Time to Jet

In January 2020, I was offered a position teaching Social Studies at an international school in Kuwait. I had it all dialed in. April rolled around and I closed down shop in Buena Vista and my old school. Time to prep for a summer living out of the 4runner before shipping out. Garage sale on North Pleasant Avenue.

Fortunately, I had enough time to bag one more peak. Missouri Mountain (14,067 ft.) proved to be one of the most enjoyable places to hike. There are few places like Colorado. There is a seemingly mystical force that permeates the area. It is almost addicting. Check that- it is addicting. The fresh air. Trees. Breweries. Grungy, open-minded people. With the exception of the Front Range, Colorado is a place worth your time.

The plan was to make my way to Oregon (hmmm, deja vu). I had some administrative stuff to take care of before my deployment and I was excited to see family and friends. Like previous trips, I found spots off the roads and in the hills.

June 30 put me in my own backyard, nestled up in the Collegiate Peaks, then a stop in Utah, followed by a remote spot in southeast Oregon along the Oregon Trail (next two photos).

The spot in SE Oregon was pretty great. The next day I ran into some pronghorn on my way out.