The best part of being a freelance writer is that I can choose to write about what I find interesting. Like desert life, for example.
It cracks me up when people say they don’t like the desert because it’s so barren. Nothing grows there. Nothing lives there.
Leapin’ lizards, what are they thinking? Lifeforms in the desert are as diverse as they are plentiful. Vibrant colours and camouflage acts and intriguing shapes abound.
Sometimes all it takes is a closer look.
Collared lizard (photo: B. Kopp)
Horned lizard (photo: B. Kopp)
Prickly pear pastels (photo: M. Kopp)
Pallid Milkweed (photo: M. Kopp)
“Wilderness. The word itself is music.”
– Edward Abbey
I’m a writer, a hiker, an outdoor enthusiast – but not a great cyclist. I’m okay on paved paths and roads, even dirt roads, but take me out on a trail and there’s bound to be a wince, a bruise or some bloody reminder of why I’m better off on foot. I’ve scars to prove it.
If enough time goes by, I can be tempted to try it again. So when family and friends began working on me to bring my ancient mountain bike down to the desert for a recent Southwest getaway, I resisted, wavered and caved.
Fruita, Colorado is big biking country. Yes, that is a telephone pole ahead of the front wheel. (photo: M. Kopp)
Fruita, Colorado has become what Moab, Utah was 10 years ago – a fresh space of slickrock and sand set to pedal. Our first ride was Mary’s Loop out of Kokopelli’s Trailhead – 8.5 miles of twists, turns, a few drops and – I’m serious – a whole lot of fun. Not that I rode the whole thing, there was a bit of walking involved, but I didn’t crash!
Mary’s Loop offers scenic overviews of the Colorado River. (photo: B. Kopp)
The crash came on day two, right out of the shoot at 18 Road. We were doing Joe’s Ridge. The trail description described it as moderate. I beg to differ. The first climb up on the ridge saw me flailing, falling and almost bawling. Another whopper bruise was added to the trail tattoos already gracing my legs.
I recovered along V.7 road, built up a little more confidence on Western Zippity, picked up speed on Zip Off and raced Zippity back to the lower parking lot.
Cycle terrain on Zippity at Fruita’s 18 Road. (photo: M. Kopp)
Do over? You bet. I’m a writer, a hiker, an outdoor enthusiast – and a wannabe cyclist!
Lady Mac near Canmore, Prairie near Bragg Creek – Alberta Rocky Mountain hiking is looking good this spring – even with recent snowfalls!
Overlooking the Bow Valley from Lady Mac (photo: M.Kopp)
Tips from those who’ve been there:
Check for ticks after every hike, especially on dry, south-facing, bighorn sheep-favoured slopes – bloodsucking season is upon us!
Wear hiking boots, use ice grips and carry hiking poles – the bloody knuckles and bruised behind (her words, not mine) of another hiker coming down off Prairie Mountain in shorts and running shoes says it all!
When the parcel arrived on my doorstep – light, flat, and on the small side – I thought it was a pair of socks. Does Columbia make socks? That was my second thought. They do, but who knew you could fit a whole coat in a sock-sized parcel? I was thrilled, ecstatic, jumping for joy… until I tried it on.
The airy fabric of the windbreaker floated over my shoulders, the lightly elasticized cuffs hugged the wrist without pressure, but the sizing was on the slim side. Sadly, I have hips. My daughter was thrilled, ecstatic, jumping for joy. “Besides,” she pleaded, “ you already have a running coat and I don’t.”
I wasn’t ready to give it up. The promise of this windbreaker was its ultra-lightweight pack-ability. It would be ideal for our upcoming spring trip paddling Utah’s Green River and cycling a little slick rock. It would work perfectly for early season training runs (as I write, the grey skies outside are puking freezing rain). It would work well for the winds that have been known to howl from time to time on the east side of the Rockies.
“It would perfect for short hikes,” my seasonally, park-employed daughter wheedled. “I could use it for trail runs getting ready for the half.”
I caved… but not without demanding that she model and let me know how it works on a trail run!
