April 28th, 2021 - Mosca, Colorado -- Near Holy Cross Mtn (changed itinerary so idk exactly) 沙丘国家公园

Going up to the top of the sand dunes felt like I was Frodo going up to Mount Doom with the Ring. The wind, blowing sand like shards of glass across every exposed inch of my face. The way my feet slipped with every step. The dry air in the oxygen-thin altitude up there.

It was a reminder to look back at how far I had come. When my breathing got heavy and my calves became sore, I looked back against the wind at the footsteps (little divots in the sand winding across the yellow hills) to remind myself of how much my effort meant. I remember the quote, “Obstacles are those scary things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.” On the sand it’s much easier than in life to keep my eyes on the mountaintop. But climbing a sand mountain helps with applying the same principles to life.

When I reached the top, I offered to take a picture for two other men who were also climbing for the first time. There were mountains beyond the one I had scaled, other goals to reach once I’d proved myself capable of the first.

I’ll remember sliding down the mountain of sand. The snowy peaks of mountains were in the distance, almost at the same height that I was (it looked like). Exhilaration, sweat drying down my back, shoes on my pack and socks on the sand, the return in the hero’s journey, knowing that even in life, I have come far, and my effort has been worth it.

That’s it. I don’t have anything else of note to say about this day.

From top of the sand dune