The Hike – Part 2

Originally posted Sunday March 6, 2021

Lost Mountain, Thomas Knob, Old Orchard, Village Inn, Davis Path, Knot Maul Branch, Chestnut Knob, Jenkins, Helvey’s Mill, Jenny Knob, Wapiti, Rendezvous, Rice Field, Bailey Gap, Laurel Creek, Niday, Pickle Branch, Campbell, Best Western, A Cousin’s Home, Wilson Creek, Bryant Ridge, Thunder Hill, John’s Hollow, Brown Mountain Creek, Seeley- Woodworth, Priest, Maupin Field, Wolfe, Calf Mountain, Blackrock, Pinefield, Bearfence, Rock Spring, Pass Mountain, Gravel Springs, Denton, Dicks Dome, Sam Moore, Lesser. One common theme . . .  

In The Beginning . . .

Originally posted 3/24/2019

It began in 2017. An overnight backpacking and fishing adventure. Or maybe it was the late 1980’s; the re-awakening of a childhood dream. A random walk. At the deepest level it began in the 1960’s. Innocence swallowed by bewilderment yet veneration blooming with fascination.

A sultry midsummer evening. 60 pounds. 3 or 4 miles. Vigorous mosquitoes. A cool mountain stream dumps into a warm river backwash. Sun fading in the distance; shadows looming at the ankles. Small fish are biting. Downstream, barely perceptible, water spills over a single ledge. An Indian fish dam. Sheba enjoys a swim; challenging the current and depth. Trail foods for a late dinner. I’m at peace, full of wonderment and nostalgia.

Mankind’s greatest need and desire is to know. And be known. I am self-aware yet bound; sheathed and isolated in an internal world. Mankind can survive periods without food, water, shelter and other physical needs. Yet commit me to solitary confinement, the detached rumblings of my mind’s eye, and I go crazy at a moment’s notice. Mankind’s greatest longing is to be included. Connected; not alone. A sharing of his or her inner self; to be known. Therefore, we express ourselves. We express ourselves through music and art, poetry, occupations, families and friends, hobbies and recreations, religious rituals. Some wear masks. Yet our expressions, sans flying to the moon or a deserted island in the South Pacific, are inevitable. I begin this blog with the goal of sharing myself through writing. My experiences, the knowledge and wisdom I’ve gained, the truth I’ve discovered. With higher aspirations; to enlighten and edify others. And to be known.

The child was awakening. Not from an afternoon nap or a blissful night. The child was awakening from his birth. A growing self-awareness of himself and the world around him. The child was mesmerized and captivated by the glittering of a star, the scuttling of a salamander, the brilliance of spring wildflowers, the grandeur of a flowing stream or mountain outcrop. An exploration for knowledge, wisdom, and truth. A journey forever; overflowing with moments of adventure.

The Hike – Part 1

Originally posted Thursday March 4, 2021

Twenty-five years ago. Forty-six days start to finish. Forty-five nights, thirty-eight of them in thirty-six different trail shelters. Roughly five hundred miles. One pair of boots. An average of thirty-five to forty pounds on my back most days; fifty pounds with a full load. A nickname for life; a reputation to live by. Friends . . . and deafening solitude. Awe inspiring sights, smells, and sounds; gut wrenching struggles. The adventure, maybe the story of a lifetime. And now, vivid recollections to preserve.

A prelude… 

I sat out a few years ago to produce a blog, to share a story. The writing has seen fits and starts and struggles and stops. It has painted clear pictures, poignant stories, then floundering for content and execution. Then all momentum and some content was lost.

I am a dreamer; I wonder and sometimes wander. I enjoy writing and journaling, reflecting and contemplating, studying and learning. Hiking; experiencing the natural world. I am an intellectual, looking for Truth. My hope is to leave a few tidbits of wisdom and knowledge, based upon my experiences, for future generations. And to entertain.

So, A new journey begins. Not a life journey, but the journey which documents the story of a life. Who was once that little boy, now a seasoned and mature individual, simply looking for meaning . . .