The call of the West: looking back on 6 months in the Mountain States

High pitch, low pitch, one chirp, then two. The baseline was composed of woodpeckers rapidly tapping on the trunks of trees in the distance. It was the symphony of birds. It was the concerto of the Pecos wilderness in New Mexico. More than that, it was a welcome back song. The sun filled my face with warmth and sweat dripped down my back beneath my backpack. My legs itched as I brushed passed a plant that tickled my leg and reminded me of the continuously biting mosquitoes. It was wonderful.

I slapped away a mosquito that hovered over the red scar that now decorates my leg. The only visible sign of months not being able to walk and an explanation for the gingerness held while carrying a pack and walking on uneven ground. This was not a year in South America or a grandiose van trip to escape it all. Well maybe it was a little of the latter. The 2nd of July marked the one year anniversary of beginning life with a permanent address listed as Guy in Van. No, this was a weekend in the mountains. A weekend away from video calls and spreadsheets. A weekend with Karly, a beautiful person inside and out, who is the pinnacle of who I look for while living a life traveling. A life of constant motion. She comes from a background as different as can be from mine, but our conversations about finding adventures flowed like the river we were camping next to.






It’s amazing how a weekend adventure can breath life back into me. It’s also amazing how an afternoon in the mountains reawakens the call for more adventure: non-stop adventure. Since my last post, the call of the West won. After a winter in Colorado, road trips to Utah and across the Rockies, New Mexico was the kindling for an entry. The lush forest and wildlife (yes bears) of Pecos Wilderness were as unexpected as writing about it. Just like my sporadic adventures, my writing has become more sporadic. Always just below the surface, one chapter at a time and one day at a time the tale is weaving together. Happy 4th of July to all the corners of the country where I’ve built memories and all those with memories waiting to be found.












Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The End of Big City Season: Valparaiso and Santiago

Less pollo more gringo: a man and his van