. 

It's an old friend like the locals I know here.

A Happy Hour in the "River City" would be devoid of Yuck Yucks without spending time with the Millers and the Toolens. Having buddies scattered around the Centennial State is a major reason why I think of Colorado as home. 

In these gentle months of weather, there is no place like home.

Manana, I'll be in the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park. At least, I won't have to watch the Yankees play like poop.

Cheers from a pained Yankee fan,

Jeff

PS. I have three pounds of Starbucks and three cases of IPAs on board Barley the Van. I'm prepared. 

Signal Mountain seemed an...

appropriate destination for Jenny and I to make a getaway to. In the past few days, Mother Nature has been signaling a change in the season. The long sunny days are now a feel good memory, the squirrels are burying the last of their nut and seed supply and windows are being shut to keep the cool air out. Lastly, I might be forced to put on a pair of long pants. Yech. 

Summer and Indian Summer flew by faster than a lit match consumes a thimbleful of white gas. Wump! 

For me and apparently Jenny, it's an introspective time. I think a lot about how I spent my favorite season mostly in Colorado. I reflect upon the many pretty places I'd been, the friends and family I visited and revisited along the way, the Colorado Rockies and Junior College World Series Baseball games I attended and the many times it just felt so right to be back home in the Centennial State.

It's a shame I'm too much of a cold weenie to spend the long winters here. I guess it's in my blood. My Dad (Sid) was a cold weenie too. 

In case you missed them, here's some of the highlights of what seemed like a shortened summer season.

http://jeffsambur.blogspot.ae/2015/05/play-ball.html

http://jeffsambur.blogspot.ae/2015/06/meet-newest.html

http://jeffsambur.blogspot.ae/2015/07/on-day-that-felt.html

http://jeffsambur.blogspot.ae/2015/07/america-greatest-invention.html

http://jeffsambur.blogspot.ae/2015/07/hiking-with-viking.html

http://jeffsambur.blogspot.ae/2015/08/a-backpack-trip.html

http://jeffsambur.blogspot.ae/2015/08/nothing-meek-about-mount.html

http://jeffsambur.blogspot.ae/2015/08/a-visit-to-pleasantville-colorado.html

http://jeffsambur.blogspot.ae/2015/08/roamin-in-wyoming.html

http://jeffsambur.blogspot.ae/2015/08/the-jewish-high-holy-days-are.html

http://jeffsambur.blogspot.ae/2015/09/armageddon-to-genesis-in-one.html

Come on Summer of 2016!

Cheers from cloudy Fort Collins, Colorado 

Jeff

Armageddon to Genesis in one...

Backpack trip. 

When Brad and I set out to do our weeklong 60 mile, three pass circuit on the John Muir Trail, experiencing damp, drizzly and windy weather was not what we expected. After all, we were hiking in potato chip dry and parched California. A state where rain and snow had gone missing for multiple years. 

We entered Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Park via Bishop Pass. The sky had a post nuclear holocaust look about it. Apparently forest fires were consuming acres west of us in the big tree groves of Sequoia. Yet a chill rain was hitting us square in the face. It wasn't pleasant. The sub-summer weather prevailed the next morning as we hunkered below John Muir Pass. It was a long dreary day of sitting in a cave waiting for conditions to improve. (See photo). Snow (White Death) was reported by the shivering masses who descended off the 11,955 pass. 

The following morning, we woke to an ashen gray atmosphere. At least it wasn't raining so we headed uphill. The higher we got the bluer the big sky became. By the time we reached the pass, only designer clouds were prevalent. The front was passing us by. 

Our Genesis was on! We had nothing but aquamarine above us and occasional frost below us. 

It was great!

Some hikes are worth repeating.

http://jeffsambur.blogspot.com/2014/09/for-years-i-been.html

From Dana Point, California

Cheers and Happy Jewish New Year,

Jeff

"I only went for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in."

John Muir