30 September, 2001 - 19:19 MDT

THE WONDERING JEW

Fall Celebration

September had two meanings to me as a child. One was the start of school and the other was just about the last trip in the mountains of the year for most of us. Barring skiing that is.

It became almost a religious revelation to enjoy the privilege of a trip to the mountains to see their soul elevating glory.

About mid September plus or minus a few days is the time to go up to see the Aspen trees in their magnificence. The trees that have enchanted me since I was a little boy, the one whose leaves tremble and wiggle for no apparent reason, the trees that have the beautiful white bark.

I think that one would almost have to attend the show to appreciate it. Aspens are a gregarious bunch, hanging together usually without evergreens intruding. I heard once that such things are one living organism. Whatever, they are close mouthed and standoffish in able for mere humans to bask in the glory of Quaking Aspen groves in the fall.

These groves spread themselves like bedspreads in places, or like scarves worn proudly. On a hillside a grove of those trees spreads a carpet of gold for man to see, brilliant in itself. But the sun back lighting their leaves illuminates my heart with pure joy of life, seems as if the sun shining thrugh the leaves lights my whole life with worship of their maker.

This clannish life-force can be found most anywhere in the mountains, above a certain level and not quite up to timberline, clustered sometimes in the little valleys, sometimes climbing hillsides but they make me exuberant where e're I see them in the fall.

This time we felt we could make a day of it, away from town and worries, just the two of us. I have a book in our glove compartment to read as Heather drives, soon after we left our apartment complex I had my nose in it, but before I submerged totally Heather and I began this conversation which at one time or another covered all things. Pleasant, gentle talk of good things and people, memories of good times gone by.

It was a mundane drive from Denver to Golden but soon after, we started up into Golden Gate Canyon State Park. Soon Aspen trees began to appear as we went upwards. They were spotty though and not massed as we like to see them. We intersected Colorado 119, the Peak to Peak highway, as near as I can figure it means from Mount Evans on the South to Long's Peak on the north. Its altitude is considerably higher than Denver the whole way.

We turned north heading for Estes Park. Disappointingly many Aspen trees had shed leaves already however not all leaves had been touched by frost and would glimmer and shimmer through the evergreens in a come-hither way. We did see plenty of Aspens in their full panoply as we northed to Estes Park. We ate lunch in a rustic apparently falling down building from the old days (a former general store) and had the greatest mushroom soup I have ever eaten, stuffed mushrooms also flavorful, a huge serving of steak fries, done to just the right crispness on the outside to the tender potato on the inside.

After a burp or two we again went on our pleasure cruise. We eventually started down hill into Estes Park which to my way of thinking is the best park in the country, at least in Colorado. As we went down the Aspens not yet touched by Jack's frigid fingers shone again, lighting our way into a tourist town completely full of mostly out of staters. We did see a Colorado plate once in a while. Long waits in traffic to move just a few feet. Heather and I quickly ziggied off to the right and in and up to a bakery/cafe in a shopping center we knew from the past. Coffee and a sweet and we were headed down along the Big Thompson River toward Loveland. For quite a spell of time we were treated to the grand show before we descended below their habitat.

We had spent most of the day enjoying the crisp air, beautiful mountains and superb display of Fall celebration of high country. The short time left of daylight we used coming into Denver having avoided I-25 and its jammed, claustrophobic togetherness and came back down US 287 on a good pavement, in sensible laid back traffic to a comfortable evening spent lounging and recreating the day just spent in our heads.

We had greatly enjoyed, once again the full Fall Celebration . . . . . . .

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