#rantlyfe

 It's not exactly a reach to use the "biggest brains provided by nature" to gather the truth that mankind is truly the most awful creature on the planet. The arguments for this come thick and fast, burying any contrary points birthed of hubris in Pompeiian fashion. Let's all take a GIANT step back from the INSANE levels of partisanship that grip us today and take a look at our own humanity, shall we?

You'd almost think, as natures' "most intelligent" animal, that we'd figure it out by now. Sadly, the answer is a hard NO. Controversy and contradiction. Scientific knowledge and popular opinion. Political and economic power grabs in the guise of the ever-tattered visage of freedom. We never learn...we WILL never learn.

"Power" is a natural construct. In the more basal species, physical power is an endgame. There's not much to it...might = right. As the big-brained so-called "stewards" of this planet, we are supposed to be beyond this basic principle. It's a sad truth that we are not. Not even close.

Probably this rant is fueled by consecutive reading of The Fountainhead, In Flanders Fields, The Story of a Gun, and now Masters of the Air. Also rum...but in more general terms...human psychology as seen through the eyes of Objectivism, World War I, the American obsession with the firearm, and World War II. Piled together and lubed properly...the question that keeps pushing to my frontal lobe is...WHAT THE FUCK? Shortly followed by...HOW? MILLIONS of deaths...just in the past hundred or so years! It's staggering.

Yeah...this is a rant on social media about society and the human condition...and it requires a giant step outside your everyday cognitive box. We SUCK. Human history...what is it? A series of wars, of destruction, of conquering, of pushing unwanted, unproven beliefs on other humans...and killing them if they do not ascribe to those tenets. Oh...and occasionally we do cool things like split the atom...and then use it to kill each other.

We are facing the demise of our very planet. We are intelligent enough to see HOW it is happening...but not intelligent enough to DO anything about it. It's phantasmagorical. Instead we argue and push agendas that forever boil down to power and money...cowing to those that had the forethought to pit the masses against each other and further their own intrinsically inhuman ideals...the actual destruction of other humans. It really isn't a pretty sight...but by all means...let's continue to hate one another because narcissistic ego-driven power-hungry mental midgets continually provoke blind hatred and fear of opposing ideology.

In my humble opinion, we need a global reckoning. Yo Vladimir...I'm looking at you as the current biggest asshole in the room. Human life isn't a thing that can be valued monetarily (despite what almost EVERY corporate entity in this world attempts to facilitate)...all it takes is the concept of RESPECT for your fellow being.

Figure. It. Out. It's not that hard.

This is the kind of stuff that keeps me awake at night.

ZOMG...2021 happened and I missed it

 Usually this recap happens in December, but somehow I forgot and suddenly its March...but I need to get this stuff down CUZ MEMORIES.

UTAH trip...low snow, high amounts of fun. Solitude, Brighton, Snow Basin and PowMow.  IN/UT friends and a HNY.  Also...max vacation stress levels as we were suddenly BUYING A CONDO.

Home from UT Jan 2, flying to CO on Jan 6 (yes, THAT Jan 6) for home inspection.  Evergreen is where we wanted to be, and we snuck in at under $300k...which remains a "pretty good deal." 

Sled season was EPIC due to renting in the Pickeral Palace with Rich, Duke and BZ.  So much fun, laughter...even if we didn't ride with those guys all that much.  Michelle got to remote teach for a week up there and loved it.  Leaky toilets and hot water heaters notwithstanding...it was an awesome time.

Remainder of winter saw us hiking, fatbiking and XC skiing up north and local.  Frozen waterfalls at Starved Rock were cool.

SPRING BREAK meant CO...and WORK.  Michelle finally got to see the condo after we'd owned it for a couple months.  Stayed down in Highlands Ranch, and spent the first 1/2 of the week CLEANING, painting (2 coats!), and tearing out carpet and padding.  Then we got to have fun...skiing at Loveland and A-basin, biking out the front door and also Waterton Canyon...and shopping for flooring, countertops, and a contractor (Josh saved the day at the last minute).  Met Tom and Ginger.

Back out to CO in early May.  Flooring was done, we started collecting furniture, and spent our first night there...sans bathroom as the toilet was leaking on the downstairs neighbor.  Met our elk neighbors in the yard.

Put in Bay for an early season boat ride on Rigg's Outerlimits, fun with them and Dale and Eileen as always.

Back to Land Between the Lakes Memorial Day wknd...only to get skunked by weather on Saturday, Sunday was nice, but for the drive, 2 days is better.  Mtb in the rain does not equal very much fun vs boating in the sun.

Parents decide they are selling Coloma house, I tour the car museum with dad.

June we pack up the truck, the kitties, and a Uhaul trailer and head to CO.  Spend the week furnishing the house and moving everything in from Highlands Ranch...also hiking, biking, and driving to the top of Mt. Evans.  I race THE HUNDO with our new friends Scott and Christine.  It hurts...bad.   Went to the Evergreen Rodeo with Dave and family.  Michelle stays for two weeks after I fly home...then I drive back in the Jeep, which goes to it's new home.  Oh...I buy a new car while Michelle is away.  She hates it.  I don't.

July we head to OREGON.  Three days after I hurt my neck and can barely move.  Mt. Hood, then a couple days in Bend, the Crater Lake (barely got to see cuz everything was on fire), then Oakridge Mtb tour with Western Spirit and our IN crewe.  Much fun....LOTS of downhill.  OR is pretty awesome.

MI City boat races on the little Donzi.

Back out to CO...we tried some REAL Jeeping and hiking with success.  Will do again.  Fun day drinking with Scott and Christine.

THE LAST BLAST at the Sommer Place on Paw Paw Lake...in conjunction with Mom's b-day AND parents' 50th anniversary.  Much happy, much sad.  Hearts are fickle things.

Labor Day weekend in KY again...and again we are skunked...this time by the little Donzi.  Broken battery switch means she doesn't ever leave the trailer.  :(  I hate boats.  I ride the entire Land Between the Lakes peninsula trail...it is hot, wet and a LOT harder than I thought it'd be.

Mom and Dad come out to CO with us for the weekend.  Show them the sites.  They say we really should consider living there, lol.

Fall...more boating and kayaking adventures.  Vota, Wagner and myself go to CO and ride.  3 Sisters, Maryland Mountain, Buffalo Creek, Floyd Hill.  Vota and his Volvo leave, Wags and I see Heilung at Red Rocks.  Michelle comes the next weekend, we ride local with Tom and Ginger.  Elk are in rut and bugling in the front yard.

Brown County for mtb fun with fun mtb people. C6P is another hit.

Bears game for Halloween.  We are nuns, but they lose anyway.

Back to CO in November...get to SNOWBOARD with our Loveland season passes.  Ride with Scott, Christine, Tom, Ginger and crew on private trails, party at Boone Mountain Sports, hike at White Ranch.

Genesis concert with Mike and Katie.

Christmas is a BUST thanks to COVID...errybuddy sick or worried but us.  Pack the truck with cats and drive west again.  Ski dayz at Loveland w Bob, and A-basin with Team Duncan.

Quiet New Years hiking the lake and checking out the laser light show in Evergreen, before doing an impromptu bar crawl in town and meeting the $2 bill dude.

Now THAT...was a year.