back to the flatland

Returning from Colorado is always a topographical letdown. Cornfields? Seriously. Illinois needs more chiseled rock under runs of whitewater paint; dusty, crystal, cold, green, and strong. The state seems to speak from its horizons, responding to hearts with foggy peaks and broken-glass skies.

Yeah, so I had a pretty nice vacation. :)

On the plane to Denver, I sat next to JP and asked him what he thought about "vacation." I wondered if I'd return in a week and feel disappointed. I probed my expectations a bit, asking myself what I would contribute to a satisfaction in rest. This is a question I've been asking for eight years. I haven't answered it.

JP and I talked - it's how I think sometimes - and I decided that my goals were simply to:
- take long drinks of the outdoor beauty
- experience some intimate moments with God
- experience some intimate moments with JP

And this is why I feel good about our week: I know I hit these goals. (as well as quite a few others, including: Old Man Mountain, Eagle Cliff, Trail Ridge Road, Ouzel Falls, Thunder Lake, reading on the covered porch of the YMCA of the Rockies Admin Building, strolling the river-walk in Estes Park, and enjoying a good local micro-brew).

See the rest of my Colorado vacation pictures, including interesting encounters with rodents, at my Google/Picasa picture share.