Freedom, Independence and Awe
11:25 AM Edit This 10 Comments »
We're less than two hours from the Gathering now, but I wanted to check in and say....
OH MY GOD - INDEPENDENCE PASS!!
We sat for some time, staring at the map in southern Colorado, trying to decide if we would heed everyone's advice and take the interstate through Colorado, or go it our style and hit the secondary highways and county roads. Finally, we both just decided to go with our guts and take the back roads.
I am so very, very glad that we did. Scaling the mountain toward Independence Pass was one of the most intense and beautiful high-points in my life. That's saying a lot, being that it hasn't been 18 months since I labored and delivered my second baby, at home.
It was incredible, and we didn't have a clue what we were in for! We had already scaled thousands of feet over many passes, but this was quite different. As we approached the mountain we wondered how high the road would take us through and Quinn asked if we would drive through the snow. "No, Baby, the snow is on the top of the mountain. You can't drive over the top of a mountain," was our reply.
Bwahahahaha!!
Can't drive over the top of a mountain! Hahahaha!
We were a quarter of the way up before the first sign reading NO VEHICLES OVER 35 FT BEYOND THIS POINT was posted.
Errr...I wonder what that means we said at the same time... Our RV is 30 ft!
About a quarter of the way up we found out as we approached our first switch-back (180 degree turn)
A vehicle much larger than ours would not have been able to make the turn. 10mph was the posted limit. I think we took it at -2 mph.
It was a two way road hanging off the edge of a mountain with no guard rail and it just kept climbing. We were seeing RVs come down and Jeff kept saying, "See they did it."
As we went, I tried to make myself feel better by checking the side mirror to see how much room we had to the edge.
I think that is the point when I stopped breathing.
Our tire was firmly resting on the inner edge of the white line... The white line that had a tendency to be the crumbling away at its outer edge.
I think I may have held my breath for the 15 hours that it took for us to scale that mountain.
12,092 feet we climbed. About half way up, after a few switchbacks, we were able to see where the road was taking us...
Over the top of the mountain.
I tried so hard to peel my eyes away from the road and appreciate the truly unbelievable view. I told myself that no amount of leaning was going to keep our RV on the inside of the road and no amount of smashing my foot into the dash was going to make us stop.
Quinn was awestruck, running constant chatter about the snow and the trees, and if Quinn was interested you better believe that Neeka was taken too.
There was snow on the left of us and flowers on the cliff to the right, and our view of the valley kept getting more and more incredible. It was sort of hard to look out at it and realize that it was real.
Still holding my breath, with tears streaming down my face, I took in the scene. I'm afraid my words will fail me here. There are no words I know to describe it.
When we finally reached the very top I broke into sobs. Crying at the intensity of it all...the fear of climbing, the beauty of everything surrounding us and the shear fact that I, never in my life, knew that I would do anything like this. I never knew that anything like that existed. Existed in a place where I could touch it.
At the top of Independence Pass we sat for a minute just trying to take it in...what we had done...where we were...where we had been....
Then Quinn started jumping up and down! LOL
Mama, Mama, Mama!! Mama! Can I touch the snow?!
Awesome.
We piled out of our seats and set to changing into some winter clothes to head out to the snow and the over-looks. People were everywhere; some scaling the peaks nearest to us, others snowboarding down, some skiing across the tundras, cross country style.
Quinn took off running and slid down the biggest pile of snow he could find. Neeka was content to take it in from the safety of Jeff's arms and the dogs reached a height of energy that I'd never seen in them before...LOL mountain dogs, finally in the mountains!
To say that we had a great time would be an understatement of epic proportions.
Coming out here, doing this...this is the best decision we've ever made for our family.
We stayed until we were all lobster red from the cold wind and snow, and stayed beyond that, until we couldn't ignore the lightening and black sky approaching the nearest peaks.
Not wanting to hit those twisty roads in a storm we had to book it to the RV and say good-bye to the mountain tops.
What would the road down be like we wondered.
OH MY GOD - INDEPENDENCE PASS!!
We sat for some time, staring at the map in southern Colorado, trying to decide if we would heed everyone's advice and take the interstate through Colorado, or go it our style and hit the secondary highways and county roads. Finally, we both just decided to go with our guts and take the back roads.
I am so very, very glad that we did. Scaling the mountain toward Independence Pass was one of the most intense and beautiful high-points in my life. That's saying a lot, being that it hasn't been 18 months since I labored and delivered my second baby, at home.
It was incredible, and we didn't have a clue what we were in for! We had already scaled thousands of feet over many passes, but this was quite different. As we approached the mountain we wondered how high the road would take us through and Quinn asked if we would drive through the snow. "No, Baby, the snow is on the top of the mountain. You can't drive over the top of a mountain," was our reply.
Bwahahahaha!!
Can't drive over the top of a mountain! Hahahaha!
We were a quarter of the way up before the first sign reading NO VEHICLES OVER 35 FT BEYOND THIS POINT was posted.
Errr...I wonder what that means we said at the same time... Our RV is 30 ft!
