:: Current Location : Breckenridge, Colorado :.I'm back in Virginia for 10 days. I got to see my brother and uncle, which hasn't happend for at least 2 years now. Thanksgiving is always what we make of it, and it was full of food this time.
I've gotten a job out in Breckenridge, Co as a manager of a ski shop. Should be a nice job for the season and I hope to get over 100 days of skiing in as well.
Don't know if I get internet access out there, but I should be able to update every so often.
.: Ben Hansen :: 4:59 PM [+] 0 comments
yeah, what else is there to say? Metablogging, everything needs a name.
.: Ben Hansen :: 1:33 PM [+] 0 comments
Well, I've done it again. Shirked responsibility and
gone travelling to New Mexico, Texas, and Mexico.Mike had a wedding to attend in Jackson, Mississippi
but couldn't get any cheap flights out of Denver. His
nearest airport was Albuquerque, and it was the
perfect excuse for me to drive down there.So, we both left 2 days early to get down there and
camp before his flight. Gambled a little in Cripple
Creek, Co. We were the only people under 50 there.
Only slots, and no table games... We won't be going
back.Camped near Taos, which was a nice introduction to the
Adobe style houses. Then off to El
Malpais(http://www.nps.gov/elma/) and El
Morro(http://www.nps.gov/elmo/). Snatch grabbed me and
started gasping for air when he saw a tarantula spider
while we were looking at the inscriptions and
petroglyphs in El Morro. It was a short night camping
because he had to be back at the airport by 5am.I ended up driving all day to southern New Mexico. I
stopped in Lincoln, NM, home of Billy the Kid, and
Roswell, NM. The Alien Museum was informative, but
highly speculative. I was entertained, for free, so no
complaints. Finally I made it to Carlesbad
Caverns(http://www.nps.gov/cave/) to see the Mexican
Freetail Bats leave the cave entrance at dusk.My favorite park of the trip was next, Guadalupe
Mountains NP(http://www.nps.gov/gumo/). This area of
Texas has deciduous trees in a valley in the
mountains. It's desert salt flats everywhere else, but
I hit the park at just the right time to see the
leaves
change. I hiked almost 15 miles that day, both out and
back hikes, but well worth it. Texas has no BLM lands,
so no free camping. I ended up sleeping in the car,
but was woken 3 times by passing motorist to ask if I
was alright. No trouble, just concerned Texans.Next.... MEXICO!!!! Cuidad Juarez and El Paso straddle
the Rio grande, and there is such a striking
difference between the two. I parked on the USA side,
paid 35cents to walk over the bridge, and was never
stopped for ID. It reminded me of Morocco, a poor
place where every dollar is sacred. I ended up buying
some dirt cheap tequila, a mexican poncho, and a whip.
Why? Why not... I wasn't checked for ID on the way
back either. I guess the white face is enough. So, for
all you drug runners out there, this is the place.I just made it in time to get my backcountry permit to
White Sands NP(http://www.nps.gov/whsa/). No missle
testing while I was there, but the shooting stars were
in full strength. The Leonids shower is still a few
weeks away, but I saw plenty already. Started on the
tequila and took some silly pictures in my new attire.
All good fun.Next morning was the long drive back up to the
airport, but first... The Gila Wilderness in Western
New Mexico. I saw some cliff dwellings, and the ranger
was more than happy to keep me longer than I wanted by
spouting every fact about the Gila Wilderness that she
new. So, now I know that Geronimo was born here and
wolves are known to roam the area. I was also told
that the forest roads were too rough and 'impossible
to drive this late in the day without getting stuck in
darkness'. That just sounded too much like a
challenge, and you don't ever tell me something is
impossible. My only other problem was that I only had
half a tank, and no service for 120 miles. Screw it,
let's go.The whole wilderness area feels like the George
Washington Forest in Virginia, and the roads are
similar. Switchback dirt roads with nice pull offs for
some great camping. But I had no time to stop, let
alone slow down for corners. I'm proud to say that I
can now do a power slide in a Subaru Outback wagon.
Once I got out of the high mountains, it was flat
cattle land, but still dirt roads. The Very Large
Array of satellite dishes was just outside the
wilderness, and I was trying to get there before
sunset. I managed to hit 88 miles an hour on dirt
roads(any Back to the Future fans get that
reference?). Only once did a calf wander on the road,
but I decided to slow down after that.That was all the fun for me because it was time to
pick up Snatch at the airport and drive home. Long
drive, but it's snowed again in Denver, and one of the
resorts has opened up. Snowboarding time!!!Pictures up at Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/senecar/sets/1270470/
I'll get a job someday...
