From Gunnison to Crested Butte, Colorado: Trust, Coyotes, and Simple Joys

Since I write to only one person, myself, I feel I need to start this post from the present moment as I sit in the local library of Ramsey, NJ. It is Friday, October 3. I just picked up my minivan from my mechanic, whom I trust fully. I was certain I would end up needing new brakes or repairs after all the dirt roads and mountain passes I traveled this year. But Dan assured me that my car is in excellent condition, partly thanks to the all-season tires he installed last year and my regular oil changes. Wow, what a pleasant surprise—I am so glad I was wrong! :)

I arrived back home on Monday afternoon, exhausted after four days of non-stop driving (only to sleep). I will write about it as I build my posts in chronological order, as I like to do.

I have a few more doctor's appointments to attend to, but I don't expect anything to rock my boat.

My calendar is joyfully full of getting together with my dear friends. I do hope to be able to find the time to hike and bike on old and beloved trails that I called home for more than 30 years.

Now, let me refer back to my recording notes to help me write about what happened next after leaving the North Rim of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.

It is Saturday, September 20, and my parking reservation at Maroon Bells is for Tuesday early morning. I prefer to avoid traveling on weekends if possible. At this point, I am about 6 hours away from Aspen, so I can take my time until Monday to travel to my campsite near Aspen.

The next town from the North Rim is Gunnison, only 2 hours away by driving through a scenic mountain road. My landscape movie today is gentle, white, fluffy clouds with a soft gray that helps create dimension. The hint of golden aspens climbing up the mountains gets me excited for what's to come.

My plan is to sit in the local library for a while and catch up on my writing, and I also need to make a quick stop at the grocery store. I would love to find a place to take a shower if that's possible.

For a small town, Gunnison turns out to be full of resources.

The Community Center is open until 8:00, which provides me with a place to take a shower and continue my writing after the library closes. It also opened my mind to another source of a safe place to park for the night. That idea came only after I asked the young lady at the front desk if she had any suggestions for parking for the night. I feel relieved, because figuring out where to sleep at night can sometimes be nerve-racking.

Fantastic! What a perfect idea that I need to keep in mind for the future. The local college is right around the corner, with plenty of parking. With an out-of-state license plate, I probably would not attract suspicion.

I find my corner, move to the back of my van, cover my windows, and hop into my bed for a quiet and peaceful night.

I am always open to suggestions of places to explore, which is how I put Crested Butte on my travel map.

I absolutely love the vibe of the little Crested Butte. The main street is lined with old houses that now serve as shops and restaurants. It is truly a charming little town.

I don’t have much patience for strolling the main street; especially with such gorgeous weather. I check AllTrails for local hikes and head to a nearby trail. Colorado's beauty just keeps melting me into a peaceful state of mind... :)

I can’t afford the luxury of a long hike, as I need to make sure I give myself plenty of time to find a place to call home for the night before nightfall. I have plan A—a recommendation from a local, which I always find to be the best—and a soft plan B. I trust his suggestion, especially since I can see the area on Google Maps, though I still worry about the dirt road. Colorado has plenty of BLM land to enjoy, but most of it really requires a 4x4, which I don’t have.

I brace myself as I drive on the bumpy road. Some sections are more challenging than I wish, but I drive slowly with a prayer in my heart.

It is worth it! What a beautiful place to call home. I am surrounded by mountains and cows that roam the grass.

I find a flat spot next to an SUV. I set my chair to relax with my landscape. My neighbor comes over to say hi and introduce himself.

Tom is in his early 70s and still loves traveling in his SUV, chasing the fall foliage.

Tom kindly asks if he can join me. I know you probably think about how I am so easily willing to trust strangers, especially men. The last three years have sharpened my ability to sense the energy of other people. I have learned to trust my gut feeling and to let it guide me. I might one day make a wrong choice, but first, I want to come from a place where I believe we are all kind people just looking for connections.

Tom is fascinated by my choice to be a nomad and eager to hear and learn from my experiences. It is interesting for me to hear his perspective as a man traveling in his car, as I rarely meet men who are traveling by themselves.

We sit for two hours until the cold chases us back to our cars...

Ouch! It’s another frigid night…

I couldn’t ask for a better alarm clock than the cow next to my car, mooing good morning to me. Those are the little moments that bring simple joy to my existence.

The early morning light on the mountains around me warms my heart as I hold my cold coffee in my cold hand. No worries, my coffee still tastes delicious. Especially when my background noise is the howling of a pack of coyotes in the distance. I laughed at myself, remembering how three years ago that sound terrified me, and how today it feels like music to my ears. Progress for sure!

Time to pack and head out to Aspen…