We performed our last dress rehearsal in Dumont last night. The Clear Creek Press was there taking photos. They then interviewed me for my story about hiking to Denver from Illinois.
All of us forgot our lines at different points. I think the press photog threw us off plus there were audience members present too which we never had at previous rehearsals. Nevertheless, all went well.
Scouting my campsite up in York Gulch here in a few minutes. Bonnie Coffey my good friend who stayed with me a few months ago asked me what camping out on York Gulch has over just staying at the Lucas House.
I explained that I wanted to test my mettle to see how I handle extreme situations. I have never winter camped in Colorado in a homemade structure. This will test my ability to pick out a good site, construct a winter shelter that will last the entire winter season.
And, I'm curious how I will react to and deal with the solitude ensconced in an unforgiving, cold, harsh environment.
Hiking to and back from Idaho Springs won't be easy. It's five miles straight up York Gulch which is over 2000 feet higher than Idaho Springs. Plus, I will be forced to scramble down the embankment off of Stanley Rd and walk into and across Clear Creek on foot and clamber up the opposite embankment and walk across 4 lanes of I-70 dodging cars and trucks and then cross the access road to Fall River Rd as there is no road or trail to Fall River Rd which joins York Gulch Rd. I could avoid all of that by hiking on I-70 but it's illegal for pedestrians to walk on the interstate.
Clear Creek Canyon is extremely narrow between Idaho Springs and Fall River Rd so there are no alternate routes.
That 10 mile round trip from my campsite to town will be particularly difficult during winter. The snow on these roads will be plowed and drifted onto the shoulders right where I need to walk.
Crossing Clear Creek in warm weather is dangerous enough but will be extremely dicey due to the ubiquitous round slippery rocks that carpet the river bed.
But, that's where the adventure comes in. True, I could just stay in the Lucas House all winter enjoying the heated space while cooking supper on the gas stove and sleeping in a cozy warm bed every night.
And, my good friend, Donna, has offered to drive me back and forth since she has to drive that way to get to her house on Fall River Rd. But, where's the challenge in that?
I'm going to do my utmost to hike back and forth from town during daylight. But, some days that may not be possible. So, I will carry an old fashioned kerosene lantern with me to light the way. If a particularly harsh snowstorm hits while I'm in town I'll just stay over at the Lucas House for the night. I plan on spending 5 days every week at York Gulch and the remaining 2 days in town.
In other news, I accidentally killed a mouse living in my kitchen this morning. I was boiling water to wash yesterdays dirty dishes and poured the boiling hot water in the sink when suddenly I saw something flapping about. It was a mouse! Apparently, it was hiding under the dishes. Oh well. One down hundreds to go!
Gotta do some clothes washing before I head out to Dumont for my first official performance as Bob Faithful the hero of the Melodrama, Goodbody's Gold. Forgetting some of my lines last night was unnerving to say the least but I adapted by ad-libbing and haming it up.
The rest of the cast who are veterans of acting in these local plays told me the audience loves it when we forget our lines. So, it's all in good fun when this happens.
Now getting ready to head to York Gulch! Ciao!
BR Schoenbein
October 17, 2015-Saturday
Poor little mousie.
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