Hitting the trail
I really detest New Year’s resolutions. I haven’t made one in years but honestly my boredom comes with the dawn of the New Year and, well, I need something to look forward to.
Colorado State has 42 State Parks and in 2016 I’m going to visit all of them.
Here’s the list, according to Wikipedia. Hey, it’s my blog and I can quote Captain Kirk if I want.
Now this is really ambitious for me. I like my home in the mountains. I tend to stick close to Conifer and probably my last day trip was to Buena Vista last year. Oh, I get a plane and go to exotic places like Albuquerque but I tend to be a homebody.
This year, that changes just a bit.
Colorado State Parks are centered mostly in the mountain regions. There’s a few out east, namely Barr Lake State Park just outside of Brighton and St. Vrain State Park near Longmont. Others are further away and I’ll travel a couple hundred miles. For those trips, I plan on doing overnight visits and after looking at the state park website I’ve learned there’s camping, cabins, hotels and plenty of overnight options. I figure I’ll just double up on the cat food and let them have the house to themselves for overnight trips. I’ll have to get a sitter for two nights.
I don’t know about camping out in a tent. I’ve watched too many episodes of Finding Bigfoot and Sasquatches don’t seem to like tents and last thing I need is a brain injury from a rock tossed through flimsy fabric.
Sleeping in my car would be OK, there are camping spots but I don’t have a single camping item. No sleeping bag or tent but I do have a bitchin’ flashlight. You have to start somewhere.
I have to do something. Work is stressful as shit. Both jobs. Both jobs I have to have just to afford Netflix and eat ice cream which has led me to rather sedentary lifestyle. I miss walking around taking pictures, see things, taking my time. I don’t see anymore. I watch.
I guess we could call what I have what it is: depression. I think depression comes from not doing what you love. OK, I love Netflix but I’m talking about getting out and going places whether it’s with someone or not. Bet I can talk Drew into an adventure or two.
Doesn’t matter who goes with me but the more I realize I need to get out, do more, be more, I’d like to have a dog again. A dog would be great for this kind of adventure. Can’t imagine how Buzz, Skeeter and Petticoat would greet a canine companion. I imagine there’d be some hissing, fussing and well, maybe even bloodshed. Buzz don’t play nice. Too bad you can’t rent a dog.
The least expensive thing about this adventure is the Colorado State Park’s pass. It’s $70 for a year, $7 for the day and $60 if you’re over 64. I’m not there yet.
Each park is known for something whether it’s bird watching, hiking, elk watching, white-water rafting and things I haven’t discovered yet.
Gas and lodging will be the biggest cost of this adventure. Getting time off isn’t a problem since I work weird hours with many days off during the week. It’s the only good thing about working there and the only way to be successful at my job – be there as little as possible.
I tinkered with the idea of tackling the list from A-Z but with winter upon us I probably need to do local parks first and expand. Close-by parks I’ll just spend the day. Part of the fun will be researching what’s around the park. Maybe hiking, definitely pictures. The first one on the list is the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area and last on the list is Yampa River State Park. Yampa I’ve been to. Had a lost weekend there with friends and motorcycles. I managed to puke on my shoes during that trip. Never mix beer and Black Russians. Live and learn.
As a side note, Colorado’s newest state park is just right over one mountain ridge to the west: Staunton State Park.
Thank God Lost Creek Wilderness isn’t on the list. There’s Sasquatches there.