It's a new year, and a new beginning.
What does 5772 have in store for us?
Climbing Mount Peale was definitely one of the most strenuous hikes I've ever taken.
Climbing straight up about two thousand feet on loose rocks.
Not an easy stroll in the park.
But four hours later (and two very sore legs) I made it to the 12,721 ft summit.
It was Erev Rosh Hashanah.
May you all have a sweet new year filled with adventure and the wonder of God's Creation.
No BearCows to join me last night. They were out there, but not sleeping on top of me like they were last time. It was a very restful night for me, actually.
After a thunderstorm had passed, complete with plenty of rain and hail, I was able to build a fire from some damp wood and a candle. The sun set quickly, and as I settled into my warm tent I listened to my fire fall asleep with soft crackles.
Eventually, silence.
I fell asleep quickly and only woke up a few times during the night. When you're surrounded by such a deep silence, the slightest sound amplifies tenfold.
The creaking of a tree was the only sound to stir me out of slumber. A brief pause in my sleep, not a disturbance. The tree and the wind finished their duet and silence began to play again.
Watch the video introduction before further reading...
[and crank up that volume]
This was actually my first time camping solo, and I'm so glad it finally happened. The La Sal Mountains are beautiful and provide a refreshing place to escape from the hot desert down below. But here's the lesson I learned on this solo trip:
Trust, and do not panic.
As you may have noticed in the video, I was accompanied by some sort of large animal throughout the night. For the first six hours of darkness I was kept awake by approaching sounds: branches snapping, heavy breathing, snorts, growls, rumbles, sneezes, footsteps and some other noises I can't even classify.
Earlier I had heard the cow. A large bull, to be more specific. I had never heard an animal, let alone a cow, make that sort of sound before. Very weird. Somewhat terrifying.
I knew it was the bull in the beginning. I saw him approaching and he was making typical bull moans and groans. I was just a little paranoid that he would get startled and maybe trample my little tent with me inside. I kept yelling and blowing my whistle (feeling like a lame little boy) to scare him off. Eventually (and by eventually, I mean several hours later) he sauntered off and I slept for about an hour.
Then I heard it.
The distinct sound I often work so hard to imitate in order to scare my friends.
Bear.
I sat up in my sleeping bag and strained my ears. Maybe it was just the lonely bull again, coming back for a midnight story from the boyscout he met earlier. I kept listening.
No moaning. No groaning. Just heavy breathing with a few snorts mixed in.
BEAR.
I began yelling. "GET OUTTA HERE! GO!" *whistle blow* "GO AWAY BEARRGH!"
My voice began to waiver, because this guy wasn't leaving.
I begin to pray (Why don't we do this at first? I'm often guilty of waiting until a desperate moment to call upon my Creator). I pray for the thing to go away. To leave me alone. Lord, give me peace. Keep me safe.
The heavy breathing continues, and it sounds closer than before. I can't see him but it sounds like he's moving towards the car.
Where the food is.
"GET OUT OF HERE BEAR!!"
I set off the panic alarm to my car.
Panic.
What am I doing? I can't even see what it is. I haven't even looked. I'm basically hiding in my tent, unwilling to see what is really out there.
My shaky hand grabs my light and begins to unzip my shelter. I peer out into the dark night and see nothing.
Nothing but stars. The sky is full of them. More stars than I have ever seen in my life.
Two stars are staring at me from the bushes.
Twinkling. Blinking. The head turns and lets out a long, deep sigh.
The bull.
Asleep in the bushes. Snoring. The poor guy is just trying to sleep, while I'm honking my horn, blowing my whistle and yelling for my life.
Relief pours over me, and I realize my lesson for the day.
Trust.
Why did I abandon the idea of my prayers being answered? I prayed for peace and for protection.
A snoring cow. Hm, looks pretty peaceful to me.
I feel like an idiot (and still do, kinda), but that doesn't matter because I look up at the sky again.
The most awesome sky I have ever seen.
Thank you, Lord. And thank you, BearCow for helping me learn that lesson.
