July 4th And 12 Days Of

Living On A Lighted Stage Approaches The Unreal        For Those Who Think And Feel      In Touch With Some Reality Beyond The Gilded Cage        Cast In This Unlikely Role      Ill-Equipped To Act     With Insufficient Tact      One Must Put Up Barriers To Keep Oneself Intact      Living In The Limelight   The Universal Dream       For Those Who Wish To See     Those Who Wish To Be     Must Put Aside The Alienation    Get On With The Fascination    The Real Relation    The Underlying Theme 

Rush

Limelight form Moving Pictures 1981

Now with my jocular demeanor shinning on during the 4th of July, I quickly responded to everyone that sent me a lame emoji , horses A$$ meme, or any other ludicrous copy paste CrackBook Bull SH*T Happy 4th with the above photo. My added caption was Happy 100th America. I cracked up because some of my friend were rather baffled by it. So when you send me a lame cartoon American flag happy 4th, you kinda deserve a thinker reply. Am I Wrong?? I engaged with friends that sent me real life happening photos and that shared with me a part of their lifestyles and what nots from their 4th experience. But those home bodies got Jack. Redrum 

July 3rd's Fireworks In Fruita Colorado

The Dude & I spent a relaxing afternoon on the trickle of the not so Mighty Colorado River. However, the river was packed with so many cool floaters on this 4th day of July. Everyone, and I mean everyone, was waving and splashing around like little school kids enjoying recess time. 

The above photo was me actually showcasing my give-a-ways pop tops. The Dude made a quick appearance in this selfie and check out the line of river runners in the background. Anyway, I cut apart a few six pack holders here and gave them my own creative flair. Recycling 101 my friends. I started giving them to boaters at the put in. What Are They You Ask??

They are can covers for your open containers while rafting through "rapids"or splashing around. Aren't they cool?? Everyone I gave them to were stoked as can be and swore they would pass along the tradition of excellence. Way Cool

As you can see in the above photo, they even have a thumb lip for popping off with ease. The whole afternoon on the river was pleasant and an epitomizing way to beat the Valley Heat. And below, another long exposure photo. Still rocking that Sh*T. 

After floating the Town Run, a date with the two wheel cruiser in sued. For those of you that know me, Yes, up on the roof top for sure. Well, the roof top being the parking structure. How else does one start a field trip??

The above photo is for our Shadow People Eileen and check out that sky. Talk about a sweet Colorado Sunset on the 4th of July!! Sign Me Up Please 

CAR CAMPING:

My first week of July was basically a blur of work, organizing, and problem solving. Not complaining about it but it was a hectic week for me. 

A lathered up , rinse , repeat work week played out like this. Walking behind the noise maker, cleaning/repairing equipment, watering, and working with clients in the office. I stacked up all my appointments for that first week of July knowing that my time would be limited. 

So on Monday afternoon, hit the road for the night. I was anticipating long days of work on Wednesday and Thursday before relocating to CB. And those work days consisted of 108F / 42.22 for an all time GJ High!! Only 106F / 41.11 on that Thursday before bogeying out of town. 

CYCLING:

My overall numbers have been piss poor as I have mentioned before. But in reality, my legs are fresh and my low back has been rather pleased with me as of lately. 

Spun a decent ride and pushed the envelope through this section that I was well aware of for a Strava Leaderboard Sections. Opening up the legs felt tremendous and hit the start of that section wide open. I guarantee that I did NOT have another 2mph in me.

I looked up/ clicked on the riders above me and their profiles are all pretty studly. Pro looking glasses and higher end bikes. Me, not so much. A GT 1990's mountain bike and ratty old t-shirt. Maybe that is where the extra 2mph deficit went.  Classic 

But finished the week in second spot of our group. So Thats Cool. Nothing to brag about but it's better than the whole month of June for me. So I got that going for me. 

NEW HOME:

Loaded up the pack of dogs and headed for Created Butte with high expectations and goals. You know what that means.

