Heart on Fire in the Devil's Playground

 

I can't promise a full wall of text about this topic, but I will share some thoughts and some pretty pictures with you.

I had a few hours to kill one night in the Springs. I didn't want to go.shopping, and I wanted to do something mountainy.

I've been to Pikes Peak before when I was little. Like, maybe 5 years old. Why not go again? I just got new tires on my car, my battery is brand spanking new, and I am an excellent driver. 

Also, that was a very bad decision on my part. 

I did not make it to the summit, and I am not sorry about it. I made it to the Devil's Playground, which is mile 16 of the 19 mile journey. The elevation of that point is not easily Google-able, as I spent about five seconds trying to figure it out, but let's just say that it's between 12,000 and 13,000 feet.

It occurred to me driving up this damn mountain that although my tires are brand new, they are from a store that rhymes with smallmart. And when sheer death is a few inches away on the right side of me, I thought that maybe entrusting my life to smallmart maybe wasn't the best decision I've ever made. 

I do stupid things on vacation all the time. Parasailing, a private plane tour over New Orleans, swimming in an underground cave in Mexico. 

I can officially add attempting Pikes Peak to that list. 

And I'm never doing it again.

Never never never.

Also, I would be the worst person in the world to travel with. I can't tell you what I can tolerate and what I can't tolerate, danger-wise, until I'm there in person and I can feel the vibe of the place.

And it turns out that my tipping point is a place called Devil's Playground.

Not today, Satan.  

Not today. 

And not ever again. 

I took that screen shot of the sing that I was listening to when I officially made the decision to chicken out. I was listening to Eric Church's Heart on Fire, BECAUSE MY HEART WAS LITERALLY ON FIRE.

The only other thing I will add is that it was 100 degrees in town that day. When I turned around, it was 54 degrees. 

Rolling down my windows and getting that sweet mountain air is about the only good thing that came from that trip. 

I went to a craft store awards, because dammit, I deserved it. 

Hallelujah

If I remember right, the story goes something like this:

My favorite musician started his tour off with the song 'Hallelujah' because after a performance at Red Rocks, he listened to that song under the stars long after fans had left his concert that night.

I thought about that moment he had in that particular place. I visited that particular state this week, and I cannot possibly describe how beautiful it is.

At one point along the drive up the mountain in Colorado, I pulled off to the side of the road, got out of the car, and stood at the edge of the road.

My mouth dropped in awe.

I thought of how I could describe the scenery to someone who has never seen it before. I thought about that the entire trip. If someone never makes it to this particular place, how could I explain it to them? What words could I use?

I decided I cannot explain it. I can't explain how it feels to breathe in mountain air, or how it feels to put your hands in a cold mountain stream.

I don't know how to describe how it feels to be in untouched scenery in a world where we communicate, oftentimes not very well and not very nice, through a screen.

Some days and some moments are perfect.

I took photos, but they still don't show the beauty that I saw.

The only word I can think of to describe this place: Hallelujah.

Well I've heard there was a secret chord
That David played and it pleased the Lord
But you don't really care for music, do you?
Well it goes like this:
The fourth, the fifth, the minor fall and the major lift
The baffled king composing Hallelujah

Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah

Well your faith was strong but you needed proof
You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew ya
She tied you to her kitchen chair
And she broke your throne and she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah

Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah

But baby I've been here before
I've seen this room and I've walked this floor
You know, I used to live alone before I knew ya
And I've seen your flag on the marble arch
And love is not a victory march
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah

Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah

Well there was a time when you let me know
What's really going on below
But now you never show that to me do ya
But remember when I moved in you
And the holy dove was moving too
And every breath we drew was Hallelujah

Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah

Maybe there's a God above
But all I've ever learned from love
Was how to shoot somebody who outdrew ya

And it's not a cry that you hear at night
It's not somebody who's seen the light
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah

Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah

Hallelujah