This week has been a brain recovery week. I ride as part of my long term brain recover and therapy. Believe it or not, it is the natural progression from the words my vestibular therapist told me years ago: “I’ve done all I can for you, hiking the trails is where you will find healing now.” These photos were taken Feb. 18, last Monday, after a bit of snow in the night, temps around zero. I managed one or two short rides between then and now, Saturday Feb. 23, and was delighted to wake up to a good brain day, five inches of fresh, beefy snow and that stillness that enfolds the world drapped in winter’s blanket.

Sitting on the window seat on the day’s I couldn’t ride this week, gazing out at the sparkling air full of wind tossed flakes on sunny day with deep blue Colorado skies, the delight of knowing I had been out, doing well enough to make the trails, and, by God’s grace, I would again, deepens the appreciation of the wonder of cranking through the snowcrete deposited on the M.U.P. by the highway’s plows. Grin.

To then sit in the aspen meadow, pipe and coffee puffing and steaming in hand, as the gentle waves of brisk snow roll over me, unsettled from the brief respite of needles and branches.

Snowing on a clear, blue, sunny day!

Aspen’s wending way.