Leaving Paradise

I don't know what to say other than I am leaving my little corner of paradise and I don't know when I'll be back to visit. It's going to be hard to go, harder than it was during college. At least during college I knew when I had time off and I could come home. I knew I would be able to see it in the winter in its perpetual whiteness and the spikes of green from the pines poking through. On these nights, I would look up at the cold, crisp sky and count the stars and the moon. If I was really lucky, I could catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights.

While winter was nice, it was nothing compared to summer when Western Montana is in its full glory. An abundance of sunshine and blue sky to go with a million places to go and explore. From hiking a new mountain to floating down a river, this place has it all, and I sure will miss it.

My corner of paradise

You see this paradise is going to be hard to compete with, sitting a stones throw from a base of two mountains and if I was any closer, in a river, is hard to find anywhere else. I can enjoy nature at its finest with out even having to leave my back porch.

I know every place is what you make of it, but it will be hard not to compare. I hope to find another little corner of this world that I can call paradise, but this one will always call me back. Because it has captured my heart, this is the place I will always call home.

Song of the week: "Rebel Beat" by the Goo Goo Dolls. I have always liked the Goo Goo Dolls ever since I first heard the song "Better Days" and as I grew to explore their music more and more, I was slightly disappointed that they hadn't come out with new music in a while. But last summer they came out with a new album and this is the song that has stuck with me since then.

Run of the Week: Northern Pacific Railroad grade. From Lookout Pass down to Taft, MT is 9 miles of very smooth trail. It would be an easy run to complete and offer a great experience. From a tunnel to scenic views, this trail offers it all. To top it all off, if you can have someone drop you off and pick you up, its all downhill on a genital grade. Also see my page on the Route of the Olympian for more detail.

The tunnel, about 4 miles down from Lookout Pass.

Update: To the post Heat Wave, I finally got all my paperwork in order to be able to travel. It took a bit and talking to quite a few people, but its done and now I just need to pick it up on my way across the country.