I wake up alone in an hotel room in Ridgway. Thats my life. I can't say that I haven't been running away from some men, but I can't say either that there haven't been some men running away from me. It doesn't make it easier that I am attracted to these solitary, introvert men, but it seems the only way to keep my own freedom inside a relation. Please go climb a mountain, hunt an animal, raft a river, kayak an ocean, so I can go ride my bike, climb a rock, travel the world.
There is one exception though. Somebody who doesn't run away, somebody I won't run away from. Somebody I can look dreamily in the eyes, somebody who plays music just for me. It may help that there is a girlfriend, an age difference, and a very good communication that things are so easy. Jeh, I meet up with J again.
Its 10:00 and I still don't hear any sound in the room besides me. Yesterday after J's band Bearfoot played the Pickin' in the Park in Ridgway, we all went to a local bar for some more music. After a couple of beers the band joined the already performing band on stage. The sound was crappy but the vibe made up for it. When there were more people performing then dancing, the doors of the bar closed, but the music continued. And I continued dancing with the locals until deep into the night. J had changed to unplugged and was still playing, when I walked tired to my hotel room (from another band member), under the early morning stars. 
Its 11:00 when J burst into my room to give me a hug and drags me to breakfast with the rest. The afternoon we spend in the outdoors. Thats something you can't beat out of us, tired or not, the outdoors is always good. We join O (the lead singer from California) to the Blue lakes high up in the Sneffels Wilderness. 
J takes me out for dinner in the evening in Ouray. I love these moments talking with him. Its so freely and open. We cross the street to a local bar, for what I love him even more for. Having been here before and connected, some of the locals drove over to see the band perform in Ridgway. And now J is thanking them, with some free picking on the terrasse. O and another band member and some locals join and the community is gathering around. The atmosphere is so relax, the beer so good, the music so beautiful, this is an evening to remember for ever.
With his talent to express his emotions through his instrument, with his social outreach to the community, with his charming dinner, it doesn't sound like a man to my heart. But J is from Alaska, and thats where the men are real men (and the woman too). And when we California girls only dip in for 5 seconds in the snow fed Blue lake, J goes for a swim. 
That was perfect again. Love you.Iris (Ridgway, 42521 miles)