--------
My favorite quotes of the trip:"Whenever we destroy beauty, or whenever we substitute
something man-made and artificial for a natural
feature of the earth, we have retarded some part of
our spiritual growth." - Rachel CarsonWhile hiking in Guadalupe, I passed an older couple
twice. I told them a nice spot to see if they hurried,
and the lady said, "Honey, we're old, we don't rush."While in Carlsbad Caverns, an older couple was in
front of me and didn't know I was behind them. There
are railings to keep you away from formations. The
lady was talking about the smooth railing:
Lady said, "Wow, this feels like a penis!"
Man said, "Well, don't put your mouth on it."
______________________________________________
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1GB de capacidad, nuevos servicios y más seguridad
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.: Ben Hansen :: 5:54 PM [+] 0 comments
:: Current Location : Breckenridge, Colorado :..AFOOT.and.light-hearted,.I.take.to.the.open.road,.Healthy,.free,.the.world.before.me,.The.long.brown.path.before.me,.le ading.wherever.I.choose....Henceforth.I.ask.not.good-fortune-I.myself.am.good.fortune;.Henceforth.I.whimper.no.more,.pos tpone.no.more,.need.nothing,..........Strong.and.content,.I.travel.the.open.road....The.earth-that.is.sufficient;.I.do.n ot.want.the.constellations.any.nearer;.I.know.they.are.very.well.where.they.are;.I.know.they.suffice.for.those.who.belon g.to.them.......Still.here.I.carry.my.old.delicious.burdens;.I.carry.them,.men.and.women-I.carry.them.with.me.wherever.I .go;.I.swear.it.is.impossible.for.me.to.get.rid.of.them;.I.am.fill'd.with.them,.and.I.will.fill.them.in.return.)....You. road.I.enter.upon.and.look.around!.I.believe.you.are.not.all.that.is.here;....I.believe.that.much.unseen.is.also.here... .Here.the.profound.lesson.of.reception,.neither.preference.or.denial;.The.black.with.his.woolly.head,.the.felon,.the.dis eas'd,.the.illiterate.person,.are.not.denied;.The.birth,.the.hasting.after.the.physician,.the.beggar's.tramp,.the.drunka rd's.stagger,.the.laughing.party.of.mechanics,.The.escaped.youth,.the.rich.person's.carriage,.the.fop,.the.eloping.coupl e,....The.early.market-man,.the.hearse,.the.moving.of.furniture.into.the.town,.the.return.back.from.the.town,.They.pass- I.also.pass-anything.passes-none.can.be.interdicted;.None.but.are.accepted-none.but.are.dear.to.me..You.air.that.serves. me.with.breath.to.speak!.You.objects.that.call.from.diffusion.my.meanings,.and.give.them.shape!....You.light.that.wraps. me.and.all.things.in.delicate.equable.showers!.You.paths.worn.in.the.irregular.hollows.by.the.roadsides!.I.think.you.are .latent.with.unseen.existences-you.are.so.dear.to.me....You.flagg'd.walks.of.the.cities!.you.strong.curbs.at.the.edges!. You.ferries!.you.planks.and.posts.of.wharves!.you.timber-lined.sides!.you.distant.ships!....You.rows.of.houses!.you.wind ow-pierc'd.façades!.you.roofs!.You.porches.and.entrances!.you.copings.and.iron.guards!.You.windows.whose.transparent.she lls.might.expose.so.much!.You.doors.and.ascending.steps!.you.arches!.You.gray.stones.of.interminable.pavements!.you.trod den.crossings!....From.all.that.has.been.near.you,.I.believe.you.have.imparted.to.yourselves,.and.now.would.impart.the.s ame.secretly.to.me;From.the.living.and.the.dead.I.think.you.have.peopled.your.impassive.surfaces,.and.the.spirits.thereo