Ute Valley Park

The mountains to the West say, "Welcome back to Colorado, Gnomey!" My ability to wear socks to bed sounds like, "You missed us, didn't you?" Then there is the hiking which, through the blood pumping in my ears and flushing into my cheeks, says, "And Colorado missed you too!"

I have been trying to get out and enjoy the temperate fall weather before winter sets in by hiking at least twice a week. I have succeeded for three weeks so far--though my other exercise best intensions have fallen along the wayside--thanks in part to the Ute Valley Park. Thursday, I finally got The Boyfriend to hike it with me. That means, of course, that I now have pictures. The camera is an appendage of The Boyfriend's hand and so I have forgotten what it is to carry one myself, preferring our arrangement of him as photog and me as explorer, trail leader and scenery appreciater. Yes, that is my technical title.

I usually hike the trail by taking the right-hand fork from the main parking lot and then traversing in the counter-clockwise direction. We begin by hiking to the top of the ridge, not because that is the first leg of the loop I have been taking but simply for the view:


That is along the ridgeback and, if you turn to the right:

See that? That's houses. This is suburbia yet I have a dirt trail under my feet and a decent grove of trees. I swear, other big cities put in grass, sidewalk paths, soccer goals and monkey bars and call it a park. Colorado Springs does the same thing with the (mostly) natural land (they do have to tinker with and maintain it). And must there must be a lot saved on sprinklers and mowing. I want one of those houses so I can come here everyday. After all, it does seem strange to drive to the place you want to hike. Like taking the elevator to the gym. Unavoidable, however.

Next, we return to the lower trail, climb up to where another neighborhood trailhead joins on, meander back down to the valley between ridges, where the view is still nice:


... climb another ridge parralel to the first and run on back to the parking lot. And yes, I have been trying to run a bit more. I have always rebelled against jogging--to much unnecessary bouncing--but am doing my best to push a bit further. I don't know what I shall do when it snows--brave the rather outdated and crappy apartment gym, I suppose. I shall seize the days that I can before I am forced into indoor exercise submission.