Laughing Trails Podcast Transcription:
Wonderland Lake
Megan Cutter:
Welcome to Laughing Trails podcast, where adventure meets the absurdity
and mischief of a life well-lived. Our intention is to break barriers and rattle
the tree of possibilities, to explore what beauty might open up when we
dare to live outside the box, while we also share accessibility tidbits about
our adventures. Remember, we are only two voices in a greater
community.
Therefore, we are only responsible for our own adventures. We are not
responsible for yours. So have what you need on the trail. This episode is
sponsored by Barton Cutter Coaching. If you are looking to discover your
path or even bushwack, that’s quite a word, isn’t it? Bushwack, your own
trail in this wild world, reach out to Barton directly at bartoncutter.com to
learn more. If you laugh along the way, and there are quite a few laughs,
please subscribe and write a review. It will help our voices be more visible
in the world.
With that, we will get started. I think today, we wanted to share our first
adventure, outside adventure, in Colorado at Wonderland Lake.
Barton Cutter:
This was back in November of 2022. We had just landed year; we’d been in
town less than a week, and we barely even had our furniture, and we were
dying to get outside and see what this place had to offer.
Megan Cutter:
I know before we even arrived, we had found the Boulder accessible trail
guide, and I was so excited to see the different trails and the different
places where we could go because we had not really hiked outside in the
way that we had wanted to. So it seemed like a perfect experience and
place to start. I really thought that when we arrived, we would just hibernate
for the entire winter season. I had planned to just unpack and focus on the
move.
Barton Cutter:
Yeah, it was November, and remember. Megan’s from Atlanta.
Barton and Megan Cutter:
[laughing]
Barton Cutter:
She just don’t know what to do with.
Ginny Morefield [ASL Interpreter]:
Megan and Barton…
Megan Cutter:
I’m from Atlanta.
Barton Cutter:
Yea, she doesn’t know what to do with snow.
Megan Cutter:
No, I don’t know what to do with snow. I probably saw snow twice when I
lived in Atlanta, and one of them, I was in the hospital for asthma and went
in the hospital the day it starts snowing, and it stopped snowing and all it
melted when I got out. So, maybe only one time.
Barton Cutter:
Yea. And of course, we got a little bit of snow in Raleigh, but that was really
more ice than snow.
Megan Cutter:
And they say in Colorado that it will snow and then be sunny and melt the
day or two after. And that’s really true. Like, there is really maybe only a
couple of weeks in the winter season where we really can’t get out at all.
Barton Cutter:
So anyway, all that to say we had been in town the full week. And, we
really wanted to get out and play. And so, we picked up this guide then.
Before we pick a trail, we., especially in the winter, we look at the weather
and try to figure out how the roads are, because Megan and snow in a car
don’t mix.
[laughter]
Megan Cutter:
Yeah, I’m not very fond of driving in the snow anywhere, much less
accessible van.
Barton Cutter:
Anyway, on this particular day, it happened to be bright and sunny even
though, it was below freezing, I think. At least, where we ended up, there
was ice on the water. So, we ended up deciding to try to Wonderland Lake.
It’s about a mile and a half walk around the lake and beautiful trail, right at
the foothills, underneath the Flatirons. And, it was just absolutely beautiful.
Megan Cutter:
The trail itself is about a quarter of a mile in, and it’s really open. There’s
not a lot of trees around on that first quarter mile until you get to the lake.
And then there’s quite a number of trees and wildlife around the lake as
well. And when we walk around the lake, there are different types of ground
surface. So there’s dirt, gravel trail. There’s a sidewalk that goes around the
backside of the lake and into a park area. And then further, you, there’s
actually, you exit the trail and go up the sidewalk of a neighborhood. So it’s
a neighborhood sidewalk, and then go back on the trail, and it’s a dirt trail
around the rest of the way. So there’s different types of ground surface
areas.
Barton Cutter:
And most of the dirt and gravel, it’s very compact. So, it’s pretty easy in a
power chair. And my guess is, with the exception of one spot, it’s probably
pretty manageable in a manual as well.
Megan Cutter:
Can you talk about the difference between your old power chair and the
new one, the one you have now?
Barton Cutter:
Yeah. So, this first time we were there, I was still in my previous chair,
which was supposed to be designed for off-road stuff. However, I would
say that was false advertising because it did not do well fairly very simple,
off-road terrain like gravel. I was able to make my way around most of the
lake without issue, except there was one part of the trail that had a steep
incline for maybe seven or eight feet, and Megan did need to give me a
hand. With my new chair, that’s not a problem at all. So, I tend to leave her
in the dust.
Megan Cutter:
[laughter]
If.. For me being behind you, when you were in your old chair, I was huffing
and puffing, helping you push up the hill to get over some of the hard
bumps and things. And, with your new wheelchair, you really left me in the
dust. And I was trying to keep up with you, and I sounded like Darth Vader.
[haaaa…haaaa.]
Really huffing and puffing to try to keep up with you. We have some really
funny B-roll footage of that we’ll put on our Patreon site.
Barton Cutter:
Yea.
