Category Archives: National Park

September 27, 2011 · 12:26 am

Reminded of New Orleans

I watched a movie tonight. Well watched might be too strong a word.

I had a movie playing while I worked on the computer. It was diverting enough although not so engaging that it distracted my attention.

My movie watching goes through phases. An actor, an actress, a director. Something or usually someone catches my fancy, who knows why, and I place a number of that person’s films in the good old Netflix queue.

At the moment it is Errol Flynn. Obtaining one of his pirate films brought the opportunity to order a disk with two movies. Thus I watched Buccaneer’s Girl tonight. Well watched might be too strong a word, although we have been there before.

The plot of the film failed to catch my attention, but I did notice the setting: New Orleans. Of course there were very few scenes, if any,  that actually showed the city. Most were interior shots and scenes set on a boat aboard the bounding main. I did have the feeling that I had seen some of the players other movies, although I could not confirm that quickly on IMDB. But they said the name New Orleans frequently enough to piqué my interest, for that reminded me of the last time I visited the city.

At Christmas, 2009, we went to the Crescent City with Tricia’s family. It was a wonderful vacation. We did some rebuilding, ate way too well and way too much, watched a football game on Bourbon Street, saw the lights at New Orleans City Park, checked out Jan Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve and the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park. We ate multiple beignets and drank much coffee and hot chocolate on several trips to Cafe du Monde.

More than that, it was a wonderful, wonderful time with family. The memories comfort me still.

See you along the Trail.

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September 20, 2011 · 12:36 am

Double rainbow

 
It is unclear why this has remained unposted for more than a year.
When it was taken, I was not in a posting groove.
At the end of 2010 summer, 
a little over a year ago,
Tricia and I visited
the Great Plains.
Our adventure began in Denver, the starting point for this year’s travels as well.
We drove north through Wyoming into Montana where we saw 
the Little Bighorn National Battlefield Monument,
cut east to Mt. Rushmore and the Badlands
turned south through Nebraska,
and ended back to Denver.
We saw a number of national parks
and visited a couple of zoos.
We also checked out some state parks and historic sites
including Fort Phil Kearney State Historic Site 
near Banner, Wyoming.
There we journeyed to the location 
of the Fetterman Fight.
While we walked the grounds where battle once ranged
a small storm developed.
It brought enough rain to create
this double rainbow.
See you along the Trail.
19 September 2011
Shire on the Hudson

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September 3, 2011 · 2:20 am

I see the moon

I see the moon.
The moon sees me.
The moon sees somebody 
I want to see.
On a cold night in January,
the moon
patiently works its way
through tree branches
above the fields near Stones River
to see
to remember
to honor
to grieve
those who forever lie there and
each night receive
the lunar visitor.
Photo
29 January 2010
Stones River National Battlefield
Text
2 September 2011
Shire on the Hudson

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August 21, 2011 · 2:36 am

Guide and comfort



Alone we follow,
with a map as
a guide
and a beverage as
a comfort.

5 July 2011
Hornbeck Homestead
Florissant Fossil Beds 
National Monument
Colorado 

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August 21, 2011 · 1:40 am

Well marked

Sometimes, someone has marked the trail well. It is used and easy to follow.

January 2009
Stones River National Battlefield

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July 14, 2011 · 1:42 am

Cold coffee

Alone, he sits in the far corner
where he can survey the whole shop.
He sees everything,
yet comprehends nothing;
he focuses not on the people or place.
Lost in thought,
trapped in feeling,
memories batter his spirit
mistake
upon
mistake
upon
mistake
they parade past his mind’s eye.
A legion of poor choices and bad decisions
march endlessly from his past and
define his present and
shape his future.
When he can stand to watch no more,
with an effort of will he shakes his head and
returns to the moment.
Fingers gnarled as pinon tree.
wrap around the mug before him.
The coffee has grown cold.

13 July 2011
Ghost Ranch, NM 

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July 9, 2011 · 3:43 am

Sentinels

For uncounted ages they have kept
a silent vigil over the valley:
steadfast, firm,
silent observers of
days gone by,
events long forgotten,
moments well-remembered.

For unknown ages they may stand
a stoic presence in the valley:
constant, unmoving,
voiceless witnesses to
occurrences unforseen,
futures unknown,
happenings unimagined.

