Center, CO - The Barn Loft and Sangre de Cristos - 01.03.22
This is the starting point of more extensive travel since the pandemic…. I had spent over a month exploring New Mexico and home-base locations. I had secured a casita in El Llano (Espanola) that was a complete dump and would be short lived. I was on my way to Denver to fly out to Seattle and the road never ceases to be a source of inspiration…
“Ah, life is a gate, a way, a path to Paradise anyway, why not live for fun and joy and love or some sort of girl by a fireside, why not go to your desire and laugh.”
I apparently can’t sit still for two seconds, so I pulled up the stakes in Santa Fe and drove North. Quick stop in Llano for two hands full of bullshit from the maintenance person for my base camp casita. I was called demanding. I did demand for the kitchen and bathroom not to give me tetanus. I’ll own ‘demanding.’
Night soaks at Ojo Cliente.
Water zen at hot eyes. Cures all the things. Including tetanus… which I may have.
And one never tires of sunsets. This one is somewhere in Northern New Mexico where there are no more towns until you get to Colorado. La Madera maybe. Even though I had plenty of driving to do and it was half past snack-o’clock, I hit the brakes and Fast’nFurious’d into a snowbank, ran across the snowy road in my slick bottomed doc boots to take pictures and murmur some “whooaaaa-ooows.” There was no traffic at that time so there was no need to run. I felt silly for a moment. No one will know.
I landed in some joint called Center, CO in a barn loft. They have horses and cute farm dogs here. I might stay another night because my haircut is not until 3:00pm on Wednesday and my flight to Seattle is midday Thursday.
Stay tuned for the explanation supplement to this story of why I’m traveling to Seattle in the winter… as soon as I figure it out myself. I think my secretary (me) was supposed to have me booked to be in Bolivia this month. Need to make that happen… I think it’s like 1° here.
“At the end of the day, it isn’t where I came from. Maybe home is somewhere I’m going and never have been before.”
- Warsan Shire
Ranching life is not my thing but this place, and these people… wow. What a lovely existence they’ve carved out here in Center, CO. The Sangre de Cristos in the background… happy cows, horses, farm dogs, my barn cat friend, clean air… country life. I planned on staying another day but the universe pushed me out the door.
Coo coo crazy cross winds the entire drive. Two hands on the wheel except for snack grabs. It’s always about the snacks with this guy. The winds make for some crystal clear views. I drink a lot of kombucha which requires me to pull over often to check my tires. Having a wee in nature, and on nature is an expression… oh, I like the sound of that.
Anywho, lots of picture and heart building opportunities. Poncha Springs, Buena Vista, South Park, and Bailey. Mixed feelings as I drop back into Denver. I’ve been gone for a month and I’m not sure I’ve ever been away so long before. High winds = no brown cloud. Looking awfully cute old home town… then I hit the traffic and remembered why we can only be friends now, and I begin to miss my new New Mexico home. I’m writing a Yelp review on your drivers, Mr Colorado. They suuuuck!!!!
Plopped into Studio B for hugs and chats with Ms Epstein. A comfy bed that’s not my bed but it is my bed and very content snores happen.
A boy can have 2 homes, yeah? Well, that’s the way it’s gonna be universe… so, get used to it.
“Home is people. Not a place. If you go back there after the people are gone, then all you can see is what is not there any more.” - Robin Hobb
