I love Colorado.

I love the outdoors.  You wouldn't guess this about me if you knew about my multiple visits to the theater in a given month or if you've seen my collection of dvd's, both of which imply I like to sit in a dark room for hours on end.  Also, my mountain bike is covered with pollen and dust from sitting unused and my hiking boots normally sit in a closet for 360-some days out of the year.  I guess when you have to get in your vehicle to drive thirty minutes to an hour-and-a-half to find good bike trails, or a nice serene place that's quiet, you start to think it's not worth the effort.  Local parks may seem like a good place to get away but when people pass you on the trail talking on their phones so loudly that you are in the conversation it takes the peacefulness out of being outdoors.

I was born in the mountains....okay, not 

literally, but the only thing between the 300 or so yards from the hospital where I came into this world and the back yard where my parents took me home to spend the rest of my life is a stretch of the Kentucky River.  I believe if my parents were to drive to the hospital (abiding by the designated speed limit) it might take them 4-5 minutes.  However, if I jumped off the porch ran up the embankment, crossed the old railroad bridge (where this photo was taken), toward the tunnel and ran up a trail on the side of a steep hill....I might be able to beat them there.  I spent countless days and nights running around our neighborhood, playing manhunt or capture the flag, hiding out in the woods, goofing off by the river, and going down by the tunnel to catch crawdads.  There isn't much to do at home, but I know if I ever need to think or get away from everything it's one place I could go for some tranquility.

Growing up in the foothills of the Appalachian mountains I learned to love riding 35-40 minutes one-way to church (4 times on a Sunday) on winding roads or visiting relatives every weekend over an hour away.  I loved playing in creeks, hiking, or riding my bike into town.  I remember when it was a big deal to stay the night with a friend.  I couldn't wait for "the big snow" in the wintertime, and it was truly brilliant to see the green in the trees give way to the red, orange, and yellow every fall making the sides of the mountains look like they were burning.  I remember always being outside talking to neighbors.  It was a calm time. 

I recently had the opportunity to attend a conference in Colorado.  It was a Thursday-Saturday conference so I knew going up early was my only option to extend my trip.  I flew out of Nashville on Tuesday, which gave me two full days to relax, check out the area, and prepare for the conference.  Since I had to be at the airport at 4:30am, I decided to skip sleeping altogether and I arrived (rather sluggish) in Colorado Springs around 9am to an unsuspecting sight....the Rocky Mountains. 

I know i've seen thousands of pictures of the Rocky Mountains but I think I assumed that those pictures were taken in some foreign country.  I grew up in the mountains.  I've driven all throughout Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, and into Pennsylvania, and recently was able to drive into Boston from New Hampshire.  I've made several trips into Gatlinburg, TN, for vacations and retreats.  I didn't think Colorado was going to be much different.  I was wrong.

I actually packed my hiking boots because I wanted to trek up to Pike's Peak but settled for some lower trails since it would mean giving up an entire day.  This is a view from atop the Olympic Training Center as well as a few from the Garden of the Gods National Park in Manitou Springs, which has some incredible rock formations and great trails where you can see the summit of Pike's Peak. 

I was a little disappointed that I couldn't make it up the 14,000 feet to the summit, but the prospect of having to find my way back down the mountain in the dark made me feel a bit better about my decision.

  

I know I've said I could live in various places across the country (New York, Boston, etc...) but I think if I had to choose a place to get away from everything Colorado City seems like a logical choice.  A few reasons why (besides the scenery); they are more concerned with bike lanes than parking spaces, I had my first piece of buttermilk pie (which surprised even me), i met two different individuals that grew up less than an hour from my hometown (very small world), King Chef's Diner is a great little dive....and it would be easy to make New Life Church my home and listen to the Desperation guys lead worship every week!