Otter's Outings

I'd heard of the Garden of Gods, but didn't fully understand the grandness of it all.  How could big red rocks be anything but intriguing?  It was more than intriguing.  The sun splashes across the surface creating rich green, ash, orange, red!  The sun moves, the color changes.  The best part is that this happens everyday.  No matter what we do, the sun rises, the sun sets and on it goes.  Standing at the base of these massive expressions of nature, it was clear that I am by no means insignificant, but I am not consistent, I am not forever and when I'm gone, these rocks will still be here being painted by light every day.  It is my desire to be in touch with these rhythms; to align myself to what the universe does every day and in doing so, create some balance and connectedness with something bigger than myself.   If you haven't been, I'd recommend it.  Go see the sunrise light the snow of Pike's Peak.  Go watch the suns...

Easter Sunday and I'm on the road!  No worries, there is always a state park to find a little Sunday Service aka Soul Stitching.  I headed to Staunton State Park outside of Denver and hiked 14.5 miles of its trails!  You know what hurts most after 14.5 miles of hiking?  My face, from smiling. What made this hike spectacular: 1. Everyone was friendly and inebriated on sunshine, the constant breeze and 70 degree weather.   2. The trails were all brand new (to me, but also to the population, it was built in 2013) and Colorado State Parks puts topographic information on the printed maps!  Brilliant.   3. So many dogs on the trail.  I probably got at least 6 dog kisses on my hand from passers by.  Heaven. 4. Some mysterious bird or mammal was heckling me all day.  Not the same one of course, but an odd and rather loud call. 5. I startled a chipmunk on a part of trail that was uphill and killing me from the altitude.  Was to...