Disclaimer:  first off, this is the first time I’ve ever been over the Alpine Loop of Silverton Colorado.

Heather, Malcolm and I were taking the day off to adventure to Lake City for lunch and back via the 4 wheel drive  mountain pass road called the Alpine Loop which includes Cinnamon Pass and Engineer Pass. There was way too much information to take in about the hot spots along the 4 wheel road journey.  I have tried to remember most of it and validate names and locations, however I may have them out of order.

The idea is to take all of you on this trip with us so that you may enjoy it as we did.  Malcolm was born in Durango and raised in Silverton his whole life. He and his parents have been on almost every inch of the alpine peaks of the San Juan mountains that surround Silverton.  His family owned a jeeping excursion  company for years.  He was an impeccable guide.  Heather has learned much as well  in her ten years in Silverton and gave her own version  and flavor to the trip.

This trip begins at 10:30 am today June 24th, 2011, and ended at 6:30pm. Most of the photographs were taken while the jeep was moving. In other words we were bumping and swaying and lurching along.  Many photos were taken so that you may sit in the back seat with me and experience what I experienced as if you had taken the trip yourself.  This means that there may be reflections in the windows, possibly some blurriness, etc.  Most of the pics are just as the camera took them as there is hardly a place where the panorama isn’t just perfect as captured.

This is a photo heavy post.  I hope you enjoy taking this journey with me,  with Malcolm and Heather as our guides.

Leaving Silverton our first stop was Eureka where the original jail house still stands.  There were once around 500 hundred residents at this thriving mining  now ghost town. That’s the size of Silverton’s now year round residents.

Malcolm and Heather giving us the villain look from inside the old jail.

We passed a couple old mines along the way to Animas Forks, the ghost town that marks the spot where we start up into the passes.

Also along the way Mal and Heather pointed out two cabins that folks currently live in during the winters.  They ski up to them. Check this picture out – can you find the cabins?

Okay  I know not fair, try this cropped version of the same photo.

Now do you see them?  Okay I’ll make a closer cropped version of the same photo.

About now? Yes one is on the far right and the other is up in the saddle on the far left.  The left one looks like a rock almost with a smaller out building  just to its left almost dead center in the saddle.  Now go back and check out the first pic. That’s WAY up there!

After  the mines, cabins, jail houses, and Animas Forks

Animas Forks – this photo was actually taken on our way back down on the way home.  On the way up we drove right through the ghost town but my photos didn’t turn out.  On the way back Malcolm and Heather were discussing the Walsh House. Mr. Walsh who bought the home was the last private owner of the Hope Diamond which he purchased for his daughters birthday present.  Now how’s that for history?  All the way out in the vast primitive mountains of Colorado.  If you look to the middle/right of the photo you will see a building by the road.  Here it is cropped out.

Yep that’s the Walsh House of Animas Forks Colorado.  Amazing!

So then off we go up Cinnamon Pass toward Lake City.  Along the way we spied…

…tundra, flowers, snow and a pool. Then as we managed to traverse to the top of Cinnamon we spied apline tundra and stopped to read the sign that tells about it.

Then more tundra…

…and the top of Cinnamon.

That’s 12, 640 ft!

As  we head down we get a beautiful view of American Basin.

As we drove down into Lake City the terrain changed completely. But before that happened we came to a place called Burrows Park which was renamed White Cross for a strain of white quartz that was found in its natural state forming a cross.  The town had a population of around 300 people, with a post office, blacksmith, and other town necessities.  What you see is what’s left…

A beautiful waterfall running down the mountain face and under the snow.  There are no buildings left in White Cross.

Next we came upon a doe who had no worries in the world as she stood there eating grass until we honked our horn to get her to look up so that I could take her smiling picture.

Before we get to Lake City we pass by the lake (San Cristobal) that the community was named for.

This is tiny section of this huge lake.  If you look real close you can see two kayaks  just at the left edge of the photo. One is red and the other is yellow.

Next stop Lake City and the best calazone’s ever!!

We found a building here that reminded me much of the building I live in, the Benson Hotel.  It’s apparent the architecture that was appreciated in the days these building were built.

After a nice lunch, we were off toward Engineer Pass and the second part of our day long Alpine Loop.  But first he drove through some beautiful  rock outcroppings.

