The leaves of brown came tumbling down

It was only a few months ago that I was unloading my Jeep and deciding which bed I would take in my new dorm room. The trepidation of who would be my roommate was tempered by the discovery that my initial fears of some tiny space to live for almost six months were unfounded, but still it would be a new experience to say the least. Now, four roommates later I am still here and once again contemplating how all this stuff could fit in a Jeep, but simply in reverse. And with seven days remaining on my contract, it is time to pack up for the winter and I've acquired a few additional possessions, including a refrigerator, which obviously I cannot leave behind. Oh well, there is always UPS and my parents' garage.

More important, I have completed my commitment. Certainly I never believed that I wouldn't finish this grand experiment in semi-retirement, but there was always the unspoken option of simply leaving if I discovered that it was not my cup of tea. Tonight, drinking a beer or two in the pub with several other middle-aged semi-retirees, it struck me that no matter the sacrifices that must be made, this is truly a remarkable place to prove something to yourself. In my mind, it was simply that I could fit in and make a contribution that would be significant and positive in this first year for this company to operate the resort and at the same time reward me with friendships that will extend well beyond my own first season. I have done both and as testament to my desire to come back, when quizzed by my fellow bar mates I was able to immediately rattle off a half dozen things I plan to do next year that went unaccomplished this year.

Outside it is 27 degrees. The winds are calm tonight, but the last few days have seen gusts as high as 65 mph and the closure of two of the most popular viewpoints because the roads were blocked by downed trees. Even the lodge was compelled to lower their huge metal shutters to protect guests from a possible shattered window in the auditorium or dining room. The sun room was anything but, too. We also experienced a lengthy power failure and for several days operated on a huge generator the National Park Service fired up to keep the park open. Naturally, everyone was asked to conserve electricity, so there was a certain dim bunker-like atmosphere to what is usually a very lively lobby after most of the lighting was turned off. So far, the predicted snow has not arrived, but between now and the 20th, it would only be fitting if it did.

Next Monday, if everything stays on track, I plan to head to Santa Fe for a few days, then on to Austin through the 30th to visit friends and a favorite "little brother." Meantime, I am trying to determine if this will simply be the first chapter in an ongoing narrative or a brief short story to share with people when a conversation begins to lag. In mid-November, I will embark on what I am calling my "Canadian Odyssey 2008," a 28-day circumnavigation of the continent by rail that will take me up the West Coast, across Canada and back through Chicago before returning to New Mexico. That might be even more interesting reading, but for now I have a few more days here to worry about. Stay tuned for the exciting conclusion of "At the North Rim"...on your local PC or Mac. One more exciting week to go!