October

The aspen trees in the Sierra have turned a quaking shade of yellow, the sun hangs low in the sky and fills the world with rich, golden light, and the Atlanta Braves have once again crashed and burned in the playoffs. Yes, it must be October.

I don't know why, but this time of year always makes me restless. I think it has something to do with the fact that in the high country the whole world seems restless with the knowledge that whatever it is that needs to be done must be done soon because once the snow flies, everything might just have to wait until springtime. These past few weeks have been warm, with temperatures in the 70's even up in the town of Truckee near where the above-picture was taken. Enjoyable as it is, everyone knows it can't last. Winter could still be two months away, or it could start next week. That's just the nature of life in these mountains.

Meanwhile, down here in the Reno, the last big festival of the year finished up today; The Eldorado's Great Italian Festival. Melissa and I made a little time for it this morning:

As you can see, it was pretty much like every other "festival" that takes over the city of Reno between May and October. Virginia Street (the major surface street through downtown) gets shut down to make way for people selling cheap trinkets and greasy food at exorbitant prices. Lousy bands play on rickety stages. Strange people, often of a less-than-savory nature, press and jostle you from all directions. And here's something that really pissed me off today:

You can't really tell in this picture, but that's grape juice from the grape-stomping competition running down into the sewer. I'm sure the grapes that were being used were just low-grade table grapes, but still, it's enough to make a wine-lover's skin crawl.

By mid-day, I was feeling like I just had to get out of town for a little while. So Melissa and I took a leisurely half-hour drive up to Truckee, California. Going up into the mountains always makes me feel better, no matter what pressure from the civilized world is trying to burrow it's way into my brain. And Truckee is such a fantastic place to spend an afternoon. I did a little bit of shopping around for a descent ski jacket--something I've promised myself this season--at Truckee's many outdoor recreation outlets. We stopped in at my favorite grocery store, Lisa's Central Market, just to remind ourselves what fresh produce taste like. But best of all, we went for a little hike up near the Prosser Dam. That's where the picture at the top of this post was taken.

Sometimes I just don't know what I would do without those mountains. Nothing wakes up my mind and touches my spirit like cool, high-altitude air and the scent of pine. I don't understand the strange hold that the mountains of the West have over me, but I know that when I am not close to them, I miss them like I would miss a part of myself. And without question, this is the time of year that I cherish them the most. The light is just different in Fall. Everything is a little brighter, crisper, richer. It all just feels like it means more, if that makes any sense. What a privilege it is to live in such a place.