Megan Cutter:
It’s worth to listen to it just for the sound effects alone.
Barton Cutter:
Yes. But anyway, back to that first adventure out there. So, Megan talked
about the path around the lake.
[husky puppy bark]
But, sorry that’s our dog. She’s a two year-old husky and very loud. So
apologies. So Megan talked about the trail around the lake. But that first
day, we found a path out to this little peninsula that goes out into the lake,
maybe 15 or 20 feet. And I remember going there and getting comfy, and
there was something about the sun that warmed my body, even though it
was pretty chilly. And we were staring at the Flatirons, and my whole body
relaxed, I just had this overwhelming sense that we found home. And, I
don’t know that I’ve never had that feeling, that instant, ever before.
Megan Cutter:
And for me, I had a very similar feeling of sitting down on the ground beside
you, looking at the lake and the sun on the water. There was still snow
capped on some of the mountains further back and just feeling like I had
arrived in this place. And arriving in a new place is such a fun and exciting
experience because anything becomes possible. There’s no preconceived
notions, no judgments. And it was just sitting there being in full presence
with you and having this moment of going, we’ve arrived in this state, in this
place, and feeling the spark and excitement that it really rang and bubbled
up inside.
Barton Cutter:
I love what you’re saying about not having any I have a preconceptions. I
remember several of our conversations that day and that first several
months about – well, because we can be anyone here. Who is it that we
want to be? And what does it mean to, to create a new identity or
transform? What we perceived as originated from before.
Megan Cutter:
Yeah. There’s such freedom in that, in being able to create and just, like
who do we want to be in this space? What is this space bringing up for us?
And, how do we want to step into it? There’s so much energy in that level
of creation.
Barton Cutter:
Yeah. And, dare I say it hasn’t stopped since that conversation.
[laughter]
Megan Cutter:
No.
[laughter]
We’ve had lots of places where we can recreate who we are here and step
into a new hike or a new trail and find something new that’s exciting.
Barton Cutter:
And there are places like Wonderland that we just love so much. We keep
finding ourselves back there time and time again.
Megan Cutter:
Yes, that’s so true. That we, it’s one of the places we really love to go back
to. I know when I’ve gone a couple of times without you, there is a non-
accessible paragliding trail that I have climbed a couple of times. I haven’t
made it the entire way to the top yet because it was sunny and hot and I
really needed to take breaks. But it was incredible to turn around and to
see how far up I was and how far out I could see, like, just for miles and
miles. It was a pretty amazing experience.
Barton Cutter:
Yeah. And that’s one of the ones that runs up one of the Foothills that’s
right there. So, it’s not even like it’s a big mountain.
Megan Cutter:
Right.
Barton Cutter:
Maybe. Maybe seven or eight thousand feet but compared to other places
that are between nine and 14. It’s not that big.
Megan Cutter:
Not that big. It’s important to recognize the land. So, the land that we were
standing on, historically, has, we recognize the Ute tribe, the Arapaho tribe,
and the Southern Cheyenne tribe. And there are other tribes as well. I think
Colorado is historically, um lends itself to inviting many peoples to live and
walk and be on the land. And, to sit there that first time, especially, and
recognize that we were in a different place with a lot of history, was just a
very profound experience.
Barton Cutter:
Hmm, right.
Megan Cutter:
So talk about Wonderland being in the wintertime.
[husky puppy bark]
Barton Cutter:
Oh, yeah.
Megan Cutter:
[laughter]
Barton Cutter:
So, this last January, I ended up getting to go out there with a bunch of
friends. Megan was not with us. And it had snowed the day before, so there
was still about six inches on the ground. And, I was not expecting to get
very far. However, people used the trail enough that the snow had gotten
packed well enough that my chair could make its way around the path. But
I did use a lot of help from my friends, some of the muscles from the big
guys that were with us. But once again, I was surprised by the ability to
even do that with help because I’m used to having snow trap me inside and
really limit experience. But this day was awesome because this group of
friends of mine just found fun in, in trying to haul my butt around the trail. It
was really fun. And of course, when there’s a big challenge, they get that,
bonds are made and relationships deepen. It was this wonderful
experience.
Megan Cutter:
Yeah, I’m just glad I’m not the one how to bail you out of the snow that day.
[laughter]
Barton Cutter:
Oh, there will be so many other times.
Megan Cutter:
Oh, I’m sure there will be.
Barton Cutter:
Don’t worry.
Megan Cutter:
One of the things I learned after that experience was how to pack a
backpack, which I know doesn’t sound very glamorous or exciting, but the
first few times we were out, I wanted to literally pack everything and the sun
Like, let’s be prepared for it all. So I would spend 30 minutes trying to pack.
Barton Cutter:
At least, more like an hour.
Megan Cutter:
[laughter]
We learned very quickly what are the essentials. For Wonderland Lake,
making sure you have a bottle of water is an absolute must because it can
get toasty during the day and having some kind of shade. Whether it’s
sunscreen, a hat, or a sun umbrella, just something to make sure if you do
get hot, you have somewhere to cool off.
Barton Cutter:
And that’s true, even in the winter.
