Autumn

Since moving to Colorado I have, for the first time, truly gotten to experience (and appreciate) four (and possibly five) distinct and incredible seasons. My favorite of these, if I did have to choose, would be Autumn. The crystal clear, dry air. The cool air in the mornings and lack of peak heat of the day. The brillant colors of the trees on the plains as well as the mountains. Getting our first dose of the color up high in the mountains early in September and having those last thru to early October. The Elk Mountains at this time of year are an incredible sight to behold. The aspen groves are expansive and when they turn to a brilliant electric yellow and one has the chance to view them in the fading light of the evening with a blue bird sky above, it is awe inspiring. To stand in the Slate River Valley in Crested Butte and look up at dry brown fields, yellow aspens, green spruce and firs, snow capped mountains and crystal clear blue skies. Once the colors have reached their peak in the mountains and begun to fade it's time for the multitude of trees in the cities on the plains to burst out. The maples, cottonwoods and ash. These start early in October and even now in the middle of November as I sit here composing this and looking out the window there still are trees full of crisp yellow leaves.

But it's not just the sights of autumn that have me so in love with this season. The dry air, the lack of smoking afternoon heat, the cooler mornings, no more afternoon thunderstorm threats. These all lead to perfect opportunities for great trail running, mountain climbing, track workouts, rides high into the foothills, tours of the local single track atop the fat tire. And always, always, with that glorious autumn sunshine beaming down upon you through deep blue skies.

But just as the daylight wanes, so do the colors and before too long autumn has turned to fall. The days are cold and the leaves gone, but the snow is not here just yet. And just when we are getting sick of the dreary landscape we again transition to yet another season, with white all about and in between the occasional storm the ever present blue sky and glorious sun above.