After which Malcolm and I hiked down a short steep path to take a picture of  this water fall that comes out of the side of a mountain.

I cant remember if this was before after the waterfall, but we also stopped to view this rushing river.

Exquisite, yes?

And up we go…

Soon we were seeing sights such as this.  Water running under the snow and then looking up on the other side of the jeep we see this.

Mind boggling  don’t you think.  But wait… we haven’t seen anything yet.  Everything so far as just been a teaser.

Next we come to White Death a mine that was re-named after its demise. Destroyed by Avalanche. This actually may have been before the last pics.. But it doesn’t matter, it’s all breathtaking and awe inspiring.  If Mal were here or even Heather they’d be correcting me for accuracy and chastising me for messing some minute thing up.  They should be tour guides.

Ummm… we start climbing, and if you look through Mal’s jeeps sun roof, you see we are just a spec on this mountain with snow towering over us.  This is late June and this is still a lot of snow for this time of year.

This was my/our view.

This is just before we reached Engineer Pass’s summit.  You think that’s it huh… nope.

Then we received a treat from Mother Earth.  The top of the world. Hold on  to your horses folks, she is breathtaking.

Way over there……….  is Utah!

Heather and Mal at the lookout at Engineer Pass.

The lookout at Engineer pass. No words…

Then back down we go… What more snow?

After a long  bumpy drive down Engineer we find ourselves back at Animas Forks and then past there the beautiful valley that marks home is near.

On the way home we ran across this little guy…  Can you see the marmot?

How about now?

Cute little guy… most locals distaste these critters because they crawl into your cars if you leave parked to hike and chew your wiring.  So there is a feud going on between marmots and man. I’d say from the marmot population that they are winning.
With that we say this was one fabulous day. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

 

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December 2, 2010

Being filled with gratitude sometimes takes a conscious effort to open up or take the time to absorb or be filled with thoughts, feelings, memories or stimuli that solicit a thankful spirit.  That is where I am today. Making a purposeful effort.

I came to my blog really wanting to discuss lost memories – something that troubles me.  My friend Ron and I were discussing times past when we rode our horses together.  I cant for the life of me remember any of those rides. I remember him riding past my house or me past his, but I cannot remember ever riding with him.  That saddens me because that past buddy thing we had going on really meant something to me.  Also I have folks come to me all the time who I’ve known in the past and I cant remember how we knew each other.  I know that we did things together or shared something with one another… but what?  I don’t know when this happened. Was it a closing off of something inside of me back when I had to let Asad and Madrid go?  Was it my mother’s death or the loss of my house?  Are those excuses?  All I know is the events of around that time in my life have faded in my memory.  I apologize to all for anything that I may have forgotten.

(Photo found at iblard.com)

Well I’m not going to sit here and worry about it.  Today is sunny and warm, I just received an incredible massage from my guru and friend Maryanne, have a beer in hand and some chips – yep I’m eating chips.  Usually I’m eating nuts or fruit, however today is indulgence day and I’m jumping in the deep water.

I received some very good advice today that if I were to follow it would free my life up for anything I might want to pursue.  Basically pass on the animals for now.  If I go ahead with plans for horses and dogs I will trap myself on a piece of land where I wont be able to explore new places and things that interest me. Something that feels very important.   This is the battle I wage everyday… do I or do I not bring Pro home and get a dog?   A friend told me recently that they felt they may not be able to ride a horse in ten years.  This has been a fear of mine, that if I don’t stay aboard a horse that I wont be able to ride later if I choose horses again. So my goal has been to bring a horse home.   Yet what I really want to do is go dip in that ocean you see in the photo above, to swim with wild dolphins.  To work with raptors, to…

Having a horse or dog or whatever that needs a permanent home could wait a few more years when I’m tired of moving around and want to nest with my companions.   Also I can still go take riding lessons at some discipline I have always wanted to try. Did you know Parelli is based in Pagosa Springs?  Hell, I could drive over there and volunteer. With that said I need to consider Pro and Kathy.  I am so stressed out over what to do with him once he is here and how much it’s going to cost to get him here.  My mind is consumed with it – it’s apparent in my blog posts.  I get brave sometimes and spout off about all that I will do and that I can make it happen – which I can, but is my heart in it? I still feel pressured by my horse friends by being witness to their horses and their dreams goals that are not so unlike my own aspirations of the past.  I am in a phase of letting go of the past  and maybe I need to make this a complete severing of my comfort strings.  I know if someone were to walk into my life and bring horses with them that I would indulge myself once more in that lifestyle. But right now it’s about me and exploration of new adventures.  The last thing I want to do is trap myself in a town away from my comforts and friends and family just to have a couple pets.  I need to invest into me and new adventures and experiences.