Crested Butte is one of my favorite places and holds deep fond memories for me. The wild flowers are blooming and those first few days were awe inspiring to say the least. 

Every morning these yellow beauties are facing the east. by sun down, they are facing west for that last little bit of photosynthesis. I mean, just check out that patio. It is where I enjoy my morning cup of Joe. And the sunsets??? Oh Baby

Now for the challenges in my happy little world. Three dogs are a real handful. Two dogs are totally manageable but the third dog brings in a whole new dynamic to the arena. And if you wanna catch up on some sleep, forget about it. 

A total monkey see monkey do factor in affect. One barks, they all bark. One drinks from the dog water bowl, they all become frantically thirsty. And do they ever drink with gusto. The other thing that I have noticed that is beginning to bother me, they continuously step on my bare toes. If I have shoes on, no worries. Bare feet, damn it hurts when they stand on my pinky toe. WHY 

Up in the hills, when they have the entire forest to roam, they all mark the same spot. If one has a whiz, the other two have gotta mark it like right now. And can they ever run. I tend to forget just how much ground a dog can cover. Not like Bambi speed but still.  

Those first few days up here was some thing special and I never took it for granted. I snapped off tons of photos and shared them with my friends from around the world. Just the peacefulness and tranquility of this place brings true happiness to my heart. Serenity 

There are moments of stillness. Red Tail Hawks surfing the thermals. Cascading creeks flowing over smooth river rocks. Full spectrums of color patches throughout every meadow is something every inner suburban child should experience. 

The tribe is satisfied with our morning adventures but they all claim that we just don't eat enough. They swear to me that their humans simply leave their dog bowls full 100% of the time. Eating twice a day is for the birds. Nobody can live on bread crumbs they tell me. And this would be nappy time here below. Sawing Logs  

But for me, the dogs are great and all, CB is flipping beautiful for sure. But I so wish I could share this magical landscape with someone. To romp around the wilderness, share in giggles, and lay as one would be the icing on the cake. The dogs and I were walking along a single track trail yesterday and it was wonderful but holding hands with someone you can truly trust would have been anachronistic or beyond meaningful. I mean the placidity of the hike was perfect. Don't get me wrong. I am not dwelling on it but someone special would have been exemplary. Thats All 

WELL SH*T FIRE:

And now for the bad news.

Oregon is currently battling an uncontainable wild fire right now. California, I drove through that valley of Beckworth Easter Weekend, has exploded by an out of control wild fire with hundred of thousands of acres of crisp fuel waiting for embers to fall upon. When I was researching west coast forest fires, talk about mesmerizing, there is a time lapse  ( here is that time lapse & it is about 5 minutes long. scroll down THIS link to the YouTube window )  of that Beckworth fire. UNREAL 

Nevada is also burning up and Utah is doing their best to follow suit. So needles to say, it's another depressing August 2020 slated to come down the pipe. The smoke is so thick and nasty here in Colorado. So as for the entry of the title Sh*T Fire, having high hopes and expectations, So Bummed!! I envisioned long bike rides while burning up my own cardiovascular system, playing with the dogs in the rushing cold clear creeks, and basically spending every possible moment outside in the clean fresh mountain air. Now, just lacking companionship under hazy smoke filled skies. Think Rain And Southernly Winds Please 

Oh, by the way, he could eat. Just in case anyone was wondering. Seriously, our humans feeds us 24/7 and you're not doing it right. Like really hungry right now. FEED ME!! Look into my eyes and feed me please.

