Summer Solstice

Yesterday was the longest day of the year, and in commemoration, I convinced my friend Josh to wake up at 3 in the morning and go on a sunrise hike with me (he's such a good sport). We drove about an hour out of the city to a place just behind Red Rocks. We parked and commenced our solitary trek, and were not five minutes into our still very dark journey when we saw figures moving in the distance. Not seeing any other cars in the lot, I was quite startled, immediately got scared and shielded myself with Josh, which I'm sure he appreciated as I think he might have been more scared than me. As we slowly crept forward, I braced myself for an attack of either man or beast, but the scene came into focus, and the silhouettes of deer, not the serial killers I had expected, replaced my fears with feelings of foolishness. After taking (or attempting to take) a few pictures that did not turn out because of my lame-o camera and the still too dark setting, we continued onward. The rest of the way was much less eventful, and we settled into a mostly quiet time of reflection. I must admit my thoughts were not where I wanted them to be as they were causing me more agitation than the peace I was seeking, but nonetheless, I did sort through a few things and talked through a few things with Josh, so it wasn't a complete loss. We reached the summit (don't be too impressed, this hike is barely a walk) just before sunrise. It was still pretty dark, so we got to drink in this huge panaromic view with all the sparkling lights of the city and downtown in the distance and the hogbacks of the foothills just below us. Incredible. I love Colorado.

I love the feeling of renewal during a sunrise, it's almost addicting. The stresses of the day are completely gone in those few moments. I feel like no matter the mistakes I've made, this is a new day with every chance for happiness and success. This is the one time that my guilty conscience is completely removed. It's so almost magical and a bit druglike in its effects and addictive qualities.

Anyway, we stayed for awhile watching the horizon change colors, eventually settling on a deep pink right before the sun crested and began its longest journey across the Colorado sky this year. We took a few pictures and made our way back to the car. Such a good time - my thanks to Josh for indulging me (and for being a human shield).