My Wild-Inspired Hike

Yesterday I reposted a review of Wild by Cheryl Strayed.  I mentioned that that book made me want to go on a hike.  I did it.  I hit a local trail for a hike.  It wasn't a long trail, but I had a great time.  So much so that I am going back later this week with a friend.

Here are some of my pictures and thoughts along the way.


The day I set out to hike was going to be a bit cooler than earlier in the week.  The high was only going to be in the low 60s, but it was my only free day remaining for that week, so I went for it.  But first I needed to stop and get some supplies.  Namely a sketchbook and a certain novel...

And some lunch.

I have hiked this trail a number of times and the last time I did, I stopped and read for a while on a rock, hence bringing a book along.  Oddly enough, this time I didn't see the rock, but my route was slightly different, so maybe it was on the other path.

I packed all of my stuff in my yoga bag because it has good pockets and is lightweight.  I brought my flip flops with me on the off-chance that I had some sort of mishap and lost a hiking boot or two.  :)

Obviously my hike was going to be nowhere near as strenuous, exciting, or breathtaking as Strayed's, but I couldn't wait to get going.

My mom offered some useful advice for my adventure.

The map the visitors' center provided was not the most easily deciphered.  I meant to take the more difficult course the first time around, but in my haste to quickly bypass some women with children (loud, but having a good time!) I took the easier route.  I quickly decided that I would take both routes--the second after lunch.  This suited me and my stomach just fine.

                                                                            

                                                                             

There were some benches along the way.  I vowed to stop at all of them.  Not because I was tired, but out of gratitude for some unknown thoughtful person who put them along the way for reflection.  I wrote this bit at the first wooden bench, overlooking a stream or creek below.




I finished the trail.  I didn't actually come across more benches.  Mostly because I took the rugged "bluff trail" when the trail split again.  But that was good too.  Naturally, survival wasn't on my mind, but when I was working that hard and trying to follow the not so well marked trail, I didn't have the capacity to think of anything else.

I did not wind up going to the bat cave my mom mentioned in the text.  But I passed by it.  I wish I had gotten pictures that gave a better sense of the "bluff trail."  There were a lot of rocks and uneven footing.  I frequently had to steady myself on a rock while I climbed through a narrow, uneven passageway.  It was a great workout.  And it was absolutely beautiful.







I returned to my car.  Ate lunch.  MacGyvered open my bottle of Coke using scissors that I found in my vehicle in the absence of a bottle opener.  I had a pounding headache that was not food or caffeine related, so I decided to head home and come back another day.

I had a lot of fun.  I hope that I can go fairly regularly this spring and summer.