Fall                                                                                             Closing Moon

The money has been wired. The settlement sheets are final. The power of attorney is in the car. Tomorrow I drive to Conifer to finish off the house search with the closing.

Tonight I’m in a Best Western in Lakewood, very close to 285, the main route up to Conifer. A night in Denver helps with acclimatization or so the high altitude docs say. This is a very interesting place because the lobby has dinosaur fossils, big ones, all over. A triceratops skull, a huge femur, some kind of aquasauras in plaster behind the reception desk. There’s a dinosaur focused national site somewhere near here.

When I drove into Colorado, I felt different. Not like coming home, not yet, but a sort of newcomer thrill, distinct from that of a visitor. Then, when I saw the mountains in the far distance while still a long way from Denver, it hit me that I would be living up there, somewhere. My sense of direction is not good enough yet to pick out Conifer, but that will come.

Tomorrow night will be my first night in the new house. Wow. I have some trepidation, little furniture and no internet, it passes through me, what will I do? It’s like a first date. What will we talk about? I’m sure it will be fine. Maybe.

I can’t publish these because some gremlin I can’t eject has narrowed my screen, slicing off the right section where the publish button is, but WordPress automatically saves drafts. Once I get this fixed, I’ll post all of these at once.

Kate has scheduled the movers. They will pack December 15 and 16th, the load on 17 and 18.  We will load the cargo van (a rental) and the Rav4 and take off, probably on the 18th. The dogs will be in a kennel beginning Monday. Gertie would bite the movers and the rest would definitely be in the way.

One of the painting crews has come and made a bid, the second one comes on Monday. Meanwhile I’ll have the fencing guys and the Geek Squad. I’m going to have them help me set up the wireless in the house, then link it to the study over the garage. I know from experience that wireless setups are difficult. At least for me.

Move-stupid has been a useful idea, describing a lot of what’s happening. In the zone of the moving process we’re focused and getting things done. Outside of it, sometimes it’s a struggle. I’m much more rested tonight, not aching like I was last night. The closing isn’t until 11 which gives me time to sleep in, shower, get up to Conifer for breakfast.

Fall                                                                                   Closing Moon

Leaving Mahoney State Park when I finish this. Tonight the Lakewood Best Western the on to Conifer, Guardian Title on Friday.

The day is clear and bright, cool. I’m still in the humid east, the over 20″ a year rainfall region, but I’m close to its edge. After that, the arid West.

I’m excited about the closing, the house, getting the fence set up. This is my second trip to Colorado this month, both related to Black Mountain Drive, both necessary.

A little weary this morning since my left hip has started to ache as the drive goes long, leaving the end of the day a bit more exhausting than normal.

Fall                                                                                            Closing Moon

Here at Mahoning State Park lodge again. This may be the 7th or 8th time I’ve stopped here. It’s inexpensive, has a great view of the Platte, especially from its glass-walled restaurant. The park is also over half way to Denver, or, in this instance, Conifer.

Realized as I drove out of the Cities today that this was the first trip to Colorado not focused on visiting a child or grandchildren. This gives the trip a different tonality. It made reading the Minnesota state line marker a very different experience. “Thanks for visiting Minnesota.”

I am leaving Minnesota, but not being a Minnesotan. Minnesota brought out the best in me, allowed me to grow into the man I could become. In that most important sense I will always identify myself as a Minnesotan. And that’s no surprise. Of 67 years I’ve spent 45+ as a resident.

When I left Indiana, I moved intentionally north, influenced by aspects of Jack London’s work that left me seeking pine trees, lakes and four distinct seasons. I found all that and much more.

Now I’m moving west, influenced by my children and their choices, yes, but also by the essence of London’s vision, that the natural world calls us to our best selves. The Rocky Mountains and their bulk, their varying eco-systems, the wildness of them draw me now just as those pine trees and lakes did over 45 years ago.

Till tomorrow morning.