Welcome to summer!Remember why you moved to Colorado? Come on, itís not hard. Look up, the mountains are calling, the trails await, and itís time to infuse our bodies and spirits with the beauty that surrounds us. But should you need more than my little pep talk to get moving, ìTales from the Trails,î by T. Duren Jones, is the surefire remedy. Itís the equivalent to drinking five cans of Red Bull, while inhaling a massive gulp of laughing gas. Once youíve read his ìmostly trueî adventures, youíll experience an overwhelming compulsion to hit the trails.Readers of ìThe New Falcon Heraldî already get to enjoy snippets of Jonesí writing style in his ìTrail Mixî column. Since I always get pleasure from authors who inspire us, while poking fun at their own shortcomings, I had to read his book. Believe me, I wasnít disappointed, and you wonít be either.Jonesí love for the great outdoors began in his childhood. Now in his 50s, he grew up during a time when children were allowed to roam freely, exploring their world without adult supervision. Together with his band of friends, he hiked Bailey Canyon, ìnear the small community of Sierra Madre,î California. They nicknamed the spot ì12 Falls Canyonî for the number of spillways rushing over the boulders; and, under the right weather conditions, it also had a convenient swimming hole. What child could resist that?His passion for hiking became an ìextreme sportî after his family moved to Colorado in 1991. Since then, Jones managed to scramble up ìall 54 of Coloradoís 14,000 foot peaks.î As if that wasnít enough to pop every muscle in his legs, he and his brother-in-law, Kevin Anderson, hiked the entire length of the 468-mile Colorado Trail ñ- but not all at once. Limited by the time required to hold down a job, they exercised a bit of sense, tackling sections of the CT over time, in chunks of about 20 miles a day.Each chapter begins with a quote providing a clue to its theme. For example, in ìSteep Cliffs and Frozen Feet,î Sophocles warns, ìNo enemy is worse than bad advice.î Sure enough, during a winter trek to Castle Valley Overlook, in Moab, Utah, Jones and Anderson discovered you should do more than consult a hotel clerk about trail conditions before beginning a winter hike.ìGrin and Bear Itî begins with Edward Abbyís sage advice, ìWilderness can be defined as a place where humans enjoy the opportunity of being attacked by a wild animal.î When a black bear blocks the path leading to the summit of Culebra Peak in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, both men realize they should have read the instructions on that can of bear spray before leaving home. Then, in his hilarious style, Jones tells us how to tell the difference between black bear and grizzly bear droppings.To reveal that passage would be considered a real ìspoiler,î since it is indeed the biggest belly laugh in the book. But then every bit of ìTales from the Trailsî is punctuated with mirth, as Jones describes the predicaments he found himself in because of sudden changes in the weather, or his own bad judgment. As we laugh, the author would like us to learn some valuable lessons, too. Check out his list of ìDoís and Donítsî at the end of the chapter entitled ìMistakes Happen.î While few of us will attempt to climb even one 14,000-foot peak, he and his son, Cary, wanted to bag three Sangre de Cristo peaks ó all in one day.Live and learn! It only makes sense to be prepared for whatever nature may deliver, but we should also realize it is called the ìwildernessî for a reason. Jones reminds us: ìslips happen,î a GPS doesnít always get you where you want to be; and, if youíre not careful, that detailed trail map can be carried off in a strong wind. However, there is no excuse for remaining planted in a chair ó falls occur at home, too, and driving has become the biggest risk we take each day.What I found most impressive about Jonesí hobby is how he and his wife, Diane, turned camping and hiking into a family sport, beginning with ìVernal Fallî in Yosemite National Park. Yes, times have changed. Letting your children roam freely today may result in a visit from social services. Regardless, children still have boundless energy and curiosity. They should be out there investigating nature, climbing boulders and splashing through water. As the couple explored the American West with their young children, they did more than teach them about their environment. Children who learn that sometimes you need to push yourself to get over the next hill gain the self-confidence to accomplish their adult goals.Iíve said it before, Colorado inspires a lot of fantastic writers, and Jones is one more great example. Today, he is re-climbing ìColoradoís 14ersî with his granddaughter, Maren. If that takes more oxygen than you possess, donít fret. ìTales from the Trailsî wasnít written to turn you into a mountain climber. But if it doesnít motivate you to shake off the cobwebs and start experiencing Mother Natureís magnificence, then itís time to check your pulse!