For this insight I am grateful. For the process it has taken to get here, I’m grateful. For my friends who stand beside me and say it like it is, I am grateful!!  It is hard to let go, its hard to move on,  but I am a pioneer spirit and I see a horizon just over there…

I want to see what is over there on that horizon. I could ride my horse across that meadow, but what do I do with him once there? How do I house him, feed him, and have enough left over to prepare for the next journey?   This may disappoint some of my horse friends who were so anxious to see me BACK.  Well I’m not sure I will ever be back… as in back as I was before.  Who I was and what I aspired to then are no longer the same, I’m a very different person these days and I love who I am.
For who I have become, I am grateful. For who I will become, I am grateful.  For all of you…  I am grateful.

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I know I fail on the blogging front.  I have been so busy living life in Silverton that blogging this summer has taken a major back seat.  As earlier mentioned I’ve been hiking, jogging, and enjoying the beauty of this place as much as I can. I wake up go to breakfast and take to the mountains for some powerful empathic communing with Mother and her creatures.  I have to say that I am missing Thankful Thursday. What I am really missing is the euphoria that stays with me through the day from being so thankful and experiencing the feel of it so thoroughly through my body, mind and spirit. So yes I’m about to embark on another flurry of Thankful Thursdays.

Simrat, a good friend, posted a video on Facebook that grabbed me and set me off to contemplate on something I have grappled with for many years.   I have always believed that every person had the ability to communicate empathically, only figured they just didn’t tap into it for whatever reason. Having spent nearly all of my life living empathically, communicating with animal kingdom beings mostly, but also occasionally if not fleetingly with people as well, it always amazes me how few people embrace it.  Horses and other animals I have known taught me how.   I’m so connected to them intellectually and spiritually through empathy that there really is no need for verbal  communication.  In fact I find empathic communication to be the truest sense of communication.

I miss it!

It’s a void here for me other than visiting with Cookie the guinea pig and Dragon the bearded dragon, or someones occasional dog or cat.  There is one person in town who is empathic in a powerful way but does not use it in any beneficial way.  You can feel the empathic nature of another person and see it as well. It is either there or it isn’t, and when it is there the connection is unmistakeable. I have found myself  strongly attracted to this person and wanting to immerse myself in silent communication with them.  But it’s pretty one sided and not going to happen.  They are not aware of their special connection.  It saddens me to find these lost people, who are missing out on a much deeper experience in life

Recently I have reconnected with an old friend who is also empathic, they have a powerful connection and do communicate on an earthly level with other living beings.  This person was strongly connected with me through my horses many years ago that created a certain bond. This reunion as brought back some powerful memories of a time when the majority of my communication was done silently between me and a horse while being around a certain few people who wanted to tap into their own ability.

As my regular readers know, I’ve been broken where  horses are concerned.  I’ll be reunited with them soon, as I’ll be visiting my reconnected friend in a couple months.  It will be wonderful to see him again after so many years, but  I’m petrified to see his horses, one of which I was strongly connected to. The thought though of passing through that veil into a world of empathic bliss is intoxicating.  A dangerous place for a empathaholic. Yet exhilarating!  Being with my friend again will be so perfect, but being with the horses… I don’t know yet.  When I think about it tears seep from my eyes and wash down my face.  Pro will be coming home next summer, and somehow I have to find a way to engage him empathically without fear.  I’m not going back over how I got here – read the blog you’ll learn.

I am so thankful for the reconnect with my friend from the past, all the possibilities we are seeking to explore in the future, and the opening back up of that door to an empathic communication with life.  We have a song.  “Start All Over” by Tracy Chapman.  This song applies to our   journey, my friend and I… but also to everyone and the world in general.  It says it all, and this particular video is amazing to listen to…

Tracy is just the most beautiful woman!

