I am going to find it for myself...
The morning starts bright and early for me..! I make myself a cup of coffee provided in the room... Look at the maps with a cigarette with anticipation. Another 4-500 miles in front of me through CO - 149, 160, and 550. I take a quick shave, shower, get ready and hit the road on foot to a near by MacDonolds. The morning air is crisp, bordering even cold. I walk with my camera, and capture a couple of scenes for me to remember in years to come how that morning looked.
CO - 149 From Gunnison to South Fork
Leaving Gunnison was fast. Things look so different in the morning compared to the previous evening. The golden hue of the morning sun engulfs the surrounding, and everything looks fresh. The town is still sleepy with a few trucks on the road.
The run of town is fast. In a few minutes I leave the town boundaries, and am on the 50 West. Another observation - things do appear new when you travel in the reverse direction. The road winds along a lake. After 10 miles are so, I see the turn off for CO - 149. A small bridge takes me across the lake to the other bank. I have to immediately pull over, and start on foot with the camera hanging around my neck. The scene promises a beautiful day ahead.
The blue skies of the heavens reflecting on the lake with the sun rays playing magic. I am probably not going to be able to describe the ambiance. The air is getting warmed by the sun, and the air feels fresh. While I can see there is some traffic west bound on CO -50, the entrance to 149 looks desolate with just me standing looking forward to finding whats around that corner.
With reluctance I get close to the steed and start to get ready. I get the IPod ready. Just then a jeep pulls in on the opposite side of the road. And a man and a woman walk out of the car. The woman stands out and breaths deep the fresh air and stretches. The man is busy walking with a camera. We greet each other, and he seems like a local.
He tells me, 'If you are spending so much time admiring here, you are in for a treat! Enjoy the ride...'. I say thanks, and get started with anticipation.
Soon enough, just like the man said, I stop again.
And stop again just in another few minutes.... There is a river flowing by the road side, I pull over, and again remove my helmet and gloves, and don my camera. The waters so blue, the trees so green, the air so crisp - I walk around with a deep sense of relaxation. It seems like I am the only soul around, and I feel one with the surrounding. I cannot help but thank the creator for having made such a beautiful art, and chose me as a witness for the past several days.
The road meanders along side of the river. The silence is filled with the gurgling voices of the million little waves on the river. A few birds unseen fill the gap with their chatters. I stop the music on my IPod, and listen to the nature instead.
Just when I am ready to roll a SUV pulls along my side with lights flashing! There is a man and a woman in the car. The lady greets me with a fresh smile, and so does the guy! They are rangers, and the lady asks me, 'Good Morning! Just checking if everything is OK with you.'. I return the smile and say, 'Just enjoying the place... Took some pictures... And I am perfectly fine. Thanks for stopping!'. The man says 'Sure thing! You take care now!'
I stand there amused.... Most of my experiences with flashing lights have been otherwise. I start to wonder if I dropped into a rabbit hole, and am in a different world now!
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