Lately I've found myself longing for more time outdoors, more time among tall trees, more time breathing in air that has not been contaminated by cigarette smoke or car exhaust. I think I'm feeling more and more just how lucky we were to live in Colorado. It provided so many amazing opportunities to be in nature. It's not as easy to accomplish here in Southern Nevada, especially when it starts to heat up. Time spent outside has to be relatively short in the late spring through fall, to avoid heat exhaustion and dehydration, which is frustrating. Getting my family outside is something I feel strongly about. It's something I feel is important. But when it's 104 outside, it's just not going to happen. I've been meaning to drive out to Spring Mountain Ranch for several months, after reading about how beautiful it is, and how it's routinely 10-15° cooler there than in the valley. Sunday, being overcast and a relatively cool day even for the valley, seemed like the perfect day to check it out, so we hopped in the car and made the drive. It's about a half an hour drive from our house, and basically a straight shot, which was nice.
I brought my camera along, which I am still learning how to use, thinking it would be a good opportunity to get some practice in. The park did not disappoint. It was not the forest full of trees and flowers and ferns and moss and wildlife that I really really want, but it gave us clean fresh air, room to run, beautiful scenery, ducks and jack rabbits and a sweet cow, and that feeling of peace and clarity that only comes from being outdoors, in nature. We're already planning our next visit, this time with provisions to make it a day-long adventure.
I'll leave you with a few of the shots that I captured with my camera, and a question. Where do you go to get that "in nature" experience? Do you live somewhere that provides lots of opportunities? Or, like us, do you have to search it out?
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