I drove up to Pajarito Mountain Ski Area to see Fall before it passes me by. I enjoyed seeing the blazing baby aspens along Camp May Road. I was amused by a chipmunk pair that leapt from boulder to boulder, disappeared under my car, and then chased each other through the golden grass at the Los Alamos County Camp May Park. The sun was very bright and I got warm in the car even though the outside air was chilly. When I stepped outside the car briefly, my breath created smoke. How cold does it have to be for that to happen?
It was with regret that I left to drive back home. When I started back, the sun was low over the top of Pajarito Mountain and the lower ski slopes were in shadow. I drove very slowly in low gear on the way down, not wishing to leave the mountains and the beauty of the autumnal colors. I was filled with intense longing, wishing to be traipsing through the golden grass alongside Camp May Road.
I read a newspaper article today about children nowadays not getting outdoors enough and spending too much time on the computer and in the thrall of electronic playmates. The author fondly reminisced about how in his youth, he hardly ever spent time indoors if he could help it. He referred to himself and his buddies as semi- feral children. That's what I felt like as I took a "Sunday drive" down Camp May Road and watched as all my former haunts (pre-foot injury) rolled by me - semi-feral, longing to abandon the car and disappear into the forest.
It's important, though, that I heal as well as I can and when I resume hiking, that I go about it in an intelligent way - use hiking poles, don't ever hike on a foot that hurts, get orthotics, and get supportive hiking boots for the rough hiking that has infected my blood and for which I hunger right now.
I did see a truck parked at Camp May and I inwardly blessed whoever it was that was lucky enough to be trekking the mountain when I couldn't. I'll be back, though, hiking those mountains one day!