COLORADO JOURNEY
This 3rd episode of our National Park trip continues in Cortez, near Mesa Verde, and we travel to Montrose and the black Canyon of Gunnison. Next stop, after a surprising drive, is Crested Butte. In Winter a ski resort, in summer a mountain biker’s paradise.
Please go to thewalkingpoet.net and the Season 2 webpage to see photos.
SUPRISE
Elvis lives In Cortez
Room 1950 in the Retro Motel
Corn Tamale breakfast
gets us ready
for our Mesa Verde experience.
Rolling out of Cortez
leaving Elvis
with our memories
of an era and music
that kept us rocking.
BLACK CANYON:
DRAGON POINT SUNRISE
It started 2 billion years ago
it almost ended 30 millions ago
Now I sit on top
8,000 feet
the rock sculpture complete
Now the flora and fauna add
their work and presence.
The sun rose gently painting
the sky and then cliff walls
then slowly reveals the river
winding 2,000 feet below.
I sit alone at Dragon Point
feeling the presence of the ancient junipers,
gnarled twisted and solid
trees alive when Shakespeare
wrote his sonnets.
They have witnessed
centuries of sunrises.
As I start to unwrap my food
A loud buzzing approaches
out of the corner of my eye
the humming bird hovers
attracted by my colorful scarf.
Moments later chipmunk
holds his breakfast
in his little paws
as I dig into my granola.
Looking around
there is a trio
white throated swifts
preening themselves
under the setting moon
looking down
there are pastel rainbows
lichen and mosses
framed by flowers
white yarrow
yellow phyllaries
surrounded by flowering
prickly pear.
Still, silent
enjoying these gifts,
As a texas drawl
says good morning.
I welcome the human
into this perfect place
knowing that now is my time
to move on
with gratitude for these early hours
well spent.
MONTROSE COUNTY FAIR
Did I know
pigs could be so pretty
black and pink stripes
and comfy pillows
for the boys head,
and they kiss each other
through the cage bars.
Did I know
sheep smile
as their coat is trimmed,
brushed and air blown.
Did I know
perfect pure white geese
snuggle together,
while showy cocks
display spectacular crowns.
The highlight
the kids tractor pull.
with painted faces
and cowboy hats
watched by stands of
adoring grand parents.
Hard as they try
those pedals are stiff.
The little trailer seems
awfully heavy.
only a few make it move,
still they all get applause
and a gift.
Good training for the life of a farmer
I’m sure.
ELK LOOP
In less than 100 miles,
Through Delta town
The gateway to Rockies
A surprise collection of rusting artifacts
homage to internal combustion
Public graveyard of metal bodies
the borders of black eyed susans
then undulating folds of muddy hills
reminiscent of the Badlands
approaching Hotchkiss
Here the dancing elephants
watched over by Buddha
and the sad sign
Monks visit cancelled because of covid.
Through Paonia
over the North Fork
of the gunnison river
and the curious prairie dog
calls to me.
Onto County Road 12
A winding dirt road
spectacular snowy mountain views
changing forests of spruce and pine
giving way to colorful meadows
and straight silver Aspens
under the rocky mountains.
Every 10 miles some blacktop
raising hopes for a smoother ride
that evaporate moments later.
The final stretch into
Crested Butte’s Main Street.
where the trees have been reincarnated
as colorfully Painted houses,
Open for business.
©MartinStrasmore2021
