Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Monday, May 28, 2012
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Rise of the Zero
We have been talking about this break in the hike since before we began. It seemed so distant in the beginning, and now it has come and gone.
These several "zero" days (zero mileage) have been a great source of rest, relaxation and reorganization. But at the same time they have been somewhat overwhelming.
Have we been in the woods too long?
Or perhaps in town too long?
Our first day off the Trail, I went from Shenandoah National Park, where we maybe see 20 or so people a day, to Washington DC, where I saw maybe 2,000 people in 20 minutes.
National Park to National Capitol.
Both are places of importance and awe but in completely different styles.
We were both looking forward to these zero days for awhile, but once I spent a full day in the city, I began craving the trail again.
The trees.
The earth.
The birds.
The absence of crowds.
I started missing the purity of Nature. Even though it can be physically much more demanding and strenuous, even painful, the stillness and calmness is always waiting on the Trail. I could not find calmness on the interstates going to and from Washington DC.
The zeros serve their purpose, and some hikers prefer more than others. I think from this point out, we are pressing on to the North. There may be another zero or so somewhere in the mix, but it is exciting to know that we are in the next phase of our adventure.
It is still a long way to Maine, but we are almost out of the behemoth, Virginia, and from there the States come and go more quickly. I'm sure we will get to Maine before we know it and wish the time had not passed so quickly.
So until then and since the beginning, it will be one step at a time.
***
By the way, we still have not seen any bears yet, but the morning before we got off the Trail, a bear came into the shelter we were tenting at. The sleeping hikers woke when they heard it rummaging around and started yelling to scare it off. But not before it grabbed our friend's bag of pots and pans and scampered off into the woods. We heard the ordeal but couldn't see it from our tents pitched 50 yards away. We're still looking...
These several "zero" days (zero mileage) have been a great source of rest, relaxation and reorganization. But at the same time they have been somewhat overwhelming.
Have we been in the woods too long?
Or perhaps in town too long?
Our first day off the Trail, I went from Shenandoah National Park, where we maybe see 20 or so people a day, to Washington DC, where I saw maybe 2,000 people in 20 minutes.
National Park to National Capitol.
Both are places of importance and awe but in completely different styles.
We were both looking forward to these zero days for awhile, but once I spent a full day in the city, I began craving the trail again.
The trees.
The earth.
The birds.
The absence of crowds.
I started missing the purity of Nature. Even though it can be physically much more demanding and strenuous, even painful, the stillness and calmness is always waiting on the Trail. I could not find calmness on the interstates going to and from Washington DC.
The zeros serve their purpose, and some hikers prefer more than others. I think from this point out, we are pressing on to the North. There may be another zero or so somewhere in the mix, but it is exciting to know that we are in the next phase of our adventure.
It is still a long way to Maine, but we are almost out of the behemoth, Virginia, and from there the States come and go more quickly. I'm sure we will get to Maine before we know it and wish the time had not passed so quickly.
So until then and since the beginning, it will be one step at a time.
***
By the way, we still have not seen any bears yet, but the morning before we got off the Trail, a bear came into the shelter we were tenting at. The sleeping hikers woke when they heard it rummaging around and started yelling to scare it off. But not before it grabbed our friend's bag of pots and pans and scampered off into the woods. We heard the ordeal but couldn't see it from our tents pitched 50 yards away. We're still looking...
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Rabbit & The Bear
Run, run so fast
Over fields and grass
At last, at last
We escaped from the trap
With the rabbit and the bear
And the sparrows of the air
Come one, come all
The hunter is gone
And this is our chance
To crawl under the wire
Through the darkest wood
On up to the mountain of fire
Where everything is free
In the light of the sun
Where every creature sings
Oh Lord, you rescued us all
Don’t listen to the snake
For he lies and he takes
Your hope, your faith
Away from you
But when the lion comes around
With his claw and his crown
Follow, follow
His every move
by Josh Garrels
Over fields and grass
At last, at last
We escaped from the trap
With the rabbit and the bear
And the sparrows of the air
Come one, come all
The hunter is gone
And this is our chance
To crawl under the wire
Through the darkest wood
On up to the mountain of fire
Where everything is free
In the light of the sun
Where every creature sings
Oh Lord, you rescued us all
Don’t listen to the snake
For he lies and he takes
Your hope, your faith
Away from you
But when the lion comes around
With his claw and his crown
Follow, follow
His every move
by Josh Garrels
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
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