That's a pretty photo huh? It's from a recent backpacking expedition I took on the Appalachian Trail. That glow in the upper left corner is the sun setting over the western ridge. That cabin-ish looking building in the foreground is where I spent a night of terror as I waited for the Earth to slowly spin its way back into the light of dawn.
Camping solo in the middle of the woods seems like a wonderful idea right up until you do it.Then, as midnight strikes and you lie there gently crying, you realize how much you love being around people. Suddenly, waiting in line at Starbucks seems like a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. Sitting in rush hour traffic becomes an opportunity to trade in your anger for some kindness and sharing. You begin to realize that being part of that hectic and overcrowded experience we call civilization isn't such a bad thing after all.
Some of my fear was justified. Camping involves a few legitimate concerns. At one point I snapped wake when an acorn hit the cabin roof. An acorn can indicate danger. Perhaps a squirrel was carelessly climbing in the tree above. What if a branch breaks off and comes crashing through the 12" reinforced oak rafters? What if that squirrel falls with it? What if that squirrel has rabies and knows Jui Jitsu? Who knows, maybe it wasn't a squirrel after all. Maybe its Sasquatch off in the distance lobbing stones in an effort to lure me out of my huddled position in the corner.
Now, looking back it all seems so silly. As I sit in the comfort of my own home with doors locked and a gun by my side I think "Sasquatch...really! Everyone knows he lives in Canada." And even if that squirrel did know Jui Jitsu who's to say he would have won. Maybe I would have distracted him with a peanut and then grabbed his tail and beaten him against the picnic table until his brain turned to soup. And don't get me wrong, I love squirrels but in a fight to the death I'd be relentless. I'd fight with every ounce of Girl Scout in me just so I could have one more opportunity to experience a holiday sale at Target. One more opportunity to complain about the slow downloading speed of my library's internet connection. One more opportunity to spend time with the people and experiences that drove me to the woods in the first place.
Life...I'll take it.
Camping solo in the middle of the woods seems like a wonderful idea right up until you do it.Then, as midnight strikes and you lie there gently crying, you realize how much you love being around people. Suddenly, waiting in line at Starbucks seems like a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. Sitting in rush hour traffic becomes an opportunity to trade in your anger for some kindness and sharing. You begin to realize that being part of that hectic and overcrowded experience we call civilization isn't such a bad thing after all.
Some of my fear was justified. Camping involves a few legitimate concerns. At one point I snapped wake when an acorn hit the cabin roof. An acorn can indicate danger. Perhaps a squirrel was carelessly climbing in the tree above. What if a branch breaks off and comes crashing through the 12" reinforced oak rafters? What if that squirrel falls with it? What if that squirrel has rabies and knows Jui Jitsu? Who knows, maybe it wasn't a squirrel after all. Maybe its Sasquatch off in the distance lobbing stones in an effort to lure me out of my huddled position in the corner.
Now, looking back it all seems so silly. As I sit in the comfort of my own home with doors locked and a gun by my side I think "Sasquatch...really! Everyone knows he lives in Canada." And even if that squirrel did know Jui Jitsu who's to say he would have won. Maybe I would have distracted him with a peanut and then grabbed his tail and beaten him against the picnic table until his brain turned to soup. And don't get me wrong, I love squirrels but in a fight to the death I'd be relentless. I'd fight with every ounce of Girl Scout in me just so I could have one more opportunity to experience a holiday sale at Target. One more opportunity to complain about the slow downloading speed of my library's internet connection. One more opportunity to spend time with the people and experiences that drove me to the woods in the first place.
Life...I'll take it.