Out in the cold

Rocky Mountain High

At 7:15 a.m. on the first Sunday in January, the Colorado sky is beginning to lighten, and I can see the contours of the snow-covered mountains. I peer down the hill toward I-70, which is surprisingly quiet. My friends are packing up the SUV in preparation for our 16-hour drive back to Austin. Again I wonder why I’m breaking my long-time travel rule: the only proper way to leave (or arrive in) Austin is in an airplane, because Austin is surrounded by Texas. I…