Skip to main content

It's been a while.

I realized today I have not written in almost a month. My blogs are usually inspired by things I do or powerful feelings I am having on a particular issue rolling around in my brain. The desire is always there to write; the inspiration is often not. Today I feel a bit of the need to write.

I began writing a daily journal back in March. I am unsure if this is taking away my inspiration to write a blog, or likely the lack of doing what I love (hiking), has left me uninspired. I know, however, as we change the calendar from July to August tomorrow, that we are one month closer to my hiking season. The time this hibernating bear awakes, at least physically.

The calendar change also will mean that I can say next month I am going on my trip with my lovely wife. Since Kota passed back in March, I have felt a sense of freedom when planning trips. No guilt about leaving him at home, and no anxiety for him or me. As many of you know, I share the fact that I “don’t like people”. It is not 100% the truth, but I do honestly say, I dislike crowds.

Marcie does not care if a place is crowded or not, she just likes to travel. This is a benefit for us. She takes an annual trip to Disney (yuk), and then a big trip with me somewhere else. I chose the other trip, and I choose those destinations that are less crowded or popular. We went to Wyoming recently. With guidance from a friend, we went to the eastern part of the state, most go to the western side (Yellowstone and Tetons). We went in May to Door County in Wisconsin. Door County is a popular destination, but we went before the crowds normally go. This leads us to our next destination, Nova Scotia. This is popular as well, but in the warmer southern months. We are going in September.

When people want to go to the beach and put their toes in the sand, they go to Florida, maybe Mexico, South Carolina, or possibly Texas. My beaches are Indiana Dunes, Nova Scotia or anywhere around the Great Lakes. My ultimate destination is the mountains. I have been to North Carolina, Wyoming, Colorado, and Tennessee. The mountains are really the only place and can somewhat relax. Thus, my love for hiking in the woods.

With Nova Scotia in the immediate future, I have booked a trip to Colorado next June. As mentioned above, our plan is to not go to very many tourist places, but to explore and make our own memories. We will fly into Denver, get a rental car (already booked), and then head to a small town called Nathrop, Colorado. In Nathrop, we will stay at a 14-acre Airbnb, in a valley between two mountain ranges (Mt. Princeton & Mt. Antero). The town is 5 miles from our Airbnb and boasts a population of 270 people.

Again, with the help of a friend, I have mapped out both popular and less popular destinations for us to visit. These include mountains (duh), mountain lakes, ghost towns, various trails, and whatever we discover along the way. My agenda is, of course, tentative and based on how we feel and weather. One bonus I forgot to add was the picture above. Our residence for the trip is on 14-acres as mentioned and the picture is one a guest took from the porch. We have this place to OURSELVES for an entire week. Hell, I may not come home!

When Mark took me a few years back to Tennessee and ultimately North Carolina, I was touched by the mountains. They have never left my soul. This reminds me of a quote from the late John Muir “We are now in the mountains, and they are in us, kindling enthusiasm, making every nerve quiver, filling every pore and cell of us.”

Until next time,

Tim (Kilmer)

P.S. The pictures above are not from me but on the Airbnb listing. Can you imagine what I will do with my camera?

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Love to get your feedback on what you read!

Popular posts from this blog

25 years

  How do I put love into words? Especially after 25 years of marriage, two children, a few dogs, and various moves we have made both with jobs and homes. How do I explain how someone is in my daily thoughts, and every decision I make takes her into account? I have seen her grow into an exceptional mother, loving and understand wife, and beautiful human being. She is the reason I am still here on earth. Dearest Marcie, Twenty-five years. A quarter of a century. It feels like yesterday we stood at the altar, our hearts brimming with hope and anticipation. And yet, as I look back on these years, I am filled with a profound sense of gratitude and love. You have been my constant, my rock, my guiding star. Your love has been a beacon of light, illuminating my path even in the darkest of times. Our home is alive with the melody of your laughter, bringing boundless joy, while your kindness ignites a warmth within my very being. I cherish the memories we've made together - the adv...
Post a Comment
Read more

Good Enough?

  This past week Dr. Erin and I discussed many things. She did, however spring a new term on me. Social Attribution Error. It is something I suffer from, without knowing the term and we dove a little deeper into it and what I could do to reverse it. Social Attribution Error has many aspects but a few I want to point out. Explaining behavior : It's the process of trying to understand why someone acted a certain way by assigning a cause to their behavior.  Internal vs. external attribution : You can attribute behavior to internal factors (like personality traits) or external factors (like situational circumstances). With a bit of conversation Erin and I discussed my strong and irrational internal attribution and how I always see myself as not good enough. Not a good enough father, husband, friend, employee, relative, writer, photographer, etc. Much of this started in my childhood when my mother would compare me to my classmates, friends and even cousins...
Post a Comment
Read more

A gift from a friend

Photo by: Tim Bindner Photography Recently I received a gift from a friend.  It was unexpected but it meant so much.  A simple gesture, an act of kindness, a show of love and friendship. I met Miranda via Instagram based on a recommendation from my buddy Mark.  Like most things, he recommends I seriously consider and highly respect his suggestions.  This was true to form.  I began following Miranda on Instagram, Facebook and even viewing her website.  I stuck up a few online conversations and got the nerve to ask her for an interview.  I wrote about that here . Eventually, text and online correspondence led to a few phone calls.  I admired her work and even discussed creating a book of my own and she admitted wanting to do one as well.  Specifically, I saw two pictures that I loved.  My passion for nature, especially trees is well known.  When I saw this photo (single tree) I was floored.  I even asked her if I could buy a copy.  Nothing really came of that.  I then saw another photo ...
Post a Comment
Read more