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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?

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