Journal #6-ACL

About a month ago, I traveled to Austin, Texas for the annual Austin City Limits Music Festival, a three-day long event. While not your traditional nature experience, the event took place entirely outside and gave me a new appreciation for the outdoors.

Zilker Park (photo courtesy of Pinterest)

ACL is held at Zilker Park, Austin’s most famous outdoor space. Zilker is located in the heart of the city, on the edge of Town Lake. It is surprising to see such a large natural space in the middle of an extremely urban environment. The park consists mostly of an expansive grassy field., with a few scattered trees and rocky slopes. On any average day, the park is bursting with life. People and dogs run free at Zilker, as it is the only place in Austin where leash laws do not apply. The people in Austin love taking advantage of the outdoors, from kayaking on Lady Bird Lake to sun-bathing in the middle of Zilker. This spirit is what makes ACL such a success in Austin. Three days basking in the sun and listening to great music? It almost perfectly embodies the culture of the city, the live music capital of the world.

This was my second time at ACL, having also attended in 2015. From this first experience, I mostly remembered the heat, the music, and the amazing atmosphere. This year certainly lived up to the past. On the first day, my friends and I walked in the gates and were greeted by thousands of people and the sounds of so many great songs. From that first moment, I was so excited to experience the festival all over again.

For the next three days, I spent 12 hours a day outside. From noon to midnight, I experience all the ups and downs of the weather, from the blazing sun to the chill of the evening. I stood, sat, and jumped on the grass. I lived and breathed the outdoors.  

ACL is always one of my favorite experiences of the year. It makes me appreciate the outdoors and those who maintain our parks. Without their tireless effort, we would not have the ability to go to festivals like ACL and experience such community events. I believe government funds for our parks are extremely important and need to be protected.

My friends and I on the last day of ACL!

Journal #5: The Long Road Home

This past weekend, I spent 12 hours driving from northern Colorado to Fort Worth, Texas to finish out the last semester of my college career. While not the typical nature experience, I did find myself interacting with nature quite a bit on this journey. When you’re alone in the car for 12 hours, you can’t help but notice your surroundings. It also helps that for a good portion of this drive there is no cell phone service available. Free from most distractions, I was able to absorb the natural scenery on my multi-state tour.

I have completed this drive, in both directions, a multitude of times. I have driven these roads in the dead of winter, when the temperature changed about 20 degrees in between rest stops and states.  I have driven these roads in the peak of summer, when the pavement radiated heat and the earth begged for moisture. Arguably, the best part of this drive is the constantly-changing scenery, as even the most mundane of landmarks change with the years and seasons.

My route

There are several routes from Colorado to Texas, each offering different views and cultures. I have driven through the hills of New Mexico, sticking to backgrounds and witnessing colorful canyons and perplexing rock structures. I have driven through the fields of Kansas, viewing miles of plains and highway with little of humanity’s touch. This journey I decide to weave my way through southern Colorado, skirt through Oklahoma, and finish the bulk of the drive in Texas.

This route weaves through the tiniest of towns, some scarcely populated, some mere reduced to mere remnants of the past. The majority of the route offers a view of wide open farm land, with little disturbance by civilization. The most striking thing about this view is the sky. It seems to go on forever, in a giant stretch of brilliant blue. On this day, with temperate weather and plenty of sunshine, the sky was at its finest. It was the most perfect of blues, emulating the exact notion of “sky blue”. Save for few wispy clouds dotting the horizon, the sky was uninterrupted. Its vastness both humbled and relaxed me. When the sun set, the sky erupted in beautiful pinks and oranges, bidding farewell to my day on the road.

Road trips are one of my favorite activities. They allow us to break free of normal comforts, to experience life in a smaller space with mostly our own thoughts. This trip allowed me to appreciate the beauty of nature, even in places that are often seen as wholly mundane. I was able to see the sky in all its brilliance, from sunrise to sunset. I was also able to appreciate the vastness of the farm fields, filled with a variety of plants, from pumpkins to cotton. This experience provided me a glimpse into a life I so often forget, right in the middle of America.   

A piece of Highway 287 in southern Colorado 

Journal #4: Fall Break Adventures in Colorado

Over the short semester recess, I had the opportunity to travel to Colorado and experience nature in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains. I have lived in northern Colorado for almost my entire life, save for a few years in Texas on the bookends. My deep appreciation for nature finds its roots in Colorado. The breathtaking mountain views, plentiful sunshine, and endless blue skies make going outside not just an option, but a necessity. There is a bounty of truth in the common reference to Colorado as “God’s country”.

I was excited to return to Colorado in mid-October, as the state was experiencing the peak of its Fall season. The view from the airplane revealed dots of brilliant yellows and oranges among the vibrant green of the state’s classis evergreens. As I drove home, I specifically noticed the bright reds of the maple leaves, perhaps the most breathtaking change of the Fall. The mountains in the distance were snow-capped, marking the most dramatic shift from summer to winter. The air also had a crisp bite to it, a long cry from the sweet taste of the summer heat. The season change brings excitement and a sense of profound newness to the entire area.

My trip to Colorado included two direct interactions with nature. The first was a drive up a winding mountain road to a popular lookout above Boulder. This was a spontaneous solo trip. While the weather was warm, I  did notice small mounds of snow from a recent storm in the shade of the trees. At the top of the mountain, I climbed out of the car and over a small stretch of rocky terrain to reach my final destination. The wind was strong and cold from the higher elevation, but the sun provided a welcoming warmth. The view, as always, was spectacular. The long valley that stretched before me reminded me of just how small I really am. Nature has a funny way of grounding us, reminding us that we are simply one piece of this big, beautiful world. I have included a picture of this lookout that I snapped a few years ago. 

                     

Flagstaff Mountain 

My second interaction with nature was much more extensive. On my final day in Colorado, my dad and I drove to Rocky Mountain National Park. We then embarked on a five-mile hike to Alberta Falls. The hike, which I have completed before, winds through the forest, culminating in a grand waterfall. The weather was quite pleasant for mid-October. As I hiked, I noticed various aspects of the nature in my surroundings. I remember hearing the rush of the falls long before I could see it, a reminder of the great strength of nature. I also remember seeing a variety of animals, including deer, blue jays, and chipmunks. At the end of the hike, we even heard the roar of a bear somewhere in the mountains. This hike gave me a chance to note the intricate details of the natural surroundings, deepening my appreciation.

Alberta Falls