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Yes. Maybe.
There is a highway in my county that extends far north; desolate and lonely, it's known for its remoteness and fatal accidents. Partway up this highway, a tiny mining town is nestled in the hills of a unique rock formation that is rich with metals from an ancient meteor.
There is one road that leads up into the mines - it's closed to the public, and winds its way through the rocky cliffs, past lakes and rivers, and quite frankly is a gorgeous adventure.
I was traveling back from a job at the mines one evening. The sun was setting, and in the hills that means the light cuts in and out along the road...one moment you're in deep shadows and sunset, the next you're blinded by the brilliance of the low sun.
It was stunning. I slowed to a crawl in my truck, and as I rounded a corner, I almost hammered the brakes.
The road fell away on my left side, down a steep ridge towards a glassy lake, that reflected the enormous pines clinging to another Rocky ridge. The sun cut through my windshield, but the rock face across the lake was in deep shadows.
I don't know how to explain what I felt or saw. It was like I was looking through the earth, seeing something larger behind it. And at the same time it felt like the rocks, the trees, and the water were staring back at me, also looking right though me. I felt...elated? Terrified and amazed? Euphoric?
The entire moment lasted for only a few seconds and like a dream the feeling has faded somewhat. But I still remember the feeling.