Can you believe these two brothers??? And the below photo is of Jazzy. I was left with written instructions that Jazz needs to eat separately from her brothers but Jazz feels happiest eating here in from of the oven while I prepare my own meals. She Is So Adorable 

My other self loathing complaint is the lack of sleep that I am getting. These dogs all take turns throughout the night licking themselves, scratching those itches, and jumping off and on the bed. This pack is the definition of a relay Olympic team passing the baton for doggie needs all night. Two dogs hang in the living room laughing while the other dog jumps on the bed with me for a session of deep biting of their hind leg belly area. Then, they switch, same action, different dog, all night long, this perpetual frenzy of late night bathing. SUCKS 

These are just my own selfish first world problems. Life could be so much worse. Overall, the dogs are fantastic and very lovable. Here is a funny tale for ya. The first three days I was here in CB, No WiFi. I had the password but was linking up with the wrong network. The network I was latching onto was the owners name and I was continually denied access. While I was walking the dogs last night, Duh, the street is Paradise Lane. Pulled out the iPhone and sure as SH*T, Paradise 52 was one of the options. Typed in the password with lightning fast precision and Wah-Lah. I now have High Speed WiFi. Living Large I Tell Ya

So more photos coming from this enchanted mountain town, a better attitude shall follow as well, and a sense of rhythm is not too far off in the distance. Now, bring on that All-Star Game tomorrow night. Fingers crossed that the host network highlights Colorado and all its glory. Play Ball 

Thanx So Much For Checking In!! Stay Hydrated!! Be Well,

Cheers 

June 20BLK Jack Is In The Books

See The Stone Set In Your Eyes       See The Thorn Twist In Your Side        I'll Wait For You       Sleight Of Hand And Twist Of Fate         On A Bed Of Nails         She Makes Me Wait        And I Wait Without You      With Or Without You       Through The Storm       We Reach The Shore       You Give It All But I Want More       And I'm Waiting For You       With Or Without You

U2 

The Joshua Tree 1987 

HYDRATION: 

Upon stepping off the airplane, after a week of basking along the coastline, my skin literally turned flakey. I felt the skin around my nose and cheeks suck down to the bone like an older Indian's BLK & White portrait. It was a flipping 107F / 41.66 with ONLY 3% humidity here in the Valley. Lizard Skin 

Now consuming gallons of water will suffice but within a few or so, come on. And because everything you read on the inter web is spot on top shelf, googling I went. This surprised me but don't take this to be the law of the land because there is a huge difference between Conventional and Organic Farming. But here ya go and this is how my lunch time snacks played out. With plenty of Almond Butter And Celery of course. Water content in veggies; Cucumbers95% potatoes 80% carrots 92% broccoli 91% eggplant 89% watermelon 94% jicama 87% ice burg lettuces 96% plain yogurt 85%. Lunchtime Hydration Baby 

OBSERVATIONS:

Something that has been really bothering me this year is the absolute lack of commitment or follow through. Its as if nobody honors their word these days and happily live this blandly orgastic lifestyle.

When someone states to me that they are going to do something, I automatically weigh in a 60% chance of this coming to fruition. If the person is under 30 years old, that percentage drops down to a 10% accountability. Like Why Bother 

And from what I gather, its not just me or my "poor me" attitude. Workmates share their disappointing tales with me, a boss person told me a classic story about an order /delivery that has yet to materialize, and then I had an applicant that made an appointment with me and in the back of my mind, I am not jaded or stereotyping, they sounded young.  

What do you know, two hours before our interview, here come a bullish*t TEXT justifying why they don't have any common sense and on and on and on and on.  Whatever 

RE-ENTRY:

Needless to say, it was a rough re-entry after vacationing in Sunny San Diego with The Dude. After stepping off the plane, overwhelming heat in the face, I clocked in at my corporate job. The next day was a banner day as my happy A$$ worked all four jobs. 

I'm still mowing yards, small landscape designing, painting/ refurbishing projects and other various handyman tasks. Working with clients in the office, maintenance employee at both gym locations, and one jovial corporation job. Oh Joy

But on Father's Day, floated The Mighty Colorado River with Grandpa Dude. That was my first day off and relaxing on the river was dreamy. Minimal effort while the swift currents carried away my worries. Plus, might of had a refreshing adult brewage or two. Nice 

RELECTIONS:

One element I projected onto others was total and complete positivity. When I came off holidays, those around me were still in their unconscious ruts. So I made it a point of only sharing the highlights of our trip to SD. Even when someone replied with their goop, I still carried on about the beauty of or the building of comradery with friends or late night BBQ'n. Just stayed the true course of positivity. 

