Skiing in Purgatory?



The "Polar Express" Steam Engine roles through Hermosa, CO
as we drive to Purgatory



She studies her book and says “Skiing in Purgatory?, that’s a good one!” She laughs.  Wag, wag, wag. I like that sound. She is talking to the car again. Who is this car talking? She shakes her head and says “thank you” to the car and “Ok Charlie, this should be fun!”  She drives the car in a circle and stops when She sees big CLOUDS coming from a rolling machine. Always taking pictures, She is.

Driving. Her heart is beating faster, with more energy. Smiling. Wag wag wag. Wanna play? Wanna …….. JUMP! “Sit Charlie!” She says.  Why is She getting a JUMPING, FETCHING, RUNNING, HAPPY heartbeat and saying SIT!? L Her words don’t match Her energy.  Humans!

SNOW!!!! The car is on snow. The snow is on the car. HURRAY! Uh, oh…. She has fear. She goes  ….. slow ….. with the snow on the ground.  “Let’s do this Charlie” She says. OK!!!!!!

Those mountains are TALL. They go straight UP! She is sad, now. Not afraid. “No wonder they call it Purgatory” She says. She sighs … out LOUD but SOFT. She doesn’t know She does this whenever she is THINKING all of those things at one time. She thinks “Wow, Big, Steep, Hurt? Lost? How?  Fun! Challenge! Write about this …. awww Hurt? Alone …then what?”

Then She says something She never said before “I don’t dare” OK. She is not sad …. she is thinking “Sensible and Realistic” I don’t know those words. They don’t feel good.  They are not doing words they are thinking words. They are not dog words. Humans!

She takes those long sticks, those skiis, and puts them where I was laying down. Squished AGAIN. Between Her sticks and Her saddle.  At least she didn't bring Paco, Her horse.  Those sticks back in the car means something is different. Sad. What is "sensible?" The opposite of fun.

And now back in the car, driving, driving, driving, squished by Her sticks.