CUBS WIN! fly fishing & Perseid sky show in RMNP

This was quite a weekend (which ones aren't?).

Friday night I caught the Rockies host the Cubs in Coors Field... which almost felt the other way around given the crowd. I had no idea there were so many Chicago transplants in Denver, and would have believed you if you clubbed me over the head and told me I was in Wrigley instead. The home team actually was out-rooted for. To put this into perspective, in the 7th inning stretch, the phrase "Root, root, root for the CUBBIES" ala 3+ sheets-to-the-wind Harry Caray (... we miss you Harry!) was much more clearly heard than either "Root, root, root for the Rockies" or "Root, root, root for the home team" - a feat that I have never observe at any other professional sporting event (but would love to in Ann Arbor one glorious November Saturday... I'm not holding my breath though).

Saturday afternoon was split between bike shopping (more on this later when the good news finally comes in and I pick one...) and fly fishing in Estes Park. We didn't catch anything, but Ryan made a capable and patient guide. We waded in this time, which cooled us off and presented a new approach to me. After fishing we ate at The Wapiti Pub & Restaurant which I will be going back to. The food and atmosphere were great, and the bar has more than 50 beers to choose from. If there is any advice to give, it is simply DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE "Big Daddy Fire Burger!" The jalapeños are fine but those Habaneros aren't messing around. I recommend getting the salsa on the side. A little known secret is that the salsa is actually Dave's Insanity.

After dinner we headed up Trail Ridge Road to get a first class view of the Perseid Meteor Shower. According to a NASA article, this was going to be a great year for viewing. NASA was right. Ryan and I drove to above 12000 ft and then hiked up to 12300 for the show. We stayed there for just over 2 hours (in the windy 47 degrees...) and saw 66 meteors between 9:30 and 11:30. My camera ran out of batteries halfway through my first 15 second exposure, but this should suffice:

Some were faint but others lit up the sky with a huge smoke tail. Perhaps this was the most fitting hour all summer to use the phrase, "Far Out!" which I'm reminded of because it was a John Denver favorite, and the Perseids were John's inspiration to write Rocky Mountain High. [It's the summer of my 26th year, not 27th, but I have no doubt the lasting impression is comparable]

Today brought a poignant church message, lunch with folks I discovered I live close to and attend church with, and finally more bike shopping (I'm currently comparing / choosing between the 2007 Specialized Enduro SL Comp, the 2007 Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Elite, and the 2008 Trek Fuel EX 8). I have to admit it was a bit hard (but necessary) to take in the message of preventing the good things (college football, music, my new mountain bike...) from taking the place of the ultimate things (the eternal things or that which we will take with us after death) as a "selfish-with-my-resources-because-I-don't-have-to-provide-for-anyone-else single 20-something" in a mountain playground. It's good to remember the simple and probably overused or misconstrued "In the world but not of it, and in it to redeem it" phrase. May my Bible be/become/remain my most prized possession, no matter which bike I buy this week.