The above photo, Great Grand Father in the Engineers Seat staring out the window, my two twin Grand Fathers ( yes, thats a whole other story ) Jack and Joe as one is standing with his feet on the ground and the other is in the doorway, and their bother my uncle Chuck. My mother saw this on CrackBook and sent it to me the other day. What I found odd was how many times my mother would start a story with," I saw on FaceBook..." 

The aspect that bothers me about the CrackBook talk was not one group photo for her CrackBook posting. Something real to upload and share but nope. All those relatives in the back yard and it never dawned on me to ask for a group shot. Such a blow it on my end. Nothing tangible for a CrackBook posting. Bet Pat would have loved to have had a photo with his kids or even a surprise photo when he was inside. oops 

Something else that I have been rolling around in my noodle is just how happy my mother's husband appeared during his Father's Day gathering with his kids while The Dude & I were in town. Pat was in his element and always had a smile on his face. Mingled throughout the night with everyone. I feel compelled to ring him and share my observations with him. He might like to hear that.  

ORTHO:

Been working with a client irregularly for years now. They are an avid rock climber here on the Western Slope. We see each other about every three to four months for usual climbing aches and pains. They mentioned that their family member would be in town from back east and they suffer from hip issues. 

All be damn if they didn't call just after arriving here in the Grand Valley. Our session was outstanding and exceeded their expectations. I began with simple routine ankle releases and metatarsal alinement before addressing any hip issues. While doing this, they began to say thing like they feel that there and its a shooting pain in my IT Band or just verbalizing what they are noticing. Its so cool to have that immediate response or feedback and I quickly realized just how in tune they are with their own body. 

As I began to connect the lower lumbar region with their pelvis, it was clear to me that some kind of trauma was there. As they released stagnant tension, found their breath again, their Psoas Muscles finally let go, their story unfolded right there on the table. Turns out, not at all a hip issue!! They were standing in their yard when a tree fell on them from behind. Obviously I had my Oh SH*T moment and found my feet, became solid in my own sit bones, and began to honor what arises. Full On Principles 

This clients body lengthened and unwound within minutes of my explanation. "Imagine yourself skiing down a bunny slope. Your whole body is swishing from side to side. Your feet are in complete control and your hips are relaxed and fluid. You suddenly hit a tree and your body stops!" This client gasped and I knew they would understand. "What happens to your aura when your body made impact. Your aura was in rhythm with your structure and now??? " They responded with wow or really or something I am failing to recall. "This is what happened to your aura when the tree hit you. You never saw it coming. The next thing you knew was your body was pancaked by the impact. What do you think happened to your aura?" I Asked. 

I wish I had a video of her "Ah Ha " moment in time. Wish I could have documented with video footage from the rest of their session because the remarkable releases and that brilliant nervous system found its proprioceptors right then and there. Healing from within was happening!! We finished the session with an exercise I enjoy conducting. I call it 'Stepping Into Real Time' and works wonders. They were so grateful for the session, insights, and comforting words of wisdom. Their words and I politely reminded them to hydrate. Its The Desert 

CYCLING:

Where did the legs go??? Seriously, how have I allowed myself to fall into this gelatinous state of affairs?? The old body is slow and sluggish. Not Joking 

June was my lowest output in years. Then, when I do ride, the pressure gradients compress and slap me in the face every time. The above photo for example, I started riding West just after 1pm, casually riding into a 7mph/11.2kph head wind. Quickly turned into a 30mph/48.2kph sand blast to the shins. In the photo below, see all that dirty sand off to the right, the wind carries those granules aloft and pelts my exposed baby soft skin as I ride on. Atrociously Heinous 

About the only highlight for me and the two wheeled cruiser was a stellar night ride last week. The air was groovy, the nocturnal mammals took to the skyline, and the reflective eyes from kitty kitties under parked cars appeared as I rode on by. Yes, I still ride the commuter bike daily but my overall gumption has been piss poor to say the least. 

