Oy! I've finally returned from my trip and seem unable to stay away from blogging though I had hoped spring would at least beat me back. This trip into a marvelous winter wonderland was incredible, relaxing, expensive, yet somehow tiring. No, it isn't that I became so involved with skiing that I wore my body weak. Rather, I am cursed with insomnia that even their large comfortable beds could not knock me unconscious.
My five-day stay at The Peaks Resort in Mountain Village consisted of a 20-minute ski run down a bunny slope (which was even too fast for my oldness to handle), swimming outside as I was snowed on, lounging by the fireplace, and swimming laps. I believe it was quite apparent to the employees that I'm from California given my fins. The amenities they provided were abundant and I rarely felt lacking in anything - except for tasty food. Though restaurants were acclaimed five-stars they could not compare with the diversity and quality of California cuisine.
Later we took the cute gondola - gratis, a miracle in this pricey town - across the mountain top to arrive in Telluride, CO. Easily captured as a tiny snow globe with a population just over 2,000, one can't escape being greeted on every corner by a friend. The small roads are devoid of traffic, rendering signal lights futile and, well, missing altogether. As I walked along the main street lined with small shops and a handful of bars, I could see where their most happening scene began and ended. And I loved it.
I loved the warmth and familiarity of knowing nearly everyone littering the bars, how the beautiful clean, white snow covered every surface, and the knowledge that come spring everything would transform from white to green as the plush flora awakened from its long dormant sleep. In my present quarterlife restlessness, prospects of great adventures in such natural wonders called out to me to stay. Hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, mountaineering - there really is no outdoor activity you can't do. It was then I proclaimed I wanted to move there, and my friends urged me on.
Arriving back home in Orange County, I realize my desire had just been another attempt at retreating from life as I currently live it; that living in Telluride, CO would not be the luxury bath-filled experience as I had lived it; and that ultimately no matter where I am, life is just living it.
devyn