I’ve been in and around Denver for the last week, and it has offered a brief taste of a life I haven’t had in several years. During my stay I’ve spent some time with one of my good friends from college and his wife and son, a little boy who is just old enough to show off his budding personality. The difference between being among good company and being alone is so stark as to be jarring. I’ve been with people for the last couple of weeks, first family and then friends. That will come to an end tomorrow as I continue northward. I’m sure I’ll reflect on the difference quite a bit over the next stretch of highway miles.

The only other time I’ve visited Denver was actually for their wedding but on that trip I didn’t have a car and so was confined to the downtown area for most of the weekend. This time I’ve been able to move about freely and that has meant more variety in restaurants and breweries. This trip had hailstorms (not as bad as what I drove through in Texas) but none of the rattlesnakes I encountered during my previous stay. I’m not sure how I feel about the city itself. That’s not really why I’m here. Walking through some of the parks was enjoyable though.

One day, after a work session in the morning, I drove into the mountains. From Denver you can see the Rockies but the city itself sits in the leeward plains. I didn’t actually go into the national park—that would’ve required more advance planning this time of year—but driving through and walking under the mountains felt right, especially so after driving across the plains where I’ve always felt a slight unease.