Prelude to the Holidays

The holidays are just around the corner. There are many things I should be doing in preparation for the coming festivities but instead of progressing through my lengthy list of chores, I sneak off for a diversionary hike. Although I’d love to spend the day crunching through early-season snow above 9,000 feet, I only have about three hours to wander so I must stay closer to home. I choose the simplest of my options: the Eagle Wind Trail at Rabbit Mountain.

My first ambition is to do two laps. I walk fast to warm my muscles and whip-up a workout. But then I am not sure I have the time for a double-loop. I slow my pace — not wanting to rush, if a single lap must suffice. The slower pace allows me to better absorb the views. The landscape is drab and bare. A few small patches of color remain, but most shrubs and grasses slumber in their winter hues. Autumn snuck past me this year, I realize.