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"The days are just packed!"
Jul. 31st, 2008 10:11 pmI've just gotten back from a week in Colorado. After being picked up in Denver by the Uchideshi, we had a series of road trips. The overall theme was excellent food, and lots of amazing fresh pies. Lots of good conversations on road trips. *smile* Despite my eating everything I was served, I still lost four pounds. There were dinners at Domo, the restaurant attached to the dojo where the Uchideshi trains, and they were the best Japanese food I've ever tasted.
We spent a day at the Royal Gorge campground, and visited the Museum of Colorado Prisons (a well done series of exhibits - I'd never seen a lethal gas chamber before, and the collection of contraband and disciplinary paraphernalia was quite informative and educational). We toured the local restaurants, and ate decadently at the main Street Grill in Florence, CO, and ate breakfast at a place where they understand bacon.
The next day, after the above-mentioned breakfast, we rafted the Arkansas River, a 20-mile stretch of Class III and IV rapids. We went swimming in a place where you climb on to a rock, take a running step and throw yourself into the rapids. All went well the first time, but the second time I got caught in an undertow, and ended up about fifty yards downstream the river from where I planned, the guides running after me with a rope. Nothing like fear to give you great clarity, but I managed to save myself and stay calm. We saw bighorn sheep, and deer, and amazing scenery. I managed to stay in the boat, keep my paddle, and rescued the boy ahead of me before he levitated out of the boat. The Uchideshi got a full save of someone who actually fell out.
After ice cream, we road tripped to the Great Sand Dunes of Colorado, finding a restaurant where we actually ate three successive meals (and three successive pies, one so fresh we had to convince the waitress to serve it, as it was still so hot from the oven) instead of eating camping food. The next morning, we climbed the sand dunes to the summit to about 8800 feet (not bad for a man used to sea level) for an incredible view and for an incredible training experience of climbing a high angle on sand.
Then, another road trip back to Denver for a hotel at a conference where I was introduced to many amazing people that I've read and known by reputation, and some I'd met before. The Uchideshi and I were lucky to be able to train at her dojo, where Homma Sensei, the last Uchideshi of O-Sensei, was teaching. Unfortunately, I hurt my neck during an advanced technique from a Godan, but I was able to finish the class, and even attend another (an introductory class of kenjutsu) after a day's rest. My neck injury eliminated the chance of a kumite ritual between the Uchideshi and I during the conference, but there was still good ritual, with new friends holding space while the Uchideshi took the wall, well and honorably. There was other ritual with the Uchideshi and I with another, after a nap, with a new sweet blade.
Then back to Bailey, CO, for hikes, food, rest, and a good trail run with fresh bear presence. The trail run, however, was just enough for a touch of altitude sickness - a good experience to have and learn the symptoms (Bailey is also above 8000 feet, and one needs time to acclimatize before hard running- lesson learned!)
An amazing week, full of good food and incredible scenery, with physical demands and incredible cross training - and a week with the Uchideshi, who understands me on levels the majority of the world never will. I'm honored and blessed to have her in my life.
We spent a day at the Royal Gorge campground, and visited the Museum of Colorado Prisons (a well done series of exhibits - I'd never seen a lethal gas chamber before, and the collection of contraband and disciplinary paraphernalia was quite informative and educational). We toured the local restaurants, and ate decadently at the main Street Grill in Florence, CO, and ate breakfast at a place where they understand bacon.
The next day, after the above-mentioned breakfast, we rafted the Arkansas River, a 20-mile stretch of Class III and IV rapids. We went swimming in a place where you climb on to a rock, take a running step and throw yourself into the rapids. All went well the first time, but the second time I got caught in an undertow, and ended up about fifty yards downstream the river from where I planned, the guides running after me with a rope. Nothing like fear to give you great clarity, but I managed to save myself and stay calm. We saw bighorn sheep, and deer, and amazing scenery. I managed to stay in the boat, keep my paddle, and rescued the boy ahead of me before he levitated out of the boat. The Uchideshi got a full save of someone who actually fell out.
After ice cream, we road tripped to the Great Sand Dunes of Colorado, finding a restaurant where we actually ate three successive meals (and three successive pies, one so fresh we had to convince the waitress to serve it, as it was still so hot from the oven) instead of eating camping food. The next morning, we climbed the sand dunes to the summit to about 8800 feet (not bad for a man used to sea level) for an incredible view and for an incredible training experience of climbing a high angle on sand.
Then, another road trip back to Denver for a hotel at a conference where I was introduced to many amazing people that I've read and known by reputation, and some I'd met before. The Uchideshi and I were lucky to be able to train at her dojo, where Homma Sensei, the last Uchideshi of O-Sensei, was teaching. Unfortunately, I hurt my neck during an advanced technique from a Godan, but I was able to finish the class, and even attend another (an introductory class of kenjutsu) after a day's rest. My neck injury eliminated the chance of a kumite ritual between the Uchideshi and I during the conference, but there was still good ritual, with new friends holding space while the Uchideshi took the wall, well and honorably. There was other ritual with the Uchideshi and I with another, after a nap, with a new sweet blade.
Then back to Bailey, CO, for hikes, food, rest, and a good trail run with fresh bear presence. The trail run, however, was just enough for a touch of altitude sickness - a good experience to have and learn the symptoms (Bailey is also above 8000 feet, and one needs time to acclimatize before hard running- lesson learned!)
An amazing week, full of good food and incredible scenery, with physical demands and incredible cross training - and a week with the Uchideshi, who understands me on levels the majority of the world never will. I'm honored and blessed to have her in my life.
