Colorado

After several days of decompressing at sea level I began to review the photos and events of the past week spent in the rarefied air of the Colorado Rockies. 

Bikers pedaled their way up and down every highway and byway, every hill and dale, and every mountain pass and peak…and there I was…gasping for air as I passed them with a simple twist of the throttle.  They say you are only as old as you feel…so why do I feel like I’m ninety.  I’m beginning to question my sanity and my riding ability.  I can barely get my leg over the seat, my fingers have difficulty buckling my helmet, and my back begins to ache after a few hours in the saddle.  But in spite of all my physical shortcomings I enjoyed chasing my son some 1253 miles across Colorado’s majestic landscape on my thirty-five year old classic “air head” BMW.  Up the Million Dollar Highway, through the Black Canyon, over the Blue Mesa, Independence Pass, Loveland Pass, through the Eisenhower Tunnel, up Mt. Evans, over Squaw Pass, and up Pikes Peak in pursuit of Jason’s more capable red Honda ST 1100. 

I share the sentiments of Katharine Lee Bates who after visiting Pikes Peak wrote the poem “America The Beautiful”.


O beautiful, for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America! God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea.

O beautiful, for pilgrim feet
Whose stern, impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America! God mend thine ev'ry flaw;
Confirm thy soul in self control, thy liberty in law!

O beautiful, for heroes proved
In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America! May God thy gold refine,
Till all success be nobleness, and ev'ry gain divine!

O beautiful, for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years,
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America! God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea!

Thank you Lord Jesus for a safe and exciting trip...it is good to be home.
Amen