Boondocks, literally.

 

One of the few words derived from Tagalog in the English dictionary is the word boondocks. It comes from the Tagalog word bundok, meaning mountain literally, but culturally also meaning "no-man's-land."

Now that you have a deeper appreciation for the word, let me give you a glimpse into last year's trip sa mga bundok. My husband's grandparents own a small cabin in the Colorado mountains. Some of you may hear the word "cabin" and think of an expansive Alpine lodge with wi-fi, big-screen TVs, and a hearth the size of a small castle. Those cabins are pretty sweet. But this cabin . . . is different.

For starters, it's small. One main room with a tiny kitchen and tinier bath. Kerosene lamps and candles provide your light at night.

You can't go to No Trees (aptly named, see above pic) and not come back feeling rested. The few bits of twentieth century technology up there are as follows: a gas-powered fridge, range, and grill, and a landline telephone. No cell service. Water is pumped via windmill.

The view from the cabin's window. Beautiful view, but those "in-the-know" say that the neighbor's barn is a recent, view-marring addition. I still like the view, barn and all.

What you do when you go to No Trees (since people have asked) is hike everyday in a new direction, feed red-throated hummingbirds, make s'mores, grill delicious food, play guitar, and be dazzled by the brightest and most unobstructed view of stars in the night sky that you could ever wish for. And play poker. Lots and lots of poker. For some reason there are several boxes worth of gambling chips up there. Oh, and you can also play Trivial Pursuit, Scrabble, or National Geographic's On Assignment when the mood for board games strikes.

We tried taking bikes with us last time to explore some unexplored dirt trails . . . not our safest plan ever. There are some pretty steep and rocky paths that (though well-worn and partly paved) aren't intended for commuter bikes. We should invest in some actual mountain bikes if we ever want to fulfill that dream.


Why post now about a trip I took over a year ago (whilst pregnant, I might add)?

 I miss it. Everything about it.