Some people love the sea
shore, the sandy beaches, the blue-green waters of the ocean, the
smell of salt in the air and watching sea birds float on the ocean
breeze. They don't mind sand getting into every thing, the sun
beating down, for they enjoy finding sand dollars or sea shells or
even odd trinkets that wash ashore from who knows where.
Some people love the city, the honking of horns, the hot sidewalks in the summer, the smell of food cooking from nearby restaurants. This is their live and they enjoy living it among the thousands of other people moving about daily. They like the city parks, the tourists, the everyday people moving about like ants on an ant bed. Finding a parking spot is a challenge
to them more than a worry.
Other people like the
grasslands of the prairie, the constant wind
making the tall grass flow back and forth like waves in an ocean. They don't mind the lack of trees or watching out not to step in prairie dog
holes, it's just they way they live and the obstacles of where they
live. The barren hills in winter with the snow drifts, the
ever constant wind blowing year around. The only difference is the direction of the wind depending on the season. Northwest to southeast during the winter and southeast to northwest during the summer.
But
my glory is the mountains. Anywhere there's mountains. I never
liked the sea shore, the many unseen creatures lurking below the
surface, the tide and under tow sucking you into the deep water to be
lost
forever. Just give me some tall tall hills, a.k.a. mountains,
and hard rock. Let me smell the air filled with evergreen trees like spruce, fir and pine. To
see the colors of the leaves in the Spring and Fall, snow tops, and
the storm clouds that will put a cap on the mountains from time to time. To hear the rushing water of a small
stream as it tumbles down
from higher reaches, that soft gurgling that can just
put you to
sleep while you're still standing erect.
I've
had the good fortune to see mountains in many places. Places like the
Appalachian Chain, the Adirondikes of upper New York State, the
Ozarks of Missouri and Arkansas, the Rocky Mountains from New Mexico
to Canada and the Sierra Nevada's of the far West. Then there are
smaller ranges like those found in the State of Texas. These are the
Guadalupe
Mountains, very arid especially in the summer months. Very little
water is available. Although they do not stretch very far compared
to some of the other mountains, they are some of the harshest
mountains to be in.
The
Guadalupe Mountains, Texas
The
Colorado Rocky Mountains
The
Rocky Mountains stretch from Northern New Mexico to upper Alberta and British
Columbia, Canada. They are just as majestic as they are in
the U.S. Maybe even more as they still have a number of
glaciers and due to the rock sediment in the water, the lakes can
vary from baby blue to emerald green. Since the Canadian
Rockies are closer to the North Pole, a number of them
maintain snow caps year around.
I've
had the good fortune to ride among the Swiss Alps, the Italian Alps,
the mountains of Wales as well as the Blue Mountains of Australia.
It's just something about those rough craggy stone piles that draw me
to them like bees to a honeycomb. I'm not a hiker but I do enjoy
short walks to get to the quiet and solitude where all you hear is
the blowing of the wind or an occasional chirp
of a bird.
Regardless
of where the mountains
are located they have their own
charm. Those
people that prowl the
ledges, canyons and cliffs know full
well that if you're unprepared your
life span can be cut short. Mountains
must
be taken seriously the same as
swimming in the ocean, rivers and
lakes or strolling across the barren
sanddunes of the deserts. The
picture
to the right is of the Blue Mountains
Northeast of Sidney, Australia. They
are very difficult to traverse due to
blind canyons
and steep cliff walls.
I
take short day trips into
the mountains near where I live every few days. I get to sit on my
deck and look at mountains while sipping a cup of coffee in the early
morning. I also get to ride through the mountains, sometimes in the
fog and sometimes in the bright sun. They are mystical, haunting,
yet beautiful. Sun rays filtering through the trees, rushing streams
pounding their way over the rocks from higher elevations, shadows
cast by large boulders and trees, causing your mind to sometime
imagine things that are not there. And then there's the coolness as
you ride among the trees and stone that gives you that short fresh
breath of air.
I love the mountains and try
to enjoy them at every opportunity. Whatever you like to do, do it, as time doesn't wait.
