Zen, Tao and Mountains

I rode my mountain bike to the foothills of the Sandias from Albuquerque yesterday, it only took an hour or so, it was a nice morning, warm and sunny, although we've been having some pretty heavy thunderstorms in the afternoons.
I enjoyed the quiet and solitude while hiking in the high desert mountains..
Because of the elevation and nature of these mountains, there is a feeling of otherworldliness..

I took a trail that begins at the parking lot off of Tramway.
I walked up the sandy arroyo that my sons and I had hiked so many times in the past.
The trail basically followed the arroyo around, and eventually ended-up in a narrow canyon, one or two hundred feet above the stream. This first portion of Embudito Trail was rocky, exposed, and pretty steep. There were a lot of switchbacks along the way, and it was hot, with no shade to speak of.
However, after only 50 yards there was a streambed, I took off my tennis shoes and let the chilly snow pack runnoff cool me down.
After about another mile or so, Embudito Trail started getting into some evergreen trees and shade, and it was really pleasant.
Shortly thereafter, the trail crossed the streambed and switched to the north-facing wall of the canyon. This stretch of the trail was very lush and green. It is one of the most secluded and prettiest areas in the Sandia Mountains.
There were pounding storms during the afternoon hours, but I waited them out in a shallow cave near the trail.
It was invigorating and enriching.
The high country, like the high country of the mind, is not that easy to get to, and the air is rarified, but the effort is worth it.