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...

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

Happy birthday Dad!