8 July 2011
Estes Park, CO
The image was taken at the Lumpy Ridge Trailhead, Rocky Mountain National Park 

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July 9, 2011 · 3:12 am

An early start – at least in my world

I am not a morning person. On Koenig Standard Time, the hours for sleeping run from approximately 2:00 or 3:00 AM to 11:00 AM. Clearly this poses a challenge with the way days are currently structured. I do try to follow that schedule on weekends and vacations.

Today was an exception. I did stay up until 1:00 AM or so, but I also managed to awaken early. This was my day to spend in Rocky Mountain National Park. I decided to get an early start. I succeed. Even with spending time for breakfast and having to return to the hotel to pick up my National Parks Passport, I made it into the park by 8:30 AM (which probably isn’t all that impressive for others).

For a couple of hours, the park was reasonable empty. I drove the Trail Ridge Road to the Alpine Visitor Center, stopping often for pictures and to do a bit of hiking. By the time I made my way back – around 10:30 or 11:00 AM – traffic had picked up considerably. But still it was an enjoyable day – short of wildlife – but an amazing diversity of eco-systems – incredible views. Not sure my photos do the park justice – not sure they show up here – but I took a bunch.

Walked the streets of Estes Park again in the late afternoon. Picked up Leavings by Wendell Berry. Very impressive. I had read some of the poems before, but there are some awesome ones.

Found Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets on TV.  They were young. Clips from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part II are being shown. It looks good. Will have to figure out how to see it before the Trail takes me back to Manhattan. Patience not being one of my strong suits.

Tomorrow back to Greeley for the memorial service for Steve Brown.

See you along the Trail.

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July 8, 2011 · 6:13 am

"Not in front of the Klingons"

I heard one of my all time favorite questions again tonight and a cute line that I had forgotten.

The day began with dealing with some emails. Then a visit to the Centennial Village in Greeley, Colorado. An interesting place. The signage could be better. Or they could have folks stationed throughout the village to do interpretation. Of course, we could have gone on the tour, but we did not have a whole lot of time as we had picked up some additional responsibilities for the day. Still, even taking the village at our own, somewhat rapid pace, there was much to learn. And there were many great, great flowers.

Lunch followed. I was looking for something light like a turkey sub. We came across Cheba Sub Hut. Most excellent. A quirky environment; a manic person at the counter, and good food. I could get hooked.

A drive to the Denver airport followed. Tricia went to a retreat. I went to Estes Park. I did a bit of walking around – it was a cool, rainy evening so I neither walked as much as I had planned nor did I take as many pictures as I planned although there were a number taken for the pine cone collection. But I saw some of the city – amazing how much I remembered given that I had only been here once and that some ten years ago. I picked up a copy of Live Rhymin’ by Paul Simon.

After wandering around Estes Park for a while, I returned to the Rocky Mountain Park Inn where I had received a good deal on Hotwire.

Channel surfing, I came across Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country playing on the SyFy Channel. It has some interesting moments. Shakespeare contributes the title and gets quoted fairly frequently.

It was followed by Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. It definitely is not one of my favorite movies in the franchise. But it does have one of my favorite questions of all time. The plot involves a search for God led by Spock’s half-brother. He takes over the Enterprise and away they go. Adventures follow. There are some intriguing reflections on the pain we carry. I need to ponder that further. After additional adventures, they arrive at the planet where God supposedly lives. They encounter a being who claims divinity. However, Kirk and Spock and McCoy are surprised to learn that this being is overly interested in the Enterprise. The being suggests that the starship will be useful as he (at least he appears as a he) seeks to escape from the planet. Finally Kirk can take no more and poses the eternal question: “Why does God need a starship?” I will tell no more to avoid spoiling the film. But I love that question.

Of course the line, “Please Captain, not in front of the Klingons.” isn’t bad either.

Tomorrow: Rocky Mountain National Park.

See you along the Trail.

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July 8, 2011 · 3:11 am

Evening, Estes Park

The aroma of coffee comforts me
as a slow drizzle falls;
clouds creep down the mountains,
a chill steals into the air.
I grasp my mug tighter,
warmth seeping into my fingers.
The rain increases.

8 July 2011
Estes Park, Colorado

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