Early Thanksgiving

**If you look at my blog links you'll see a new link to Lisa Kimmet's blog. Lisa is my niece, and the inspiration for me to start this blog. She is going to take a photo of something for which she is thankful each day during November . I think that is a very cool idea - I often fail to take the time to be mindful in that way. I'll include something similar in my posts throughout the month.

While I love Thanksgiving dinner at least as much as the next person (and pumpkin pie twice as much), I think there are many other ways to celebrate thankfulness for the bounty in our lives.

Yesterday Phil, Jeffrey and I went out to Buffalo Creek for our "last ride of the season" out there. I don't think I've ever been able to ride those trails this late in the year. And I'm ever so thankful we were able to do so yesterday.

On the one hand, I absolutely love the unseasonably warm and dry weather. On the other, I looked around at the destruction from the wild fires that scorched the area several years ago and realized that we really need some moisture. Otherwise there will be another raging fire season.


[If you click on the two photos above to enlarge them, you'll be able to spy Phil and Jeffrey riding through the burn area.]

We rode two sections of trail we hadn't ridden before - a little section of Gashouse Gulch that is super swoopy and twisty and fun - with several washed out areas that could really rise up and smack you in a moment of inattention.
Then we climbed up the Morrison Creek Trail before catching the Colorado Trail to round out our day. The weather was perfect, the trail conditons were excellent (a little bit of moisture to make the dirt tacky and firm up the sandy sections) and the company was outstanding. I am thankful.

So here's a little challenge - what are you thankful for today?