I wake up with a beautiful view of the mountains. As I drive out of the area this morning, something pulls me right back. It feels like a rocket wanting to take off, but being held back by gravity. By now I know best to follow that sense and so I drive back to Telluride. I park my car and walk along the river that runs along the town and go back to the coffee place. The baristas are laughing, because I keep saying that I’m leaving and keep coming back the next day. I’m getting a cappuccino with a blueberry scone and sit down on the terrace. I’m reading for a while and take some time to think.
I realize that the contrast between here and home is so enormous. Here are wide outstretched landscapes and life is wild and free. At home everything is small and busy. I wonder how I can align the two worlds, if I can bring something from here home with me or just keep visiting here as often as I can.
Today there is a farmers market in town and even though I don’t buy anything there (it’s super expensive), it’s still nice to look around. There are a lot locally grown products at the market. As I walk further through town I see an old guy sitting on one of the benches at the sidewalk. I start a conversation with him and he tells me that his name is Marc and that he’s been living in Colorado most of his life. I tell him about how I’ve been trying to leave this place a few times now, but how I keep coming back. Marc replies with a wise remark: “Drive with your hands light on the wheel, that the define hands of providence might steer you to things you never imagined”. He tells me he lives downtown and that if I need a place to stay that there is a guest room in his house. The typical American hospitality, I like it. Despite the generous offer I’m starting to think that it’s time to continue traveling. Still I feel a bit sadness as I see the mountains behind me in the rear view mirror when I leave.
I drive to the next town, about an hour away where the gas is about a dollar cheaper than in the mountains. I fill up my car, eat at a fastfood restaurant and call my grandma while driving further. I’m telling her about how I love it here in the mountains and she says “Turn around the car and go back!” I object a bit by saying that I’ve already driven almost two hours by now and she simply replies “What is two hours?” I laugh and don’t need more encouragement. I turn around my car and drive back to Telluride. I smile with the beautiful mountains right in view in front of me. I decide to go back to the campsite, because it’s already the end of the afternoon. I accidentally take one exit too early and that turns out to be a big adventure. The road starts okay, but soon changes into a dirt road with big boulders, streams of water crossing the road and steep cliffs next to the road. I ask for some help from above and drive really slow, hoping not to damage the car in the process. It’s a real off-road experience and the scariest thing I’ve done on this trip so far. Normally I would have never picked a road like this, but when you’re halfway on it, returning would be just as hard as to keep going. I’m not quite sure how long it takes me, but after about 10 miles on the dirt road I arrive happily at the campsite with the car still working fine. Last night it was relatively quiet here, but now there is some kind of party going on. There is a big group of people with pizza and beers. They immediately invite me to join them and ask if I like a beer and some pizza. After the off-road adventure I just had, I couldn’t have wished for a better arrival. When the sun goes down, they make a campfire and I’m glad that I bought marshmallows at the supermarket this afternoon, so I can contribute something to the party. We make s’mores, one of America’s most delicious food inventions: crackers with chocolate and a melted marshmallow in between. We have a blast and the night goes by really quick. When it gets really dark the group starts to pack their stuff and we say goodbye. I stay behind with a few other campers and the silence returns. I enjoy the view of the stars above me and the silhouettes of the mountains in the distance. Once again I’m happy that I turned my car around and came back to Telluride.
