Texas Deb Goes to Crested Butte - Day Five
Texas Deb Goes to Crested Butte – Day Five
My body usually wakes itself up around 6 but because I wanted to sit on that beautiful patio and watch the sunrise I got up at 0530. I bundled myself up in blankets and watched the sun come up directly over the foothills of Crested Butte in it’s warm, white-yellow radiance. I drank pecan coffee and rocked back and forth in my chair, making sure the cold iron seat didn’t touch my bare skin.
Before I left home, I prayed for a mountain top experience. I’ve been bogged down, sluggish and downright frustrated lately and I prayed for renewed momentum and a fresh outlook on a lot of things. This will explain why I got up so early, so eager for the sun to rise over that mountain.
For some reason on this trip I found myself thinking of my Grandma Idell. Maybe it was the dry mountain air, or the coffee brewing, but my mind kept drifting to moments with her. She got up at sunrise each morning and went for a brisk walk on the Mesa in Albuquerque. She loved coffee and I can remember her reading her Bible and drinking steaming black coffee while watching the sun rise. In Albuquerque there were always hot air balloons out that early enjoying the sunrise too and sometimes we’d sit, that coffee smell filling the dry air, and spot the balloons on the horizon.
I’ve always referred to her as a good decent Christian woman, but not warm and fuzzy. The sunrise and the hot coffee in my hand at such a peaceful moment, made me think of her positive attributes, those steadfast characteristics that I might take a page from.
The sunrise turned into full blown morning and after a nice breakfast at the condo we headed out on our last hike of the trip, Brush Creek. It was over 4 miles of easy, rolling foothills looking down into a valley with a snaking creek twisting about among the soft emerald green grass. There were several ranch houses and cows down in that valley surrounded by mountain, peaceful log homes placed long stretches away from each other, the occasional brick brown or black cow idling in between. In another life I’d love to be a rancher, situated in my peaceful cabin in a valley such as this.
On the walk, as we began calling it when we realized there were no more sharp inclines or breathtaking jaunts on this particular trail, we started to talk about the kids and all the things about this place they would love. We dreamed about coming again next summer and chatted about each thing that each child would find particularly amazing. My oldest would love the swimming pool at the condo. He and his brother would love exploring and might want to ride the ski lift up the mountain. They’d all love the trails and I’d definitely need to find a horseback riding adventure for my daughter.
We must come back!
All of that I guess to say that this trip has not only given me the clarity and rejuvenation I prayed for by hope, insight, peace and rest. God has blessed us immensely.
