When I was much younger I lived and worked in Denver CO and in Boulder CO. My job was repairing bicycles at American Cyclery where I had Wednesdays and Sundays off. My best memories were driving out to the mountains Tuesday and Saturday right after work and spending the night, getting up early to either ride, hike or fish.
My bike was a Schwinn Mirada, one of the first versions of a mountain bike. It was barely more than a road bike with fatter tires and better brakes. I still have the bike.
I remember the nights, when, on a moonless evenings, the sky was a sheet of stars. If you’ve never been in the higher altitudes away from city lights, it’s hard to imagine what it is like. As you look up, it is beautiful and endless light. When you look back to earth the area around you is pitch black; no real ambient light. Five, maybe ten feet is as far as you can make out shapes but certainly no definition. I didn’t want to use a flashlight or start a fire and take away from the starlight.
In one of the high lakes I caught a rainbow trout that was somewhere around 12-15 inches. I thought it was going to make a great dinner but when I got it to shore I saw that it had 4 hooks in it’s mouth. While it was sad to see, the fish lived through at least four other fishermen and I wasn’t going to be the one to stop its streak of luck. I let him go and ate whatever I brought with me (don’t remember what it was).
We didn’t have cell phones or digital anything back then, so no pictures, just memories. I’m kind of glad about that. I wonder if I’d spent time trying to take the pictures if I’d have created the memories that have lasted over 30 years.
This came up as I was on Google and saw Rocky Mountain National Park. Today people take lots of pictures and you can see them online, and by location. I think this is awesome and enjoy going through them. They spark memories. I hope the photographers have memories as vivid as their photos.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Rocky+Mountain+National+Park/@40.3558518,-105.703638,2760m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0xfa27ee43a78e8217!8m2!3d40.3427932!4d-105.6836389