(Paris 1998 – Tracy Chapman)

Here is the video that Simrat posted on Facebook that sent me off  on this reminiscence of empathic connection with life.  Its amazingly accurate in  my book.

(RSA Animate – 21st century enlightenment )

I agree with many of the thoughts in this video – that humanity can recreate their situation if they reunite with a common empathy.  I believe humanity if collectively empathic with their Mother and each other can have a New Beginning.

I believe my friend and I will soar this time around. You know why? Because all we have to do is be presently empathic for one another and set our egos aside. Something we both understand and seek.  To experience a kinder, gentler more compassionate life for the better of both.  Being on the same Red Road is an amazing way to journey through life with a friend.

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I probably should be out walking, or doing something rather more productive than posting a blog today.  But something just happened that could very possibly change my life forever.

On a whim I decided to visit a website of a Master of Horsemanship who entertains only a small group of people. Those who share a similar philosophy.  He doesn’t make himself available to the general public. You have to earn his trust just as you have to earn the trust of horse.

When I wrote my email of application to join his online forum based school, I figured  that I would be flat turned down.  I share his philosophy, but have trained in traditional styles most of my life.  However, I have been going through a life long change of application and personal relationship with horses.

The experience involved with the process of living with Spanish Mustangs (particularly the ones I lived with), and working with wild BLM mustangs (American Mustangs) changed me forever and basically ruined me for traditional horsemanship of, I think, every kind out there.  I don’t care if I ever ride a horse again.  Of course I would like to ride I love riding, but when it comes to my relationship with my horse, I really don’t care. I don’t want a horse for riding – that’s the point. If I ever get another horse he/she will be a companion, friend, co student.

I WANT TO SEE  WHERE OUR RELATIONSHIP CAN GO AND WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM ONE ANOTHER, NOT WHAT MY HORSE CAN DO FOR ME OR FOR HIS BREED – I WANT TO GROW WITH MY HORSE AND WITHIN MYSELF.

I truly have been changed where horses are concerned. Horses like Asad

and Kindlewood

changed me for life.  They were friends and we sometimes went riding together. I was never alone or needed human companionship when either of them and I were together.  They new things about me no one will ever know or understand. I believe it was same in return.  Looking into their eyes there was equality between us.  I became over protective.  That became my personal down fall. I thought I could protect them. I believed it – too much ego involved there.  We all fell.

With all that aside, I know my days with horses are not over.  I’m not sure I’ll own a horse again. (OWN) Yeah okay – I’m not sure I will share that intimate life long experience with one certain horse ever again. Then again maybe I will.  That part of my life is up in the air.  I can tell you this…

…if i travel down this road with this Master I will not be involved with exploiting horses for any reason or for anyone ever again.

I am honored to be accepted into the online forum school of  Nevzorov Haute Ecole – the school of  learning from the Horse Kingdom.

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All photos for this post compliments :   Wojtek Kwiatkowski

I took Paisano out for a ride today. The plan was to ride him for about 2 miles then come home  to take Pro out for about 1 mile walk later this evening.

Best laid plans… I should know better, I have had horses how long?

The first part of the ride Pai was exceptional, so exceptional that I thought hmmm…?  Karen McClain from Twitter lives right down the road from me, I’m thinking I’ll just ride down to her place and check in on her. That would lengthen our ride to about 3 miles round trip.  About two thirds the way to Karen’s place Pai began to spook at things, obviously calculating his spooks well ahead of time which brought my attention to the game he was beginning to play.  After a short visit with Karen, we headed off and it looked like it was going to be a relaxed ride home.  Yet something told me that if I went back the way we came that Pai would start looking for his spook spots and start playing his game again, thus we went a different route.  Everything look as though we would have a nice quiet ride home, but then I’ve been wrong before. I have to admit I think Pai kind of lost his focus.  I’m use to horses having a much longer focus. Pai reminds me of someone who is sheltered and wants to be careful not to get into iffy situations.  He seems like he wouldn’t have a clue about how get himself out of a nasty situation unscathed.  You know soft.    Kinda of the soft guy on an adventure hero’s journey. I’m certain this is just a developmental stage he is going through, but it flared up today smacking us square in the face when a dalmatian dog ran up to the fence line across the road from us on the way home.  It had to be the most frightening sight Pai had ever seen loosing it all together.  I decided he had had enough so I dismounted to calm him down.  Guess I’m going to get that one mile walk in today without Pro in tow.

