Lessons From Vail Pass...

I hit the road a couple of days ago for a new adventure, a new project, and a new opportunity. With this, I had my co-pilots in tow, lab Rosco and my horse Waylon who both can’t speak but often teach me the greatest lessons of my life. Well, once again Waylon taught me a lesson this time just by simply standing in the trailer. As I left Utah I was headed to Denver I had two options, I-80 across Wyoming or I-70 across Colorado, both leading to my first stop in Denver. As I left town it made more sense to head towards I-70 through Colorado.

Off we went, Me, Rosco and Waylon. It was raining when I left town, probably a good cleanse for my soul as I started down the road. But the rain which turns to snow in the mountains also adds that much more when hauling a trailer. As I made my way down through Colorado I started to think about the section of road I hit before I get to Denver. The stretch across Colorado that winds you through Glenwood Canyon, (which took 20 years to engineer) then up and over Vail and Eisenhower Pass, till the last shot out the mountains, Floyd Hill which has constant reminders of the steep grade. I have driven this road a lot, as this area is where I went to college, wrecked my car before in a snow storm and was once home. I had never done it with a horse and trailer. I started to do that thing where the wheels spin and you start to question yourself, start to create fear. I know to some hauling a trailer through here is no big task, but to me, well I was a little nervous. But I am trying this new thing where I work through it logically first, then emotionally, (try it out, it's a game changer) which is the opposite of how our brains work, thus causing reactions so many times.

So I stopped with the fear story and knew “I got this”.

First, I thought I know how to drive a truck, I know how to shift gears, I know how to haul a trailer, what wins this race is keeping it steady, steady up the pass, and steady down the pass. As they say, it’s not what you can haul, it’s what you can stop. Also, a life lesson, keep it steady. I thought you can do this, in the rain, in the sleet, and now the snow. More I knew I had the skill set and creating a story in my head doubting myself was not gonna do anything…

We made it through,up and over, and while at the top of Vail Pass enjoyed the snow trance and Johhny Cash to keep my mind off the fact that it was no easy task. That I was death gripping the wheel, that there were wet roads, massive potholes, steep grades, snow and fear that we had to conquer. As we climbed to the top of those mountains, it was once again a reminder you can do anything you put your mind to, and 9/10 times you are just creating a story in your head that does not serve you, a story of fear, a story you can stop and recreate anytime you want...

A story that keeps you from conquering your mountain top.