Around the time of the hut trip, my trusty 2005 Kia decided to be not so trusty. :O Oddly enough, it was maintenance I planning to do around about when I had to replace the timing belt. I just had to do it nine months or so earlier. And dip into my savings more than intended. I am just thankful I have the resources available.
And, I am ever thankful for the large community I have available to support me. Places to stay, friends to see, and company I enjoy. I’ve been here for almost twenty years now. And this community means a lot to me.
It has been a pleasure being with my friends. And I continue to enjoy being an honorary uncle to my friends’ children. They schooled me on Ed Sheeran, Alexa’s Easter Eggs, and how to play the Nintendo Switch. As my video game consoled experience [1] peaked with the Atari 2600, that Nintendo tutorial was especially amusing!
And I was introduced to this skit. I’m only six months+ behind in my pop culture references. Ha!
On New Year’s Eve day, a few of us went on a ski tour at Brainard. It has not been a good snow year in the Colorado Rockies and points south, but there was just enough snow to tour.
A fine AYCE Indian food meal was had in the nearby town of Ned after. A bottomless cup of chai hit the spot!
The following evening, my friend Marie organized a full moon hike in the Boulder foothills. The moonlit valley with the town below was an excellent way to bring in 2018.
And what would my time be in Boulder without a foothill hike or two?
I’ve enjoyed my hikes, skiing, dinners, and time spent with the community that has been such a part of my life for twenty years.
But, I am ready to hit the road again. I am driving my car around town this weekend just to be sure there are no issues. And I will be back on the road Monday morning. I think I’ll head south the Ute Tribal lands near Mesa Verde, see the Bisti Badlands, and then up to Moab. And after that? The open road beckons. My atlases are on the front seat. And I can’t wait to see what comes up next.
[1] I, of course, gravitated towards computers starting with my C= 64..