Welcome to #52 From the Trail near Isabelle Glacier, high above the City of Boulder, Colorado!
From the Trail #51, Colorado River
From the Trail #50, Dad and Son!
FROM THE TRAIL #49, Christian "Chris" Benitez
I met Christian "Chris" Benitez on a trail run on the Mesa Trail in Boulder on Sunday. It was sunny but very cold and at the the top of the Chautauqua Road (which I never run - it's too many people) and I saw him leaning there strumming his guitar. It was quite lovely. But it was cold. How were his fingers not frozen in the pine trees shade? I said hello and asked to take a video and he gave me his phone. I shot video with both his and my phone side by side. He began playing Santana's song called Dreams. It was wonderful. After this song he introduced himself. He's an engineer. From Mexico City. He's here in Colorado to learn English and get the best job so he can make the best money and bring it back home when he visits his wife and three kids 13, 17 and 23. Then he played for me and a trail hiker an old traditional song called Ratas about corrupt government ways there and he really played it well. A dog even almost jumped in his lap. Eat your heart out Andy Thorn! He approved the video usage. I have shared the videos with Chris. He hasn't responded. I hope he likes it. He didn't have to say it, but I could tell coming here was his joy. His release. His pleasure. A few hikers stopped to listen. It was quite wonderful. Chris has a gift and I'm glad I got to witness it. Please enjoy! HATCH
FROM THE TRAIL #48, EQUANIMITY!
FROM THE TRAIL #46, MISS YOU
Dad you lifted me up by your actions in so many ways. I can’t count them all but I’ll say the ones that are top of mind: Humor is life’s light. Running is good for your body y mind. Creativity and ingenuity are supreme. Story telling captivates. Nature and camping is a must. Fishing is good cuz your stuck with someone. Hot tubs? Same reason. Road trips to amazing places in a station wagon with family of 7? Same reason. Ice cream sundaes very important. That you get what you give. To ask your kids questions. To look ya straight in the eye. To pray. To be happy. Trust your intuition. Be yourself. To laugh. To treat people fairly. To work hard. To ski hard (water and snow). To love yourself. To love your wife. To love. To say “I love you!” As Maya Angelou said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Dad, you make us feel good! Love you dad, aka Calvin Bunyat, aka Spaghetti Bender
FROM THE TRAIL #44, with Otis Taylor
Boulder, Colorado resident and blues musician Otis Taylor grew up in Denver, but like the old blues song said, he was born in Chicago in 1948. According to Taylor his parents were both jazz fans. "My dad worked for the railroad and knew a lot of jazz people. He was a socialist and real bebopper." His mother loved everything from Etta James to Pat Boone. The first instrument Taylor learned to play was the banjo, but he soon rejected the banjo for its association with the racist American South. Taylor would eventually return to the banjo upon discovering its African roots...
FROM THE TRAIL, #43 - with ACOUSTIC AMBUSH
When the friends we know put smiles on our faces in a time when life is weird, it’s liberating, it’s observing the silver linings and for some, it’s just downright awful and sad. Thank you to Acoustic Ambush; Chris Alaimo, Russ Grabski, Dave Haynes and Jeff Lyons for lighting up our Chautauqua Sunday with amazing beats and ridiculous jamz and bringing in special guest Lily Fangz. She killz it! #acousticambush #LILYFANGZ
HATCH FROM THE TRAIL #42, WITH THE GOOD KIND AND FRIENDS
HATCH FROM THE TRAIL #41, WE WILL GET BY, WE DID SURVIVE!
Hi friends, I wanted to tell you our story of dealing with the CV19 and that we survived and made it through a nasty bout with so many awful symptoms for almost 2 weeks and that Kristin and I are on the other side and feel 100%. And out kids never got sick thankfully. Please call us if you have questions or concerns or if you need anything at all. And remember to please thank your health care provider and local restaurants and retailers and check in with your parents obviously and make sure they're tucked in and safe. Love to all, HATCH
HATCH FROM THE TRAIL #40, THE VIRUS
This message went viral in Italy last week... let's follow suit? “We come to understand that this is a struggle against our habits and not against a virus. This is an opportunity to turn an emergency into an opportunity of solidarity and unity. Let's change the way we see and think. I will no longer say "I'm afraid of this contagion" or "I don't care about this contagion", but it is I who will sacrifice for you. I worry about you. I keep a distance for you. I wash my hands for you. I give up that trip for you. I'm not going to the concert for you. I'm not going to the mall for you. For you! For you who are inside an ICU room. For you who are old and frail, but whose life has value as much as mine. For you who are struggling with cancer and can't fight this too. Please, let's rise to this challenge! Come together...nothing else matters.”
FROM THE TRAIL - PART 38
FROM THE TRAIL - PART 36
“On June 30, 2016, I was diagnosed with a rare, aggressive tumor on my brain stem. "Without surgery," my doctor said, “You have less than five months to live.” With multiple, complicated surgeries, I could recover fully in time. But there were big risks. After two massive craniotomies, a neck fusion, and months of daily, proton-beam radiation therapy, the tumor is inactive and I am thriving.”
-Susie Rinehart, writer, ultrarunner, activist and mom from Boulder, Colorado
FROM THE TRAIL - PART 35
What are you grateful for? Is it peeling away life's vicissitudes with friends? Well, from the Rio Nunya in Northern Colorado, I crashed Lynner, Seth and Mike and Mimi's outdoor adventure and came away with FTT Gold, I think. Please watch and I hope you enjoy! Love, HATCH
FROM THE TRAIL - PART 35
"I guess I'm just an obstacle. A thing to overcome. If I could sneek around myself. Again I'll know I've won. The moment seems to hang and float. Before me with no end, 'till I'm released, awaken beast. I'm on the road again..."
Part 34 FTT! What are you grateful for? 80's music? I like the nightlife baby. And moving in stereo!!
FROM THE TRAIL - PART 33
"The #33 is a vibration of number 3 that appears twice and enhances its significance and influence. Number 3 indicates an increase, expansion, spontaneity, encouragement, broad-minded thinking, skills and talent, communication and self-expression, assistance, and manifestation. Angel number 33 shows the energies of blessings, companion, honesty, inspiration, courage, bravery, and discipline and symbolizes guidance..."
