On the Rocks

Still on the rocks theme we had lots of fun; or at least I did, exploring ruins.
You were consistent in damning 'piles of old rocks' whenever I mentioned the charms of a proposed trip, but I must have been convincing because you always came along.
In fact the last successful outing we made was that January visit to the Roman remains over the mountains. We both enjoyed wandering among those fallen columns and we still had hope for the future. There was a wistful note to that day because you were about to start chemo, but we planned to return in the Autumn when you would have more strength.

I'd rather think about the time we found the US army fort.
Southern Utah is big. We'd been in search of dinosaurs and found their footprints. I still have photos of you measuring the beast's shoe size. It had taken a couple of hours to find the tracks, they weren't well sign-posted and when all's said they were mementos of a few minutes activity a very long time ago.

We found the fort afterwards. It was set on a bend of a dry river. The buildings were above the Spring flood line and still solid to waist height. They were scanty and mean sized and I doubted there was any comfort to be had inside.
We talked over what a dreadful life the soldiers must've led. Months longing for any kind of traveller to break the monotony. No trees, no women only dust and wind.

We were a lot in love that day, so the isolation made us feel exhilerated and lucky to be together.
Nothing else living passed by us all day; no rabbits, no snakes, no flies, no vehicles, no dust clouds, no con-trails in the sky.That fort was the closest I've ever come to the Middle of Nowhere but I remember it for you, kissing me under that empty sky.