West Bear Creek and newfound energy.

July 20, 2006:

Okay, so getting up at 5:45am was not my cup of tea, but I had a truly amazing day. The Up With People cast took two busses and head up for a two hour ride to West Bear Creek near Moonridge, west of Sedalia, CO. Our assignment was “to close a trail that has been heavily impacted by off road vehicles. Erosion is flossing off the trail and into the adjacent seasonal West Bear Creek. Work activities include (d): out sloping the edge of the trail, raking and seeding…native seed mixes to establish new growth on the trail tread, and covering (hiding) the trail with downed slash and logs.”

And these things we did. After driving to the top of a mountain and receiving our gear, including hard hats and “McGregors” (?), we hiked for about an hour down a non-pedestrian-friendly trail. I don’t think a PB&J sandwich has ever tasted so good. We ate for about 10 minutes and we were off to work. My responsibility was to rake the grounds to prepare the dirt for the seeds. These were two of the most exhausting hours of my life, but I loved it! We were doing something for the environment, rather than contributing to its demise. I enjoyed the feeling of sweating, knowing that I was doing good work. My thumb now has a blister, and I’ve never been so proud. It began to rain and thunder. I felt alive.

The cast was divided into four sections to manage this trail. When we merged, our task was completed. It took us about another hour or so to get back up to our rendezvous point. This was no easy task, as we were working uphill again. With the thin air, I was winded (hmmmm, sea level in Mass. and 8,500 ft here), but there were others who needed frequent breaks just to keep from passing out. A few others and I stayed behind to help them out. By the time we got back, it began to pour. We were exhausted, but smiling through and through.

For the ride back, my bus date and I passed out to music on my Nano. Though we were from very different cultures (she is from Japan) we were able to find a common passion for dance music and Moulin Rouge. Music really is a unifying force.

I found myself getting goose bumps on my bus ride from Denver to Broomfield. Songs that I would once skip over now held new meaning. I felt like “the sleeper had awoken” (Dune reference). Now, what to do with this newfound energy?