f.would.be.evident.and.amicable.with.me.....The.earth.expanding.right.hand.and.left.hand,.The.picture.alive,.every.part. in.its.best.light,.The.music.falling.in.where.it.is.wanted,.and.stopping.where.it.is.not.wanted,....The.cheerful.voice.o f.the.public.road-the.gay.fresh.sentiment.of.the.road....O.highway.I.travel!.O.public.road!.do.you.say.to.me,.Do.not.lea ve.me?.Do.you.say,.Venture.not?.If.you.leave.me,.you.are.lostDo.you.say,.I.am.already.prepared-I.am.well-beaten.and.unde nied-adhere.to.me?.O.public.road!.I.say.back,.I.am.not.afraid.to.leave.you-yet.I.love.you;....You.express.me.better.than .I.can.express.myself;.You.shall.be.more.to.me.than.my.poem....I.think.heroic.deeds.were.all.conceiv'd.in.the.open.air,. and.all.great.poems.also;.I.think.I.could.stop.here.myself,.and.do.miracles;.My.judgments,.thoughts,.I.henceforth.try.by .the.open.air,.the.road;)....I.think.whatever.I.shall.meet.on.the.road.I.shall.like,.and.whoever.beholds.me.shall.like.m e;.I.think.whoever.I.see.must.be.happy.....From.this.hour,.freedom!.From.this.hour.I.ordain.myself.loos'd.of.limits.and. imaginary.lines,.Going.where.I.list,.my.own.master,.total.and.absolute,....Listening.to.others,.and.considering.well.wha t.they.say,.Pausing,.searching,.receiving,.contemplating,.Gently,.but.with.undeniable.will,.divesting.myself.of.the.hold s.that.would.hold.me....I.inhale.great.draughts.of.space;.The.east.and.the.west.are.mine,.and.the.north.and.the.south.ar e.mine.......I.am.larger,.better.than.I.thought;.I.did.not.know.I.held.so.much.goodness....All.seems.beautiful.to.me;.I. can.repeat.over.to.men.and.women,.You.have.done.such.good.to.me,.I.would.do.the.same.to.you....I.will.recruit.for.myself .and.you.as.I.go;....I.will.scatter.myself.among.men.and.women.as.I.go;.I.will.toss.the.new.gladness.and.roughness.among .them;.Whoever.denies.me,.it.shall.not.trouble.me;.Whoever.accepts.me,.he.or.she.shall.be.blessed,.and.shall.bless.me... ..Now.if.a.thousand.perfect.men.were.to.appear,.it.would.not.amaze.me;....Now.if.a.thousand.beautiful.forms.of.women.app ear'd,.it.would.not.astonish.me....Now.I.see.the.secret.of.the.making.of.the.best.persons,.It.is.to.grow.in.the.open.air ,.and.to.eat.and.sleep.with.the.earth....Here.a.great.personal.deed.has.room;.A.great.deed.seizes.upon.the.hearts.of.the .whole.race.of.men,....Its.effusion.of.strength.and.will.overwhelms.law,.and.mocks.all.authority.and.all.argument.agains t.it....Here.is.the.test.of.wisdom;.Wisdom.is.not.finally.tested.in.schools;.Wisdom.cannot.be.pass'd.from.one.having.it, .to.another.not.having.it;.Wisdom.is.of.the.Soul,.is.not.susceptible.of.proof,.is.its.own.proof,....Applies.to.all.stage s.and.objects.and.qualities,.and.is.content,.Is.the.certainty.of.the.reality.and.immortality.of.things,.and.the.excellen ce.of.things;.Something.there.is.in.the.float.of.the.sight.of.things.that.provokes.it.out.of.the.Soul...Now.I.reëxamine. philosophies.and.religions,They.may.prove.well.in.lecture-rooms,.yet.not.prove.at.all.under.the.spacious.clouds,.and.alo ng.the.landscape.and.flowing.currents.......Here.is.realization;.Here.is.a.man.tallied-he.realizes.here.what.he.has.in.h im;.The.past,.the.future,.majesty,.love-if.they.are.vacant.of.you,.you.are.vacant.of.them....Only.the.kernel.of.every.ob ject.nourishes;.Where.is.he.who.tears.off.the.husks.for.you.and.me?....Where.is.he.that.undoes.stratagems.and.envelopes. for.you.and.me?...Here.is.adhesiveness-it.is.not.previously.fashion'd-it.is.apropos;.Do.you.know.what.it.is,.as.you.pass ,.to.be.loved.by.strangers?.Do.you.know.the.talk.of.those.turning.eye-balls?....Here.is.the.efflux.of.the.Soul;....The.e