What I did on Friday

Honestly, nothing makes me as happy as the freedom, peace, and solitude I get when I go walking in the woods. I set out at my favorite part in search of an old granite quarry. What I intended to be a short walk before returning to my car for the real point of my going: Training with my giant backpack - turned into a 3 hour tour.

I was gonna go up one trail, just ONE trail, to loosen up. I was then gonna go back to my car, grab my killer pack (filled with everything I need for AK), and go for a longer walk, to really experience the weight of it. Instead, when I got to the end of my one trail, I thought "Well one more wont be so bad" and before I knew it, 12 noon had turned to 3:30 and it was time to leave.

I did find the old quarry, seen above, rather overgrown of course, but it was a peaceful spot none-the-less.

I was rather impressed by my bridge picture. Grainy camera phone camera quality to the side, its rather poetic, aye?
This was taken on my way back to my car, 3 hours after I set out for my ten minute warm up.

I'm really not to thrilled with the idea of lugging something averaging 50 pounds around...on the other hand, its not gonna be 50 pounds of lugging, every day, just those day's that I'm in transit from one work site to the next.

I couldn't help but feel edged on by the quiet of the woods. Everything has been so green on account of all the rain. And in keeping with the rain levels, every little brook and stream was bubbling away. The bugs weren't too bad and if anything else - the temperature was beyond perfect.

Today is another perfect day. It is also the day of a Revoluntary War re-enactment taking place at said location. I'm leaving momentarily to go take pictures and get my first feel for what war re-enactors are like. I hear the good ones never break character. And besides...who can argue with free entertainment like that!

I'm glad that the woods and I get along so well. I go into them, and reflect. And once I leave, they keep calling me back. I remember a time not too long ago when the world of woods and mountains was not my calling card. I think back to when I was teenager and my world revolved around going to the mall, the movies and to nightclubs. I feel that I've found something spiritual, something fulfilling in the wild and semi wild.

I think I've always been a nature lover at heart and just hadn't realized it. When I go into a city, I enjoy it for what it can provide, theater, ballet, unique cuisine and a diverse cultural feel. But after drinking my fill from those cups, my attention is immediately drawn to the underbelly. Crime, poverty, over population, drug addiction, trash...and that understood feeling that no one knows you nor cares about you. I like the independence that comes with nature. I like the sense that wherever I decide to plop down for a night is my home. No rent, no noisy neighbors, no police sirens at 3am. Just...