“Where the deer bound, where the trout rise, where your horse stops to slather a drink from icy water while the sun is warm on the back of your neck, where every breath you draw is exhilaration—that is where the Aspens grow. . . .”

Richard Powers, The Overstory

This campground is my favorite so far. Five mile bike ride into town past the North Star Nature Preserve, hike around Maroon Bells, and fishing in the campground where we have access to the Roaring Fork River. Kids are whittling and fort-making with their “multi-tools,” Townes making his own lures. Everyone has “Been Running for so Long” in their head. It was snowing when we got here and kids were over.come. It wasn’t much but they still managed a snowball fight and a snowman. The aspens have only spots of yellow in them, but still when the wind blows, they glisten in their quake.

• We stayed: Difficult Campground (five stars!), on the way in we stayed at Palisade Basecamp Resort (grabbing fruit and wine as we could!)
• We played: White River National Forest, lots of board games
• We hiked: Maroon Bells, Difficult Trail
• We fished: Roaring Fork River
• We enjoyed: Aspen Brewing Company’s Independence Pass Ale, on the way into Aspen, we stopped in Grand Junction and ate at Tacoparty which was delish, we also ate a picnic lunch in Carbondale which was quaint and perfect
• We are reading: The Overstory (Richard Powers)
• We are listening to: The Peanut Butter Falcon Soundtrack