The Blackout Boys

What the hell has happened to the first quarter of 2007? I have been unable or unallowed (is that a word) to sit still for more than a few minutes for the past 3 months. Now as I sit on this airplane, I’m am forced to do just that. For the next two hours I am forced to still my legs and mind and reflect on the fastest 3 months I’ve faced in life so far.

For starters, this all goes back down to Pueblo, CO, where I found at least one part of my soul washed up on the barren desert rocks of Lake Pueblo State Park. After a fun-filled ski trip in Utah in January, I was sent to find a short-term home about 2 hours south of my long-term one. Alone and forced to reckon with the natives, I succeeded in overcoming the difficult challenge of building about $1.5M worth of pipes, roads, walks, and pavement. Pipes that provide your house with water, electricity, and also take away the less desirable stuff that you don’t want around. Roads you drive on, on your way to Bed, Bath & Beyond with the wife.
Between stressful daytime hours full of talk & action, and peaceful nightime hours of thought, I’ve managed to grow into a much stronger and confident human being.

During this time, my own life back in Denver was constantly burning my other end, and I had to endure the task of juggling my career performance and advancement with my domestic life. It was no easy job to do. I’ve spent dozens of hours in a truck, dozens more on the phone or internet, handling all of my affairs with the best efficiency I could. Sadly, no matter how hard I think I suffered, I feel more for my pet cat, Sambuca. The cat had no idea what was going on, just that she would see me for a few days or hours, then I’d be gone. Back and forth, back and forth. However, everytime I open the front door to my home, she would always greet me with superb optimism. Unfortunately, there were others in my life who were affected by my schedule that were not able to survive.

Aside from the demands of my work and personal life, I still managed to push the limits of adventure a step further, as I entered the 27th year of my existence on this world. My newfound passion for snowboard-mountaineering has started to develop into more than a hobby. After many years of trying new sports and many dollars spent on equipment, I can think of nothing more exciting to do than sticking on a set of climbing skins or crampons, and ascending a majestic rocky mountain peak, taking a quick glance at the view from the top, and then surfing down the steep slopes at top (safe) speed, back to civilization. I’ve been taking a class with the Colorado Mountain Club that has improved my skills an attitude on a weekly basis. Each trip I’ve pushed my stamina and adrenaline up and down 1,000, 2,000, and 3,000 vertical feet in a day, with no thought to ever looking back. Last week we took a trip up Uneva peak, near Vail pass, a 12,000 foot windblown hunk of rock with dozens of steep couliors running down its side. After long sweaty hours of hauling up the rock, my first shot through an alpine coulior was like finishing one book in my volume of adventure and starting a new one. I gained the confidence that I could handle anything I’ve seen in the hundreds of ski movies I’ve watched stoned & drunk on the couch back home.

I’m heading across the dark flatlands of America on my way to my past. To see old friends and family. I am looking forward to this trip more so than any other trip to Illinois before it. I can’t wait to see familiar faces, comfortable voices, and jolly good times with no worry. Because if t he next 26 years of my life will go even higher and faster than the first, I’ll need a weekend in the Windy City to chill my ass out.

This entry was posted on Friday, April 6th, 2007 at 9:21 am and is filed under Life, Sports, Travels. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.