About a quarter of the way up we found out as we approached our first switch-back (180 degree turn)
A vehicle much larger than ours would not have been able to make the turn. 10mph was the posted limit. I think we took it at -2 mph.
It was a two way road hanging off the edge of a mountain with no guard rail and it just kept climbing. We were seeing RVs come down and Jeff kept saying, "See they did it."
As we went, I tried to make myself feel better by checking the side mirror to see how much room we had to the edge.
I think that is the point when I stopped breathing.
Our tire was firmly resting on the inner edge of the white line... The white line that had a tendency to be the crumbling away at its outer edge.
I think I may have held my breath for the 15 hours that it took for us to scale that mountain.
12,092 feet we climbed. About half way up, after a few switchbacks, we were able to see where the road was taking us...
Over the top of the mountain.
I tried so hard to peel my eyes away from the road and appreciate the truly unbelievable view. I told myself that no amount of leaning was going to keep our RV on the inside of the road and no amount of smashing my foot into the dash was going to make us stop.
Quinn was awestruck, running constant chatter about the snow and the trees, and if Quinn was interested you better believe that Neeka was taken too.
There was snow on the left of us and flowers on the cliff to the right, and our view of the valley kept getting more and more incredible. It was sort of hard to look out at it and realize that it was real.
Still holding my breath, with tears streaming down my face, I took in the scene. I'm afraid my words will fail me here. There are no words I know to describe it.
When we finally reached the very top I broke into sobs. Crying at the intensity of it all...the fear of climbing, the beauty of everything surrounding us and the shear fact that I, never in my life, knew that I would do anything like this. I never knew that anything like that existed. Existed in a place where I could touch it.
At the top of Independence Pass we sat for a minute just trying to take it in...what we had done...where we were...where we had been....
Then Quinn started jumping up and down! LOL
Mama, Mama, Mama!! Mama! Can I touch the snow?!
Awesome.
We piled out of our seats and set to changing into some winter clothes to head out to the snow and the over-looks. People were everywhere; some scaling the peaks nearest to us, others snowboarding down, some skiing across the tundras, cross country style.
Quinn took off running and slid down the biggest pile of snow he could find. Neeka was content to take it in from the safety of Jeff's arms and the dogs reached a height of energy that I'd never seen in them before...LOL mountain dogs, finally in the mountains!
To say that we had a great time would be an understatement of epic proportions.
Coming out here, doing this...this is the best decision we've ever made for our family.
We stayed until we were all lobster red from the cold wind and snow, and stayed beyond that, until we couldn't ignore the lightening and black sky approaching the nearest peaks.
Not wanting to hit those twisty roads in a storm we had to book it to the RV and say good-bye to the mountain tops.
What would the road down be like we wondered.
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10 comments:
I can totally imagine Jeffrey saying, "See, they did it," trying to convince (himself and) everyone that it was possible.
Anyway, sounds like a grand adventure! I'm forwarding this post to my running buddy, who's in Colorado for the summer. Just last week, she sent me a picture of herself with the continental divide in the background!
<3 you guys. Envious, as always.
-Holly
Hi guys...you're in my old stomping grounds now. We used to do the hairpin turns in the winter..young enough that it never occurred to us that it might be dangerous. There were always lots of skiers going up and down the passes so one was never really alone. Colorado is truely beautiful..my home state. Enjoy!!
Grandma
Sweet! Makes me want to be in Colorado right this very minute. I guess going over those mountains more than made up for the crazyness you guys had to deal with when you first started the trip. Keep it up! There are many more exalting mountains to climb ahead. Let us know the Gathering turns out.
J
http://adventuresinvoluntarysimplicity.blogspot.com/
Just wondering - what's "the gathering"? Never heard of it (but then, I'm an Aussi)
OK, so I was holding my breath reading this! My uncle used to do crazy stuff driving up and down Mountains we'd all be panicky and crying and yelling and he'd take his hands off of the wheel or whatever, I can't imagine Jeff doing that though, THANK all the Gods! lol!
Wishing you the grandest time ever!
The gathering she is talking about is called The Rainbow Gathering, you can google it!
Thank you for sharing this.
You are doing something I have dreamed about for years.
I would love to just leave home and see the country. I know America is beautiful, but I would love to see it for myself.
Thank you for your wonderfully written posts. I look forward to reading about where you go next.
Welcome Home!
jenn
Hitek Homeless
A couple of 30-somethings embark on the ultimate road trip.
oh my goodness you guys... i am so jealous. the only time i scaled a "mountain" in a vehicle was in northern Portugal, but it wasn't so much as a mountain as a really big hill (especially compared to the mountains that you are in) and i remember how scared i was then.
i wish that i could be with you!
but i can't wait to see you in december, and hopefully talk to you before then...
lovelovelove, your sister
how scarey!
I'm waiting to hear if going down was more scarey than going up!!!
but I still wish I was there!
Just a long road trip... maybe this won't be too hard for me to plan and accomplish for me and Claire. Definitely an incredible experience for the kids, as well as for yourselves.
love & peace for you,
big hugs -
and vibes for your safety
on this adventure!!
Cynthia & Claire
how incredible - and scary! I don't know if I could've made the drive myself.
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