The gift is given
Vivid hues descend on the
Woodlands, rain falling
Like tears shed on a lonely
Trail, one step at a time, alone
The Hike
Leave a reply
Monthly Archives: September 2017
Sunset
Simmering sun falls.
Orange delight gives way to
Blessed peace and calm-
A picturesque landscape of
Cool juicy watermelon
Autumn Hiking
Nature’s frosty breathe
Liquid skies, soft earth and love
Passion spreading life
Adventure found in each step
Fantasy fuels the psyche
The Onset Of Autumn
Swirling paths of light
Leaves gently falling. swaying
Deaths hand plays a song
Of fractured domains singing
Complacent in the calling
Serenity Now…
“Adopting the right attitude can convert a negative stress into a positive one.”
-Hans Selye
Hikers always seem to have a love/hate relationship with the very trails that provide them with serenity that they seek. The miles spent with your pack and boots are a testament to your committment to getting out on the trail as often as you can. But even with that committment we always have peculiarities that set us apart from let’s say, people who play tennis. Some people will hike in any kind of weather. Me? I don’t mind the heat or cold and I can spend the day hiking in a drizzle. I draw the line, however, with heavy rain, snow or sleet.
The weather isn’t the only thing that will test the relationship you have with the trails you love. I know folks who would much rather hike with a partner or a small group instead of going it alone. Me? I don’t mind the social aspect of hiking with a friend or two but anything larger than that kills the vibe. And going solo? No problem. I thoroughly enjoy the time spent away from people (whether I like them or not) to gain or regain some perspective in my life.
Lastly, part of the adventure or thrill of hiking is what you see along the way. I have a friend whose destination on a hike always has to include a view. While views are nice, they certainly aren’t the be all and end all of a hike. There is, however, something to be said about the close feeling that you get from the woods as you make your way down the trail. I know that I am as equally fascinated by a mushroom on the side of the trail or a stone wall in the middle of nowhere as I am with a great view looking over the Hudson River. Others may not agree, but that’s the beauty of going out and doing your own thing.
This all contributes to the complicated love/hate relationship that hikers have with the places where they love to hike. The whole point of getting out there is to do your own thing. We don’t see a right or a wrong and from day-to-day the relationship can change. Just saying…
Happy Hiking!!!
A Nice Mental Enema (30)
“Can you help me get my head on straight just a half an inch so I can muddle on through?”
-Assembly of Dust
It appears that summer is on its way out and fall is on its way in! Although the forecast has temperatures heading into the mid 70’s to posssibly 80 midweek, the signs are already here that the seasons are changing. The nicest thing about hiking today was the fact that between Monday (when I last hiked) and Saturday, enough leaves had fallen so you had the awesome crunching sound as you made your way through the woods.
As it has been for a couple of weeks now, the temperature was in the mid 50’s with a nice breeze whenI hit the trail at about 10:15 am. For me that it is a pretty late start, but when the alarm on my phone went off at 5:00 am, my brain said, “no way.” So I waited.
Once I got on the trail however, it was all good. I did my favorite trail again and it was glorious! It is long and varied enough to give you not only a good physical workout, but a decent mental cleansing as well. That’s all I want and it’s all I need.
Happy Hiking!!!
Summer 2017 Mileage:
9/9/17-6.0-175.22
The Labyrinth + Connector Trails= Relative Peace (29)
“The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.”
“The power of imagination makes us infinite.”
-John Muir
After a day of rain on Sunday, the weather today was next to perfect! Once again, temperatures were in the mid 50’s with clear skies and a nice breeze. When I hit the trail at 5:40 am, it was still pretty dark but I knew that with an earlier than usual start I would have a little more flexibility with how far I could go.
I decided that after yesterday’s post I am renaming the Red Trail, “The Labyrinth.” It only seems fitting since I have hiked it numerous times and have likened its benefits to a traditional Labyrinth.