Today, the first day of July however, was also a tide turner. Woke up to a room full of petrichor aromas and delightfully cooler temperatures for outdoor activities. I only had about three hours between shifts so I took a quick spin towards Fruita. I once again felt motivated and ready to conquer. Must have been the proper playlist, right?

And check out that cell rising over the top of the Colorado National Monument. Lightning spit down like a FOX Sport camera shot of any MLB Teams Bench. I figured that Cumulonimbus would build and run south towards Delta. I could so skirt this storm I told myself. 

I tried my best to out run the front but to no prevail. The shower was quite refreshing once I was in the grasp of Mother Nature. What wasn't fun, the winds afterwards as the storm hurdled the Grand Mesa. The winds came from sideways, up ways, front ways, back ways, down ways, and those were all Gene Wilder references there. In reality, no better way to welcome in the new month of July 20BLK Jack.  

BOOGIE:

So like I mentioned before, just in case you are a skim reader, hit the ground running from the time I landed two weeks ago. Not playing any reindeer games took its toll on me. As the Full Moon was nearing both literally and physically, packed up the car and The Captain and headed for the San Juan Mountains. 

The mountain air was exactly what I desired. Clean fresh crisp air and early wildflowers were the recipe for bliss. Like Blissed Out 

At times, not always, there was stillness. Colorful birds sang to us as if we were invisible. The ideal overnight for a mental break and a physical grounding. I wouldn't necessarily refer to it as hiking but more of a slumbering walk. Simply Absorbing 

North America is once again in the early stages of wildfires and its obviously only going down hill from here on. But damn does our continent ever offer up the most gorgeous sunsets and unique landscapes. The kind of sunsets that brings joy to your heart as you reminisce in your third eye. 

Mr Moon rose with authority and illuminated the valleys like a Hollywood Picture Show. Yes, most of the faint stars were a wash but plenty of Constellations shined on as they danced across the midnight sky. Numerous satellites floated across the night scape and a few jet engines hummed along in route of who knows where.  

Sunrise however was spooky as Sh*T!! I wasn't tuned into which fire was where and sort of allowed that uneasy feeling get the best of me. The afternoon monsoonal rain showers are helping fight the fires but the lightning presents us with an element of trust. Captain and I rushed back towards Telluride and I quickly realized that I was overly cautious. Like Far From Danger 

So along the way, to help cool my jets, Captain and I went for a swim. While hanging out in the sunshine, found a Love Rock there along the bank. It was just resting there calling my name. You know, they way rocks do that. 

Started to fabricate this cairn and topped it off with the new found Love Rock. Maybe I should have built this the night before as a peace offing to The Full Moon Gods. Day late and a dollar short. Still feel like a million bucks without a dime in my pocket. Ether way, it was a happy Strawberry Moon in June. 

GOALS:

1. Focus On My Fitness 
2. Be As Present As I Can Be
3. Remind Myself Frequently 
4. Soak Up The Atmosphere
5. Live Like A Rock Star 

I leave you all on this note: Couldn't be happier as I am temporarily "moving" back to Crested Butte in 6 days. I am going to relish in all the luxuries of a beautiful home on the mountain. Like cable television for watching the Tour De France. Connecting with the Weather Channel again. And all the WiFi I could ever dream of for streaming Live Shows and for diving down rabbit holes. Will be able to frequently upload photos from the most magical town I have ever had the pleasure of calling home. Peace be with all of you this month. Gather something meaningful to offer for The Buck Moon on July the 23rd. 

Stay Strong,

Cheers