fflux.of.the.Soul.comes.from.within,.through.embower'd.gates,.ever.provoking.questions:.These.yearnings,.why.are.they?.T hese.thoughts.in.the.darkness,.why.are.they?.Why.are.there.men.and.women.that.while.they.are.nigh.me,.the.sun-light.expa nds.my.blood?.Why,.when.they.leave.me,.do.my.pennants.of.joy.sink.flat.and.lank?.Why.are.there.trees.I.never.walk.under, .but.large.and.melodious.thoughts.descend.upon.me?....I.think.they.hang.there.winter.and.summer.on.those.trees,.and.alwa ys.drop.fruit.as.I.pass;).What.is.it.I.interchange.so.suddenly.with.strangers?.What.with.some.driver,.as.I.ride.on.the.s eat.by.his.side?.What.with.some.fisherman,.drawing.his.seine.by.the.shore,.as.I.walk.by,.and.pause?.What.gives.me.to.be. free.to.a.woman's.or.man's.good-will?.What.gives.them.to.be.free.to.mine?.......The.efflux.of.the.Soul.is.happiness-here .is.happiness;.I.think.it.pervades.the.open.air,.waiting.at.all.times;.Now.it.flows.unto.us-we.are.rightly.charged....He re.rises.the.fluid.and.attaching.character;.The.fluid.and.attaching.character.is.the.freshness.and.sweetness.of.man.and. woman;....The.herbs.of.the.morning.sprout.no.fresher.and.sweeter.every.day.out.of.the.roots.of.themselves,.than.it.sprou ts.fresh.and.sweet.continually.out.of.itself.)...Toward.the.fluid.and.attaching.character.exudes.the.sweat.of.the.love.o f.young.and.old;.From.it.falls.distill'd.the.charm.that.mocks.beauty.and.attainments;.Toward.it.heaves.the.shuddering.lo nging.ache.of.contact.....Allons!.whoever.you.are,.come.travel.with.me!....Traveling.with.me,.you.find.what.never.tires. ...The.earth.never.tires;.The.earth.is.rude,.silent,.incomprehensible.at.first-Nature.is.rude.and.incomprehensible.at.fi rst;.Be.not.discouraged-keep.on-there.are.divine.things,.well.envelop'd;.I.swear.to.you.there.are.divine.things.more.bea utiful.than.words.can.tell.......Allons!.we.must.not.stop.here!.However.sweet.these.laid-up.stores-however.convenient.th is.dwelling,.we.cannot.remain.here;.However.shelter'd.this.port,.and.however.calm.these.waters,.we.must.not.anchor.here; .However.welcome.the.hospitality.that.surrounds.us,.we.are.permitted.to.receive.it.but.a.little.while......Allons!.the.i nducements.shall.be.greater;....We.will.sail.pathless.and.wild.seas;.We.will.go.where.winds.blow,.waves.dash,.and.the.Ya nkee.clipper.speeds.by.under.full.sail....Allons!.with.power,.liberty,.the.earth,.the.elements!.Health,.defiance,.gayety ,.self-esteem,.curiosity;.Allons!.from.all.formules!....From.your.formules,.O.bat-eyed.and.materialistic.priests!...The. stale.cadaver.blocks.up.the.passage-the.burial.waits.no.longer....Allons!.yet.take.warning!.He.traveling.with.me.needs.t he.best.blood,.thews,.endurance;.None.may.come.to.the.trial,.till.he.or.she.bring.courage.and.health.......Come.not.here .if.you.have.already.spent.the.best.of.yourself;.Only.those.may.come,.who.come.in.sweet.and.determin'd.bodies;.No.diseas 'd.person-no.rum-drinker.or.venereal.taint.is.permitted.here....I.and.mine.do.not.convince.by.arguments,.similes,.rhymes ;.We.convince.by.our.presence.........Listen!.I.will.be.honest.with.you;.I.do.not.offer.the.old.smooth.prizes,.but.offer .rough.new.prizes;.These.are.the.days.that.must.happen.to.you:...You.shall.not.heap.up.what.is.call'd.riches,.You.shall. scatter.with.lavish.hand.all.that.you.earn.or.achieve,....You.but.arrive.at.the.city.to.which.you.were.destin'd-you.hard ly.settle.yourself.to.satisfaction,.before.you.are.call'd.by.an.irresistible.call.to.depart,.You.shall.be.treated.to.the