You know how to offend a Spanish Mustang owner don’t you?  Call their horses a BLM  Mustang?  Nah, that’s just a good way to get them fired up to teach  you right from wrong.  You can call their horses ponies, cute, plunky, nag, even plug.  But don’t ever call their magnificent Spanish steed and Arab!

I have to say that Pasiano did an unforgivable thing today.  He shamed me something awful.  First off he was mad at me for making him go down this new road, then he was certain he would be eaten by the ghostly dalmatian, and then once I’m afoot an Arabian came charging across the paddock next to us tail flagging, snorting and looking quite grand.  That was it, Pai fell apart, but then he caught himself and thought, “Oh no way!”, he would not be outdone! My Pai would not have any of that!

Oh and in public  too!

We had our share of this…

oh yes we lots of this and tons of deer springy trot and stiff legged pouncey walk…

Oh and when I suggested to Paisano that he might want to act more like a Spanish horse in public, this is what I got.

With this as a threat, if I didn’t like his highly refined Arabian impersonation.

I’ll tell you that Arab had nothing on Pai today, and the neighbors, to my shagrin, just had to come out of their homes to compliment me on my rare colored Arabian.  How low can I hang my head?

All photos compliments :   Wojtek Kwiatkowski

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Another morning comes along with a great email. One from Chris of the Watson Cattle Company.  This time we get a contact for joining up!

Go to THE RIDE under the Arizona Trail at the left of my blog for regular updates on the progress of this huge untertaking.

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Oh I bet you guys thought I had forgotten all about the Sunday Historathon!  No-Sir-ee!  Last week  and the one before it got away form me is all. With company one weekend and moving Theory the next I had several things to get caught up on.  Besides I have been kind of obsessed with canteens and just was not finding any gems out there in cyberspace that were offering any meat to chase.  Well today changed all that.  Check out today’s Sunday Historathon – 1800′s entitled Canteens -1800′s. This entry is part of my Arizona Trail Ride collection at left under “Pages”.

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Beware, the link below could catapult you into a deep thought provoking inner debate. 

Adventures of a Horse Crazed Mind

Why do you ride?  What kind of horsewoman or man are you?  For what purpose does your horse serve you – or for what purpose do you serve it?

I learned along time ago that the secret to understanding horses is to understand that a horse would never conceive of putting a saddle on another being for any purpose much less for its own pleasure.  I also learned that a horse has no qualms about carrying you along on a personal experiential journey if the rewards of that journey go both ways.  I also learned that for a horse to do a job for a human being, he has to come face to face with reality – serfdom.

Blending the above realizations into a harmonious relationship is for me the reason I have horses in my life. Yes I love to ride, but when I’m riding most of the time my horse is put into the serfdom role getting me from point A to point B, or performing a certain discipline – fiet.  Only rarely do our rides incorporate going where the beast would choose.  Which is nearly always to a favorite munch spot.  So I don’t spend as much time on top of my horses anymore. 

Harmony and perfect communion comes from within through self expression – expressiveness. My horses tend to be more expressive than a horse doing a job would be allowed. I find this my most difficult hurdle to overcome.  Taking away their ability to have a voice so that I can compete at something that makes no sense to the horse.   I really do battle over this, and me coming from a lifetime of professional showing and training.  At this point in my life I live with my horses as family members. I’ll try to develop some disciplines with Paisano and Prophecy because I do want to see them excel, however I wont go so far as to take their self expression from them and turn them into beasts of burden for my pleasure or to fulfill a promotional concept. For me life is nothing more than being part of the herd.  I have to find the magic potion that enables my horses to succeed and remain who they are.

Next?

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THANKFUL  THURSDAY 

For more thankful Thursdays be sure to visit these sites.

Akal Ranch

Tired Dog Ranch

Enlightened Horsemanship Through Touch

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Things are moving along with the planning end of my move to colorado.  Check it out here.

 

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