Adventuring

I spent this last week in New York with my good friend and colleague Jeremy Gill as we prepared for the premiere of After Rochberg.

In many ways this was a fabulous way to end 2018 — not the least of which is that this concert represented several milestones for my work on the Isomer Project. We worked hard this week. Even so, I got to visit with old friends…

taste test incredible restaurants…

try new cocktails…

rummage through bookstores in search of rare scores…

and take in early-morning NYC views.

We spent an early fall weekend camping on the nearby coast of Maine.

With more than 3,478 miles of coastline, we always find something new when we visit. This trip we camped at Bradbury Mountain State Park and spent a long day hiking the Oven Mouth Preserves.

The fall color was just starting to hit in places so even a casual drive to the sample the local brew was full of interest.

Anytime we’re headed out West, a stop in St. Louis is required. Because we were here fairly recently, it felt (in some ways) like we had never left. I met up with old friends, stopped in at our favorite restaurants and museums, and caught up on work at Nebula. Is there anything St. Louis can’t do?

Today, Ruby Jean took me up. Higher than we had ever climbed before. The California Pass reaches 12,960 feet. And there just isn’t much up there.
Just silence. And beauty. In all directions.

Oh, and an old, abandoned mining town called Animas Forks. Now, that’s my kinda town!

This morning I awoke to find that the fall color was moving in. And quickly.

Many of the local mountain trails connect Ouray, Teluride, and Silverton, so if you’re in the area and you’re Jeepin’ around, you’ll most certainly end up visiting Silverton. Silverton is a former silver mining camp, most or all of which is now included in a federally designated National Historic Landmark District called the Silverton Historic District.

Here’s a nifty little video describing Silverton and the surrounding area:

Corkscrew Gulch was built in 1882-1883 — during the race to get wagon roads from Silverton and Ouray up to the silver mines that had been discovered on the Red Mountain Divide. For me and Ruby Jean, it’s a glorious journey to the top of the world — just in time for the fall color to arrive.

Taking a few days to acclimate to the altitude…

One of the effects of high altitude is light-headed dizziness. Driving on narrow, rugged roads that are barely clinging on to the side of a mountain at 11,000 feet isn’t advised. So today, Ruby Jean and I decided to take an easy (non-technical) drive up Brown Mountain.

Even so, the views were spectacular.

Along the way, I found dispersed campsites — even near the top. I stopped and asked someone about them and guess what? He lives in Centerville, Ohio!

So, sitting high up in the San Juan Mountains, we had a strange (but fun!) chat about Bill’s Donuts and Marion’s Pizza.

Small world.

Nestled high in the San Juan Mountains, Ouray was established in the mid-late 19th century by miners in search of sliver and gold. The town sits at about 7,800 feet, but the surrounding mountains frequently exceed 12,000 feet in elevation.

Due to its unique history, the entire length of Main Street is registered as a National Historic District. Here’s a great video summarizing why Ouray is a desirable destination in 2018.

Wait! Did you say that Ouray is the Jeeping Capital of the World?!? Well, Ruby Jean heard you and is ready to go…

Time to leave Houston (and that horrible heat + humidity combination) and head home via Colorado. But along the way, it’s comforting to stop and see some old friends.

Did you know? There’s some excellent tent camping just over the NY border…