My Colorado

Alone for the weekend

By Steffen Mehnert

It had been a long work week, and the four-hour drive to Marble from Denver didn't seem to want to end. The thought of a weekend away from it all with just me and my Australian sheep dog, Angel, made the last few miles bearable.

There are few things as breathtaking as lying on your back in a bed of fall leaves, looking up through a 50-foot tall canopy of golden aspen trees, with a cloudless, crystal-blue sky as a backdrop. Every time the breeze stirs, more and more leaves are encouraged to let go, and for a moment, they engage in a dance as they flutter to the ground, bringing a moment of life to the otherwise quiet scene.

Later that night the full moon brings an entirely different feel to the forest, which is no less inspiring. The same aspen grove is transformed into a magical scene, where I am convinced I see elves darting from tree to tree between the moon shadows, but alas, it is just the rustling leaves reflecting ghostly lights on the tree trunks and forest floor.

I realize it is starting to get chilly, so, guided only by the moon's glow, I crunch through the frosted leaves back to my tent and warm sleeping bag. Hearing elk bugling gives the night an eerie feel, and new shivers run down my spine when the singing of a nearby pack of coyotes signals success in their nightly hunt. I can't help but realize I am simply a trespasser for the night in an ancient world.

After a dream-filled slumber, mid-morning finds me thigh-deep in icy clear waters, watching an elk hair caddis gently float into an eddy, where only moments before a brook trout rose to feed on the last of the summer's bounty. Just as I feel confident I have enticed a fish to look at my fly, Angel launches herself from the shore with a stick in her mouth. Wanting to play, she assures me that any fish that may have been there has retreated to safer waters. Regardless, the moment is in the purity of the cast and in the language of the stream, not necessarily about catching a fish.

It is the special moments like these that balance out the daily grind and provide my soul a much-needed recharge.

Your Turn

Do you have a special memory or humorous story about living in Colorado? EnCompass is looking for original essays that capture the uniqueness of our state. Payment is $60 upon publication. Entries must be typed, double-spaced and 350-450 words. Please include a daytime phone number. Entries will not be returned. Mail to: EnCompass, Attn: My Colorado, 4100 E. Arkansas Ave., Denver, CO 80222, or email: editor@colorado.aaa.com. A response to a submission may take six to eight weeks.

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