Almost Spring! And for Wyoming that's saying something....

The last couple of weeks have been interesting. We suddenly got slammed with some seriously wet storms from the Pacific that turn Wyoming into its signature "Hell frozen over" type of picture. No really, I mean you couldn't see the stripes on the interstate due to the wind-blow sleet but also because the road was closed for days at a time. Just bunk down and wait it out. I try not to plan any trips without flexible dates in the springtime here. Before that, very mild for Wyoming. I could count the subzero days on one hand, and last winter it was somewhere around 2-3 weeks subzero.

Out of the blue, we've been having 40 degree days! I even saw my first American Robin this week, one of the true signs of spring. They usually make it here and freeze for a few weeks before it starts actually warming up. Its been absolutely glorious, and I want to take advantage of every minute of it! Speaking of which, what on earth am I doing inside on the computer.................

American Lakes Hike, near Walden, CO - August 2011

Here are some photos of a wonderfully scenic hike that we did in August. I should mention that Jen hiked the whole thing in her Chaco sandals :) It was a tough one too, I think it was 1,000-2,000 feet of elevation gain over about 2 miles. Enjoy the scenery!

Hiking North of Rawlins

Ray and I went for a short afternoon hike just North of Rawlins, near the continental divide trail. We saw a baby sage grouse chick, which was the cutest thing ever and a lot of cool desert plants and flowers. Luckily we hiked up on the ridge where the mosquitoes weren't bad, but we got cut short due to the dark thunder clouds moving in.

 

Rawlins actually looks pretty quaint from up here.



To the North of Rawlins, overlooking the Continental Divide Trail.

once
there
a 5-dollar stare
the sand in my wrangler jeans
outweighs the pennies of your pocketless dreams
kicking tumbleweeds
reckless
listless
out of place
like crasins in chicken fried steak
like coon dogs in outer space
like love in her eyes
nationalize
your fears
commonplace
like leftover foam in brown-bottled beers
keep your pitchers of wishes comming
and don't forget to leave a tip
copenhagen dip
shit
sweaty yellow armpit
but my nose catches the scent of old spice
mmmmmmm nice
sweetness on the tounge
climbing the ladder from the bottom rung
(somewhere close to cow dung)
but hardworking
and free
stable on my unstable balance beam
I breathe fresh air and swing on rubber swings
And at night
in the sweaty summer twilight
we spoon
I dream
I love.

proposition 8 ≠ life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness

check out this NPR story, its much better than I can explain.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122447805

sleeping

I fear to sleep
         of sleep I fear
                    a little buggy whispered in my ear

and so awakened there I lie
          ticking tocking
                         wondering why
             a little buggy would fear to sleep
                          when distant slumbers forget to beckon me

little buggy, I whispered
     though the dark was deep
          I fear the opposite
                                  lack of sleep

so here we are with our inverse thoughts
             one is sleeping
                  one is not