Megan Cutter:
Yes. Yeah, that’s so true, even in the winter.
Barton Cutter:
Remember, if you’re not from here, this whole area is at least 5,000 feet.
Wonderland is probably five and a half thousand, where we live is five four.
So, it’s a lot drier here than we were used to, especially Megan.
[laughter]
Yes, I keep rambling on you because this is her first time living anywhere
outside the Southeast
Megan Cutter:
That is true. I have learned a lot since arriving here of how to live and walk
and hike in Colorado, where out West is very different than 99% humidity
and rain.
Barton Cutter:
What else do we want to say about Wonderland?
Megan Cutter:
Well, I’ve loved seeing some of the water birds. There’s a lot of geese that
frequent Wonderland and birds as well. I’ve seen a crane there, and then
there is a black bird that tends to dive in and out of the cattails. I have taken
my big camera because I love taking pictures of the mountains and the
scenery, and the wildlife as well.
Barton Cutter:
You love the wildlife. I love the mountains. As we mentioned, if you look
south from Wonderland, there is this beautiful view of the Flatirons.
Megan Cutter:
Oh, and there’s deer as well. That hike I went to on the paragliding trail. Um
that morning there was deer out, but it was fairly early in the morning. I
think it gets a bit warm in the afternoon.
Barton Cutter:
Do you know what deer they were?
Megan Cutter:
I don’t. That’s something we’ll have to look at.
Barton Cutter:
I know there are mule deer around, but I don’t know if there are other…
Megan Cutter:
I’m sure there are different kinds of deer. That’s something for us to
explore.
Barton Cutter:
Yeah. And later, it’s your other episodes. I’ll tell you about some caribou,
elk, that we’ve run into on other places.
Megan Cutter:
But I think Wonderland was a great first spot to dip our feet onto because it
wasn’t very strenuous, pretty flat except for those hills. And if you’re headed
up the paragliding hill, that is a bit more strenuous. It has a steeper incline,
but it was a really good first spot to land. And I really felt since that time,
like, every time we go back, it just brings out this, like, enlightened spirit
that has really opened my heart.
Barton Cutter:
And for the first year and a half, I was only able to do the bottom part
because my wheelchair. It wasn’t until after I got this new one that I could
take off, up one of the off-shoots and go up part of the way that Megan was
talking about to get some views form a higher elevation.
Megan Cutter:
Yeah, I can’t wait to go back and do a couple more of those inclines, see
what your new wheelchair can do.
Barton Cutter:
Yeah.
Megan Cutter:
All right. Well, I think this concludes our episode for today. It is my turn for
the post-ramble. For video descriptions. Barton Cutter is a white male with,
what did we decide, your hair was regal, kind of salt and pepper? Um..
Barton Cutter:
And very thin.
Megan Cutter:
And very thin. Barton.
[laughter]
Barton’s showing off his hairline there. Um, and a gray long sleeve shirt
with a dark navy jacket on that is white on the inside. Barton is sitting in our
living room with white walls behind him, and our porch door is open today
because it’s nice and sunny. I am, today… This is Megan Cutter, and I am a
white female. Oh, and I’m sorry. Barton is using a motorized wheelchair
today. So, I am Megan Cutter, and I am a white female. I have brown hair
that I have in clips today. And brown eyes. I am wearing glasses and
hearing aids with sparkly blue glitter on them. I am wearing a light blue
shirt, and behind me, there is a bookcase and a painting with trees and the
sun. Then with us, we have our ASL interpreter, Ginny Morefield, who is a
white woman who has red hair and brown eyes and is wearing glasses
today. She is also wearing a purple or maroon long sleeve shirt.
Awesome.
Barton Cutter:
Post-ramble.
Megan Cutter:
Post-Ramble. We hope that our adventures have stirred your own hunger
for life, whether laughter, tears, joy, or in community with others.
We want to share our deep appreciation to Ginny Morefield for ASL
interpretation on video and Shane Dittmar for music. You can find more of
our creative explorations at laughingtrails.com. Subscribe to our Patreon for
bloopers. I’m sure there are many of them, on-site videos, so we’ll post
some video of Wonderland as well as some pictures as well, and other
creative treats. Inclusive formats include audio podcast, video with ASL
interpretation, and written transcription. We are still figuring it out, but I think
all three formats are on our website now.
Barton Cutter:
Yes. I certainly hope so. If not, feel free to reach out and let us know.
Megan Cutter:
And a special thank you to today’s sponsor, Barton Cutter Coaching at
bartoncutter.com. And we can’t forget that our Little Husky, Tundra, made
appearance behind Barton as well as an audio appearance today because
she really wants to be part of the podcast, too.
Barton and Megan Cutter:
[laughter]
Megan Cutter:
We have limited editing as we’re still figuring things out, and why would you
want to edit life out anyway? That’s the fun part, especially when you can
hear husky howls behind you. Thanks so much, and we’ll see you next
time.
Laughing Trails
Website: https://laughingtrails.com/
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/LaughingTrails
ASL Interpretation: Ginny Morefield
Podcast Music: Shane Dittmar https://www.shanedittmar.com/