Hello to everybody from the closure of Staff Week here at Sanborn!
I am in a different world. Here in Florissant, in the middle of the mountains with a fantastic view of Pike's Peak due east, I'm surrounded by beauty: bright blue skies, clean white snow, oodles of reddish-brown ponderosa pines, more geological majesty than I can wrap my mind around, horses, cows and baby cows, incredible people who are each individually brilliant in an entirely separate way, calmness ... I love it here!
I am blown away by the level of activity my fellow Staff members engage in. I'm talking up at 6 shoveling off front porches, a 7am hike, breakfast at 8, work projects and training all day, then a bike ride or rock climb or "bouldering" practice (I learned this today from Erin--it means rock climbing without ropes to a height of up to 20 feet. We have what I'm calling a Bouldering Barn with climbing walls all around), then dinner and Rock Band (yes, Johnny has the whole system set up in his cabin and we've had a few Rock Band "Shows" so far, swimming in the pool, sauna, playing drums, guitar, singing, weight lifting, skiing, more than I can name ... Last weekend, we were out until four in the morning (playing rock band and hanging out at the pool/hot tub), and then a group got up again at about 6 to go climbing on Shelf Road. Two of the guys have snow shoed up to the treeline at Pike's Peak already. There's so much to do and so much enthusiasm from everybody around me it's exhausting!
As for the altitude, I have adjusted pretty well, I think. Sometimes in the
mornings I feel a bit of nausea (and no desire to eat, whatsoever), but when I force myself to eat something I'm almost immediately better. I've been so lucky to meet Sam, my eternal yoga partner who was teacher certified a few years back and is as excited to wake up at 5:30 in the morning to practice yoga as I am. We've taken turns leading practice, which I value so much for it's an entirely different yoga experience when you're teaching versus when you're following. They are equally rewarding.
One of my favorite things we've done so far was our "Sunday Rocks" session this afternoon. We all hike silently across a small meadow and climb up on top of these huge boulders to sit and take in the view (meadows, pine trees, mountains, sky). After a moment, each person reads off a quote written by someone else from an earlier activity. The serenity and profundity of some of the quotes is really touching. Plus you've got the sun warming your body and everyone in a sort of meditative state.
I also love riding, of course, which I've gotten to do twice since my arrival last Friday. Thanks to the wonderful Zann, who has shown me the ropes and gotten me a bit more acquainted with the barn. This aspect is also other-worldly, with catching horses from the pasture, tying them to a hitching post (instead of cross-ties in an aisle of stalls), riding in a western saddle, neck-reining, and really feeling at times a bit clueless as to how to communicate with this stocky animal with a short neck and big rump. The center of balance is different when I ride, and I'm bouncing around, flailing my legs out to the side (like we do in Saddle Seat) instead of relaxing them around my horse's barrel. It's quite different. But fun.
I was riding Ebony, one of the best horses for little kids, the other day and I
couldn't figure out how to calm her down. When she lost sight of Rusty and Zann, she decided it was time to head back to the barn. She's walking fast, trotting, I'm pulling back, turning her in a circle, pulling back, pulling and pulling and pulling and she takes off (I decide to let her a bit rather than fight too much) toward the other horse. Great, I'm thinking, The easiest horse on the ranch and I just got run off with. This is certainly going to be a learning experience.
I experienced the T-Bird on my second night here, the local bar in Florissant. Clint, another wrangler, Zann, Clint's friend Tim, Sam, Ryan and Ashley all came out after a Mexican dinner in Woodland Park. As the others trickled
away, Zann, Clint, Tim and I continued to do what you do at bars along with throwing horse shoes in back and playing pool. Fun.
I feel tremendously supported by all the staff here, and hope that I begin to feel more acquainted with how things run so that I can give that back to the others soon! Tomorrow, our first school arrives for School Weeks and I am nervous and excited. It should be a really great time. I look forward to teaching and interacting with kids--I feel sort of selfish, but I believe that it will truly feed me to teach others. How lucky am I to be in a place where I can share my love of the outdoors and of nature with kids who may rarely get to experience it?!? Plus, I'm surrounded by peers who have SO much to offer ... this is the life!
Wish me luck as teaching starts tomorrow! I don't know how often I'll be able to write (certainly not as much as I'd hoped) We got off early today from work projects and I'm using dear Sam's computer, camped out at the Nature Place. I love and miss everyone back in Chicago ... you all have made it hard to avoid a bit of homesickness!
Lots of love,
Jessie
