As It Should Be
The originating idea, the muse, the thought, the purpose, the endeavor, the deed just does not always go to plan, in fact if I am thinking big enough, it likely never goes to plan, but always goes as it should, the question is can I change my energy to ride along and let the magic of the universe happen, you know, go with the flow…
This is a story about altitude sickness and ultimately going with the flow.
Having hit the gravel and dirt roads, which crisscross the great expanses of high deserts all across the American west, running through open cattle ranges, and sage brush flats, I know I am getting near the end of my long trek. Earlier, I had left the valley and made the hour drive through the checkerboard of private and BLM land into the Medicine Bow National Forest, the elevation increased steady to 8500 feet above sea level at my base camp, tired but full of energy, ready to tackle mountains and elk, it was late afternoon, I prepped camped, made dinner and got to bed early.
I had driven 1500 miles over the two and a half days, including a detour to The Black Hills, during which time I had gained 8000 feet in elevation, as of recent months, I have been a card carrying flatlander, I was exhausted and probably a little dehydrated too.
The headache, migraine like, deep, felt like my whole brain was throbbing, woke me sometime around midnight, I slept intermittently though the rest of the night, the knowledge and impact of altitude sickness on my trip is streaming through my conscious thoughts. Headache, slight nausea, and a fatigue of extreme and unusual sort, was my condition when the sun rose. This was not my first bout with altitude sickness, but never anything like this, I did the only thing a person can do, dropped elevation and waited for symptoms to subside, which fortunately turned out to be just down in the valley floor and a matter of hours for the crippling headache and nausea to become only an afterthought, unlike the fatigue which lingered for days.
Altitude sickness can ruin trips, in my case I pushed through the fatigue as best I could but for all purposes, I lost 4 days. I was in elk, but physically I struggled to get into position quickly enough, a little luck never hurts either, which never materialized, a most humbling mountain adventure. Always grateful for the experience, I welcome and appreciate being humbled on occasion, in fact this opportunity to struggle presented me with a whole new picture of clarity that will now become part of my new story going forward.
Only a few hours from Rocky Mountain National Park and still on my yet to visit mental checklist of places, I rolled for the park a day before I needed to head back to Indiana. Turned out to be the trip of the trip, shot hundreds of photos in September snow, witnessed a magnificent sunset, took photos of a beautiful women, met Sampson Bear, and scarfed some tasty food with an out of this world avocado margarita from at Ed’s Cantina in Estes Park.
These days success is any number of the infinite possible outcomes, staying open to any outcome, just riding the energy of the universe, as it should be.
What a ride!
