Lost in the woods

  I hope that some of you have been reading my Mountain Biking page to hear about how my year of biking is going if not please click on the link or the one above this post.  I have a great tale to share with you about my last trip.  I had been looking forward to this trip for a couple of days.  My wife and kids were heading out of town so that meant I would have the whole day to myself.  I thought what better than a long ride and then home alone.  If no one knew this before I am a solitary person to a point.  I like to be alone for a time but then get lonely pretty quick.  I don’t often go on long rides when my wife has to stay home alone with the all the kids.  I don’t really think that’s entirely far.  That’s her day job and she shouldn’t have to have to put up with them all weekend as well.  That meaning getting the chance to get out for a day without worrying about her is great.  I had planned on going to Centennial Cone for my ride.  I had planned it out because at this time Highway 6 up the parking lot is closed during the week and on the weekends mountain biking is only allowed on even dates. 

I was ready to go but for one little problem.  I checked the county open space website one more time before leaving.  I had missed an important notice.  The Elk Range Trail would be closed until mid-June.  That meant half of the loop would not be accessible.  I didn’t really want to do half the trail the turn around and come back.  So I needed to pick another trail.  I have had it my mind to try out a new area to me called Indian Creek Campground.  The trail I wanted to ride was called Indian Creek trail #800.  I had read various descriptions of the trail.  Some said it was moderate to advance and some sites called it easy to moderate.  I had hiked the trail last year with my family.  I didn’t think based on that experience it wouldn’t be to hard a trail.  I packed my pack with water, food, go goo's, and some survival and first aid supplies.  I am not one to be under prepared but I did forget one important detail.  I didn’t have a good map of the area that will come up later.

  I got to the trail head about 11:30.  I unloaded and meet a fellow biker who was getting ready for a “thirty mile” day.  He and I talked about 29er bikes and the best route.  He recommended going up the trail to a fire road then riding it till it ended turning into a single track back to the trail head.  I thought this sounded like a good ride for me.  He left before me and was gone even before I could clip into my pedals.  The start of the trail was fine.  I had to go down to the granny gear but I have learned not to sweat it since I am not Lance Armstrong.  I am all about getting up the trail in my own time not someone else’s.  I would describe this part of the trail as moderate.  I would huff and puff up a rise this coast down to another rise.  I rode about half an hour before stopping for a lunch break.  There is nothing like peanut butter and honey on the trail side. 


I rode about another half hour until I reached the fire road I had been told about.  I meet a nice couple on the road who had hiked in from Roxborough State Park.  We talked about bikes and animals.  They told me they had seen a bear closer to the state park.  I thanked them for that info.  I then headed down the fire road.  It was a nice ride.  I was on the fire road for about an hour when I got the feeling I was not going in the right direction.  I was going north when I knew I needed to go south to get back to the trailhead.  I finally decided to turn around.  I stopped and pulled out my iPhone.  I used one of my apps to get a fix on my position.  Now remember I had no map.  I looked at the app map and thought I saw a way back the trail head behind me on the fire road.  I put away the phone and headed back.  I reached the junction with a trail whose name I forgot.  I thought it was Saw Gulch or Sawmill Gulch.  The direction of the trail was going right way or so I thought.  I headed down the trail and was immediately stopped by a tree down in the trail.  This seemed odd to me as I had seen several downed trees on the Indian Creek trail #800 but they had all been cut up to clear the trail.  I thought maybe this tree was a recent fall.  It’s too bad I didn’t pack my hatchet or saw I could have clear a least the trail.  Instead I carried my bike over it and continued. 

As the trail continued down into a valley I began to notice troubling signs.  I had observed on the main trail many fresh tire marks from the last day or two.  I also observed footprints and hoof prints from horses.  On this new trail I didn’t see any fresh tire marks and no foot prints.  I saw an occasional hoof print and horse dun.  But they appeared old maybe a month or more.  I also noticed the trail seemed over grown the further down I traveled.  This worried me the most.  I have been hiking and camping since I was little.  I know what a trail that is well traveled looks like.  I even know what game trails look like when they are well traveled.  A well traveled trail means it goes somewhere.  People and animals use the trail regularly.  When a trail gets over grown that’s a sure sign not many have traveled this way recently.  That means it probably is not going to take you where you want to go.  I thought it would take be back south but the valley seemed to curve northwest instead of south.

