nearly made it

almost spring I think, nearly survived another winter. Yesterday it was warm for Colorado values of warm, and sunny, though today a foot of snow is in the forecast. Running from the office out to the Highline Canal trail, it occurred to me that I could take that trail over to Waterton Canyon, the canyon trail up to the Colorado Trail, and thence to Durango 500 miles later. A camelbak, some energy bars, bivy sack and a credit card is all I'd need. That, and a couple of weeks off work; oh well maybe in my next lifetime. 

Started the run in a long-sleeve shirt which quickly became too hot in 50 some degrees. Highlands Ranch is one of the breeding grounds of America, so I usually encounter moms and children on lunchtime runs. It's also a Republican stronghold, with the accompanying broad but narrowminded Puritan streak running through it. Many of the children are astonished to see a shirtless man. The best comment was from some little mite barely as high as my knee, "mommy why is that man naked ?" I'm not naked, I have running shoes on. And a perfectly decent pair of shorts.. Today it was "mommy where's his shirt ?". Most of the moms smile pleasantly, others give that PTA-GT-Mom rictus which means they're inwardly planning your ritual disembowelment. 

Now that we have the Romneycare health care bill on its way, perhaps the country can be dragged kicking and screaming into the century of the fruitbat. As Kieran Healy tweeted, "Hello America! Germany says, Welcome to 1883! The UK says, Welcome to 1911! France says, Welcome to 1930!"

It's also a good time for a redefinition of hope, 

Hope is a state of mind, not of the world. Hope, in this deep and

powerful sense, is not the same as joy that things are going well, or

willingness to invest in enterprises that are obviously heading for

success, but rather an ability to work for something because it is

good. 

Vaclav Havel 

which echoes President Obama in his extempore speech to the Democratic caucus, quoting Lincoln: "I’m not bound to succeed, but I’m bound to live up to what light I have.”

May it continue.