Daniel E Wolf
Today’s hike on the Winston K Walker loop from O’Fallon Park near Kittredge was long on scenic beauty, but unlike yesterday’s hike – see here – it was short on outhouses. There is one at the trailhead, but if you miss it, you’ll be out of luck on the backside. Word to the wise: Be prepared. Also, south-facing slopes have muddy trails, while north-facing ones are icy, so be sure to bring your spikes!
Today’s hike on Rampart Range Road ten miles west of Sedalia on the way to Deckers features a snow-packed track, giant house-sized boulders, stunning vistas looking east, and a super-deluxe crapper with all the comforts of home.
Today’s hike features the Slocum Cabin tucked behind a ranger station on the south shore of Chatfield Reservoir. Today was a beautiful sunny 60-degree day outside, perfect for NOT watching Taylor Swift’s Chiefs beat out Lamar Jackson’s Ravens for the AFC Super Bowl nod. If you stayed indoors for that, too bad for you.
Slocum Cabin, built along the South Platte in 1852, stands as a testament to the 19th century fur trade. It is recognized as one of the oldest structures in the Denver area.
Featuring 2 doors, 2 windows, hand-hewn joints, a sod roof, and a stone fireplace, this 10×12 space accommodated 5 people. That’s right, you heard me: Five. The Slocums were trappers, and their rustic cabin predated Chatfield Reservoir by over a century.
With no big screen TV, my guess is that on cold winter days they gathered round the hearth and played Parcheesi rather than watching the NFL playoffs – but that’s just a guess. My other guess is that if they were smart, they spent their summer days as far apart as possible in the great out-of-doors. That’s where I’d be. In fact, that’s where I WAS today, even though it’s still January – go figure. And thank G*d for the fur trade. Also, for global warming.
Normally I’d wait another year to make it an even hundred, but what the heck. Happy posthumous 99th today to Flying W Ranch founder Russ Wolfe. He was born on Jan. 25, 1925 and passed away a few years back in 2019. A Gazette remembrance is here.
Russ used to take potshots at me with his shotgun when I’d cut across his property from Mountain Shadows to access trails on National Forest land to the west. He was never a particularly big a**hole about it, but being an old school kinda guy, he just felt it was his natural God-given right as a landowner to do so. No hard feelings, Russ. Either you were a lousy shot or maybe your heart was never really in scoring a direct hit. Heaven only knows.
Also, congrats on the post-Waldo-Canyon fire reopening of the family’s Chuckwagon Supper and Flying W Wrangler entertainment biz on the ranch. That was always a colorful part of the fabric of the Colorado Springs community. Potshots or not, I’m glad it’s back.
A mnemonic ode to January by Brian Bilston. And remember, it’ll be February before you know it. For all the good it’ll do ya.
Other ideas:
All things considered, hiking seems the most prudent course of action for a retirement plan. I mean, c’mon: What am I supposed to do for the next couple of decades, golf? Yeah, right.
Here is one for all my snow bird friends who headed south for the winter, or even for the rest of their lives.
Remember, no matter whether it’s sub-zero or balmy outside, everything’s gonna be alright. Well, just as long as you keep your sense of humor and your sense of direction that is.
On this bitter cold January day, the WOTD is ‘apropos.” It means “very appropriate to a particular situation.” From Merriam-Webster:
Apropos wears its ancestry like a badge — or a beret. From the French phrase à propos, meaning “to the purpose,” the word’s emphasis lands on its last syllable, which ends in a silent “s”: \ap-ruh-POH.
Found this one on FB. I am not exactly sure why the image seems to fit so well with the quote; but somehow, it does.
“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.”
