Then I headed to dinner—where I gorged myself on the best bowl of pumpkin soup I’ve ever tasted and farm-raised venison. I lay in my bed that night, the full moon illuminating my direct view of the Rockies, and thought about how good a soak in my bathroom’s huge copper tub would feel in the morning; how much I was going to enjoy the buttermilk pancakes from Heck’s Restaurant; how much I could get on Ebay for my Nordic equipment...

Photo: Ranch House Restaurant, Devil's Thumb Ranch