I soon hit another fallen tree then another.  I think there was more than four fallen trees on the trail.  I should have turned around.  I should have known that more than one downed tree was a bad sign.  But I thought the trail would eventually meet up with trailhead so I continued on.  I tried to get my position with my IPhone again but in the valley I had no signal not even basic cell service.  I rode on.  Farther down the trail the creek that the trail was following became part of the trail.  I was riding and sometimes walking my bike through thick mud.  I continued on.  I eventually met up with some hikers who told me that I needed to take my next left to get back to the trailhead.  I found to junctions but they seemed to go the wrong direction so I continued down the valley.  I was turned around at this point and didn’t know it.  what I thought was west was really north.  I had a compass but didn’t pull it out.  I should have.  I eventually realized my mistake and turned around.  I got back to the junction I should have taken.  I had no energy at this point.  I walked then hiked then walked my bike up the slope.  I had to stop several times to rest. 

I hiked out of the valley slowly.  I was more than an hour late at this point.  I didn’t know if I was going the right way as the trail kept winding this way and that.  Again, I didn’t have a map of the area and I didn’t look at my compass.  Stupid moves on my part but I was sure the trailhead was just over the next rise.  I eventually meet more bikers which was encouraging.  They told me which way to get to the Colorado trail or back to Roxborough State Park.  Not places I wanted to go but I was reasonable sure I could find my way if I got to one of those places.  I had to stop more than twice with painful muscle cramps in my thighs.  Riding was out of the question at this time.  I wasn’t even able to hike my bike I was just pushing it up the hill with me.  I finally made it back to the trail and walked the last mile to the trailhead.  I was two and half hours late but I was alive and still had my bike.  I learned  a lot about the little voice inside me that knew I was getting myself lost.  I also learned that I am not as prepared as I thought in this area.  Still it was fun to be out in nature even if I was lost.

Please leave comments about times you've been lost and please Subscribe.  I hope to share more of my adventures with you.

Trip to the Zoo

As my kids get older we starting having firsts and lasts.  Firsts are the obvious things such as my oldest son being first to finish elementary school and then first to go to middle school.  On the other end my youngest, Scotlynn, is having lasts.  She will be the last to finish elementary school and this year she is the last of my children to get to go the first grade Zoo trip.  I am not usually that cognizant of last moments.  So, it was my wife who had to point out this would be the last time I could go with one my children to the Zoo.  It sounded more like, “I am signing you up Zoo trip with Scotlynn, okay!”  I then asked why and she pointed out what was obvious to her that this was the last moment I would have to take any of my children to the Zoo with their class.  

I was happy to be signed up after being told the importance of the moment.  I got the day off and bought the prepacked lunches my daughter requested.  The only hiccup was that there would be no room for me on the bus.  I would have to drive myself and pay for myself.  I was fine with both as the idea of riding the bus full of first graders was an experience I would rather avoid.  So on the appointed day, I dropped the kids off at school and drove myself downtown to the Denver Zoo.  I left right away because my wife told me I would need to be there at the Zoo ready to help when the bus dropped off.  I was told the schedule was tight.  I arrived in good time, paid for my entrance, and headed toward the school entrance.  I was a bit shocked at the bustle of the school entrance.  It reminded me more of a busy downtown bus terminal more than a public zoo or maybe that was the other way round.  Buses from all over the local area and even from other parts of the state were arriving.  The Zoo staff being experienced in the mess had a line of buses disembarking students.  While other staff greeted new busses and prepared them to unload in their turn.  A staff member manned a white board with the names of the various schools listed.  As each bus would arrive he would mark down the time, bus number, and meeting location.  I noticed my daughters bus had not arrived as the schools name was present but no arrival time had been marked.  I walked over the flag where the school was supposed to meet after getting off the bus. 

I watched as bus after bus arrived and dropped off students from preschool to high school.  The arranged time for Scotlynn’s bus came and went.  I saw several buses from her school district come and go but none seemed to contain her class.  I walked over to the white board.  I noticed my daughters school had been marked down as arriving but how could that be I never saw anyone from Scotlynn’s school walk by me.  I made a frustrated call to my wife.  I was quite testy with her.  She was gracious enough to call my daughter’s teacher who informed my wife who then informed me the the bus had arrived they were waiting to get off.  My wife even supplied me a description what all the kids would be wearing as they were dressed similarly in order to be easier to keep track of.  I waited a little longer then finally the bus arrived and students matching my wife description got off and walked right past me into the Zoo.  No one acknowledged me and I didn’t see my daughter so I had no idea if that had been her class or not.  I then got a phone call from my wife stating they’d just walked by me.  I had to hurry to catch up with the group I’d been assigned.  Even despite the miserable start the day I had a lot of fun taking the kids around the Zoo.  I was amazed that we got from one end to the other seeing almost all the animals.  The six kids including my daughter listened really well and only at the end needed to be prodded into moving.  They walked and talked the whole time.  I have no idea what they learned but they saw a lot.  I took as many pictures as I could. 






It’s fun to get to do these things with Scotlynn.  I would love to hear any of you who have had a last that really meant something to you.  Please leave a comment, subscribe, and I look forward to posting more of my adventure for you.

Ranch Experience 2

Here is the video of the ranch weekend.

Ranch Experience

One of the greatest things about parenthood is letting your kids experience something that you know is a once and lifetime event. We got this recently when we visited a cattle ranch owned by my grandfather. We were visiting to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the foreman’s service running the ranch. They were branding the spring calves so my kids got to see a rare glimpse of the American West. I was surprised that all of them enjoyed the experience. My youngest daughter did say, “Those evil men kept hurting those cows,” but she still watched it with interest. I cannot say much more than that because I think the pictures from the weekend tell more of the story. So enjoy them, leave any comments, and subscribe.

Frat House Parenting

This weekend my lovely wife went out of town for a women's weekend retreat. I was left to care for my four beautiful children. I didn't know how to really prepare for this kind of weekend. I knew that it would be better not to get up tight over a change in the schedule.  It would be better to not expect to much.  I really didn't want to spend the whole weekend yelling or disciplining the kids. I have in the past put some thought into weekends like this.  I planned out the weekend with a list of events to go to or projects to do. I really like doing that because I feel like I have fun with the kids. 


This weekend the best I could do was to come up with the plan not to do to much. We have had a rough week recently. I had little to no energy going into this weekend. I didn't want to do anything at all but the kids are not old enough to look out for themselves. Case in point is my youngest daughter who is standing below on her side of her bedroom. My wife and I have tried to get her to clean up this side of the room many times this month. I even tried to bribe her this weekend. So far she still considers this clean.

After a few half hearted attempts to get the kids motivated to do anything other than sit around watching television all weekend, I decided I was parenting a fraternity. I was the housekeeper to some wild crazy frat.  Everywhere I turned I found pills of clothes, wrappers, and various other collections strewn about the house. I cleaned up what absolutely had to get cleaned up, but left the rest to wait till the party was over. I am not recommending this style for every parent. I know that my wife may not be happy with somethings when she gets home. I will end up cleaning it up in the end. It just helped to put the whole weekend into perspective. A fantasy to help me deal with the totality of the weekend.

I don't really have a good way to wrap this weekend up. I don't know that there is a theme other than the fact that sometimes we need to allow ourselves to just deal with what life gives us. I made lemonade with the lemons life was giving me. My wife finally returned home, and I am so glad that I don't have to go through life without her. I am so appreciative of the role she plays in my life and in the family. I hope to show her how much. 

Please comment on the ways you deal with difficult weekends and subscribe. Also, I will be sharing my mountain bike experiences again on a separate page on this blog in the header bar above.

It aint easy being a kid

The last few weeks since spring break have finished have been tough for my oldest son.  He is starting his transition into his home room more often than before.  This is preparation for middle school which is coming up next year.  He came home last night with a bad entry in his back and forth folder (daily teacher log).  Nothing of what the teacher wrote was bad.  I can understand why she was upset.  It's nearly the end of the year and she has a new student, essentially, who keeps blurting out random statements in order to get his classmates to start laughing.  Stuff that you would expect during the beginning of the year when you have time to let the student know what your expectations are. 

My wife and I spoke to my son about his behavior.  We tried to emphasize the idea that if he cannot make this transition into his home room he may not be ready for the middle school.  I hate telling him that but it's do or die time.  He will not have summer school this year cause the district cannot afford to send every special needs child.  I feel like such a shumk.  I don't feel like I am being a great dad to my son.  I feel like this overbearing boss man.  I don't want that way but my son really losses focus and needs to be brought back to task at hand.  I wish I could figure out a way to get through to him.  But that seems to be the real issue with being the parent of an autistic child.  Your always wishing your could get through the autism to your child who's just under the surface.  I am prayer that my wife and I can find ways to have fun with my oldest not just be his boss.

My wife is calling me to her side so that is all I have to say for now.  Please comment, subscribe, and let me know if you also struggle getting through to your kids.  What works for you?

Long Silence

It's been a while since my last post.  I have been living life.  I had a great winter season learning a lot about myself and my life.  I had time to work on making my marriage even better.  My family has made its home in a really great church, and I have been growing closer to God.  All that meant that I had to balance out my life.  I let my blogging go by the wayside.

I made some other online life changes.  I dropped Facebook.  I am not going to go through all the reasons now, but I was reminded that before Facebook I had a really life.  I cannot multitask.  Maybe some of you reading this can multitask but I'm not one.  Only focus on a few things you can do really well that's what I am trying to do.  I am still working on the few things I chose.  I hope that I can now fit this blog into that list.  I don't know how I will handle posting or how often, but I want to get back into the practice.  Hopefully, I can hear from those of you who read this blog.  I would love to hear your thoughts on this or any of the previous posts.

Well my wife is calling me to her side.  Please subscribe, and leave a comment about how you may have had to let something go or how your able to multitask your life.