Today’s trek first took me on the The Labyrinth, back around to a connector trail to the Leatherman’s Loop and I finished by heading back on a very short loop from the yellow to the end of the red.
One of the best things about the cool weather has been the absence of any blood sucking thugs. It’s been really nice not to have to spend entire hikes swatting and slapping these beasts away from me. I can’t remember the last time that I had to actually use any bug spray on a hike.
Another nice day and another really nice hike!
Happy Hiking!!!
Summer 2017 Mileage:
9/4/17-9.2-169.22
Early September Rain
Lightly falling drops
Crashing on the precipice.
Rolling, sliding on
The razors edge, sliced in half.
Questions answered, panic rules.
(Tanka)
A Labyrinth…Of Sorts
“With a labyrinth, you make a choice to go in – and once you’ve chosen, around and around you go. But you always find your way to the center.”
-Jeff Bridges
“A labyrinth is a symbolic journey . . . but it is a map we can really walk on, blurring the difference between map and world.”
-Rebecca Solnit
If you have read enough of my blog, you know that I hike for many reasons. Although the physical benefits are obvious, the ones that aren’t many times are the positive ones that you receive that are psychological in nature. After a good day, bad day or indifferent one, hiking offers the mental cleansing I need to keep moving forward, both literally and figuratively.
Recently I have been researching the Labyrinth as a form of walking meditation and I think I have found parallels to what I experience when I am out in the woods hiking, especially a trail that I discovered several weeks ago in Ward Pound Ridge Reservation.
The Labyrinth Society says that:
“A labyrinth is a meandering path, often unicursal, with a singular path leading to a center. Labyrinths are an ancient archetype dating back 4,000 years or more, used symbolically, as a walking meditation, choreographed dance, or site of rituals and ceremony, among other things. Labyrinths are tools for personal, psychological and spiritual transformation, also thought to enhance right-brain activity. Labyrinths evoke metaphor, sacred geometry, spiritual pilgrimage, religious practice, mindfulness, environmental art, and community building. ”
When I read the definition above, I couldn’t help but think of The Red Trail at the Ward Pound Reservation. At about 5 1/2 miles, the trail offers a varied enough terrain to allow for the same benefits that have been found with traditional labyrinths. Flat earthen surfaces combined with multiple short rocky climbs allow the hiker to find solace in the journey that they are taking. The trail has enough twists and turns as you make your way around the park to keep things interesting.
The most beautiful thing about this trail is that built within the loop are several other trails or connector trails that can either lengthen or shorten your journey. A little more than half way through the hike is a nice set of rocks that although during the summer do not offer many views, will be absolutely magnificent in the fall and the winter. You can sit on these and reflect on where you have been and where you are going. It is also a great place to eat lunch if you choose to do so!
The differences in a traditional Labyrinth and what I have described above are obvious. With that said, you can use what you have at your disposal to help achieve the peace that you are either looking for or trying to maintain.
Happy Hiking!!!
Is It Autumn? It Sure Feels Like It!(28)
“Autumn seemed to arrive suddenly that year. The morning of the first September was crisp and golden as an apple.”
-J.K. Rowling
“Each moment of the year has its own beauty.”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
Walking in the woods today I could sense a shift in the seasons. Although it is only September 1st, the crisp air was certainly much cooler than you would expect, even for this late in the summer. You may think I’m crazy, but when you are hiking, you find that every season has its own unique smell. From the re-awakening of the woods in spring to the barren ground right before a snowfall, it is almost as if the earth lets you know it is changing.
This morning, if only for a moment, the distinct smell of autumn enveloped me as I walked on the trail. However, as quickly as I noticed it, it was gone. Let’s hope that the weather continues in that direction and doesn’t return to summer!
Although I am back at school, I am going to count the hikes I do until Autumn begins on Friday September 22nd as summer hikes.
Summer 2017 Mileage:
9/1/17-8.2-160.02
The Zen Hiker 