Dude -- Look behind you

I love the Ocean -- the sound of the water, the smells, the sandy beach, the screeching gulls. And the woods -- the solitude, the shades and shadows, the calling birds, the rustle of leaves. And the bustling cities -- horns honking, people talking, constant and immediate energy.


But the Mountains. Ah the mountains. There is something so majestic, so breathtaking. The size and scope, the snow caps. The beauty of Colorado is the seamless connection of plain to plateau to mountains. Its truly a stunning place. Imagine waking up every morning to these views.



The mountains hold remarkable treasures. Most of the towns we visited were old mining towers. The Iron Ore rusts and leads to the beautiful red hues seen in the rock and dirt. On the way to Hotchkiss we passed some of the most famous marble mines outside of Italy. The large pieces of marble were used in such national treasures as the Lincoln Memorial and Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.




There is also coal. On I-70 going West out of Glenwood Springs there is a swatch across the mountain that is somewhat barren -- no trees and the snow doesn't hold there in the Winter. The coal mine below caught fire decades ago and has never burned out -- despite the best efforts of man.



The Geology of the area is amazing. The various layers were pushed up over the years and the rocks are a combination of various era's in the Earth's history. This diversity is what makes the mountains so stunning and aesthetically interesting.




As you know I love to take pictures -- trying to get a better angle, frame the shot, look for something interesting. Traveling with the group of guys -- well mostly they just like to point and shoot. But they wanted good pictures to take back so I found myself pointing out angles, things to shoot etc. Three of us stopped on the last day into Glenwood to take some pictures I saw. It was a beautiful ride, on a bike path with gorgeous views. We took several pictures with Court kind of following what I was taking. He thought we were done and was starting to get back on his bike and asked "is that it, are we ready".



To which I replied: "Dude, look behind you".



We were coming out of the mountains. We were taking pictures of cool views, rock formations, and even a neat outhouse.







And there behind us, a view missed by most as they focused forward, was a quiet mountain (Mt. Sopris) rising out of the plateau. Shaded in blue, almost mystical in its presence.


Sometimes its easy to miss what is so obvious. Its right there, hidden where we forget to look. So busy in our pursuit, our daily lives, our crowded minds, our worries and concerns.

Stop and take a moment. Look around, see the world from angles you didn't explore, didn't expect before. Right there, hidden in plain site.

Don't forget to look behind you, you may be surprised at what you see.