I was not up to taking my new backpack for a test hike yesterday, when I started my day. I was also not really up to it a bit later in the morning, after yoga, and when I walked – without my pack – to the neighborhood farmer’s market, either. Afternoon came around, and a partner asked me what I thought of the hike at Cooper Mountain, and handed me a map. I looked it over pretty fearlessly; I wasn’t even considering it as a ‘right now’ option, just looking at a map. Could I do the distances involved? It looked like it. Could I handle the terrain? That looked okay, too, with the possible exception of some steeper bits, that I felt sure I could work up to pretty quickly…
Oh – hello right now!
In moments we were off, headed down the road toward adventure. According to the hiking app I installed on my smart device, by day’s end we’d managed more than 3 miles of varied terrain (3.4 for me, 3.8 for my partners who took on one more loop of trail than I did). It was good fun, and my pack fit well, felt comfortable, and delivered on the utterly necessary hydration piece I was concerned about. I felt far more capable in practice than I had convinced myself I was. It felt extraordinary to knock down that damaging notion and replace it with a sense of strength and capability. Old skills and knowledge were at the ready, and I found being open to learning new technologies far less stress-inducing than hanging on to ideas that are now out-of-date (good-bye cotton, hello modern wicking fabrics!). It was fantastically fun and I am already eagerly exploring maps of the area for hikes that are easily within reach. It felt fantastic to be outside, with my partners, walking through the lovely countryside.
The wild roses were in bloom, pretty much everywhere.
There were endless vistas…
…paths to points beyond…
…cool forests…
…sun-dappled trails…
…and lovely expanses of meadow filled with every possible wildflower.
It was an afternoon well-spent, savored, and enjoyed in good company.
I wasn’t sad to head for home when we reached our vehicle; I was beat! The drive home was punctuated with laughing comments about sleeping well that night. It was a lovely experience.
Strangely… I did not sleep well. Okay, to be fair, I slept well enough, but not for very long, and the remaining many hours of night were spent split between meditation, and wondering why meditation wasn’t resulting in sleepiness. Ever. lol. For now I am awake, alert, content, and facing the work week feeling good. Perhaps I’d simply had enough rest? I guess it is possible, although 4 hours is rarely sufficient for me; I may notice the lack by day’s end.
Until then, though, and even after… today is a very good day. It’s a very good day just as it is, and that’s a nice way to begin it.
Evening Light 