Big Ole’ Loopty Loop

Tonight was a regular hike. No paths, no smooth gravel, but steep, rocky, slippery, confusing hiking. This trail was supposed to be a pretty simple 4 mile loop. It ended up being a spiderweb of paths all crisscrossed through each other. I probably added a good half mile to my hike just by having to backtrack so many times.

Mentally this hike wasn’t about working through anything. I have been in a really good mind space the last couple weeks. There have been some difficult times, confusing moments, and worry about friends, but overall, it has been a very good few weeks.

I made a video of the skyline for a friend, another one for my mom, and took a bunch of pictures as the moon popped up over the mountains. The majority of this hike was just “hiking”. I played around with my hiking poles, tried to learn a good technique, and got really good at using them up hill (felt like I was just about running). It felt really good to be up in the mountains again, feeling the burn in my lungs, legs getting shaky from long down hills, and my arms, chest, and shoulders on fire from using the hiking poles so aggressively.

Here’s a few of the images I took, some are good, some are junk and none seem to be in focus.