The Walk: Porter Fork in Millcreek Canyon

Length: 1 hour

Distance: ?

Well, in the heat of the afternoon, the dogs and I headed up Millcreek Canyon despite the skeptical looks of Molly, who objects on principle to the $2.25 fee you must pay as you leave the canyon. But I wanted real canyon hiking though, and Millcreek is the only close canyon that allows dogs (off leash, no less!), so that's where I went.

I was disappointed, however, in my choice of walks. I pulled off at Porter Fork, on the recommendation of my mom, and perhaps under the supernatural influence of Orrin Porter Rockwell (the avenging angel!). Porter Fork is a paved road, with private cabins lining it, following a fork of Mill Creek up a steep canyon. It was pretty enough, the dogs loved playing in the water, and there was sometimes enough shade, but not enough. And the paved road, the houses, and the cars kept getting me down. Still I had that moment I was looking for of "I'm up in the middle of a goddamn canyon!!!" on the way down, when I looked up from my feet (I'm pretty clumsy) and saw this vista:


It made me pretty happy! I don't know why...just did. $2.25 worth of view, right here...If only Shed would turn around, that is (there were other hikers coming up the road, just around that bend).

Along the road, I saw many dandelions. I wondered if they had been carried up on the undercarriages of cars visiting the cabins, or if they grew naturally as a weed in the Rockies. As I walked along, I thought about that bunch of "Dandelion Greens" that I often see at the grocery store next to the Kale and Chard and Collard Greens. It runs, maybe $1.99, $2.49. I've never bought them because I always think "why should I buy something that grows for free on my lawn?"

Seeing all those dandelions growing for free on the side of the road, away from the fertilizing and pesticides of urban lawns, it made sense to collect some for dinner tonight. See, Molly, I broke even on my trip to Millcreek, because I got the greens free, see there? Of course, Molly would never pay money for greens, period, not liking them. But she knows I like them (knows...not the same as understands), and knows I often pay good money for them. What's another thing she doesn't understand? The kale I'm growing in our raised backyard vegetable garden. I'm sure she sees it as a waste of good space where basil could be growing for pesto, bruschetta, and tomato/basil/brie pasta...Molly's trinity of favorite dishes. There are things like this, and times when we just don't get each other's ways. The other night when she had insomnia and lay in bed staring at the ceiling (something that unnerves me greatly...I'd rather be reading a book), I looked over at her and said "I don't even understand one thing about you right now! You're like a completely separate person from me" (duh!). After 10 years of marriage, it seemed revolutionary to say. I'm sure she thinks the same about me all the time.

So I turned one of the plastic bags I picked up for dog poop at the beginning of the trail into a dandelion bag. I pulled the youngest, smallest looking leaves I encountered (though I didn't avoid all flowering plants...apparently the rule if you want to avoid bitterness in the greens). I cooked them with dinner tonight by blanching them in water with garlic, then sauteeing in olive oil with some honey, lemon juice, and salt. It ended up good...bitter, but yummy.

One small problem I have with Porter Fork is envy. Seeing these cute, old cabins up along the creek makes me nostalgic and envious. One little yellow house had smoke coming from the stone chimney...it was a lovely smell and a lovely sight:
Unlike the ugly, ostentatious, over-sized new construction going on across the road and up the creek a bit:
The trees and vans here occlude some of the uglier bits...but trust me, it's UG-LY. And big.

Nevertheless, Porter Fork was a good walk. Enjoyable. Especially for these two rascals: