Started the excursion in a clearing that overlooked a valley, and across to the surrounding hills. Colors are starting to pop, and a cool breeze hit me in the face. Shivers ran up and down me, and I felt really alive for a bit.
I descended a long steep hill, dropping about 150 feet in elevation into the tree canopy. Found a wonderful little stream. Every thing was so quiet, except for the sound of running water. It was a cool dewy moment of watching small frogs hop into the water, and imagining how good that water might taste. I was not brave (or stupid) enough to taste it though. What a simple decision, that could have such dire consequences. Life is like that I guess, funny little decisions all the time that we take for granted, but can be severly altering for what can seem like an eternity. I guess the example fits, cause any amount of time seems like eternity when you have giardia.
Up and out of creek bottom. Another vista, and a surprise - a pond in the valley below. It was absolutely beautiful. Started another descent into the valley.
The pond was so calm. Crystal clear and peaceful. I sat in the grass for a little while, watched the dogs chase a snake, and just thought about things. The sun was so warm - fall warm though, the kind of sunshine that is working real hard to be warm for you. It's a losing battle though, soon the sun won't be keeping up and the snow will be flying. That's okay too though, I'm looking forward to that stage again. Something different. Hang up the bike, pull down the skis. I hope we get some good snow this year.
The rest of the hike was up and down the loess hills that line the Missouri River. At the tops are reminant loess prairies, in the valleys are old growth forest. Both have their majesty. Eventually I started getting blisters on my heels. Funny thing, I have never had problems with these boots, could be a socks thing, or the fact that I probably descended and climbed a couple thousand feet over the course of 7 miles or so. Finally completed the loop and decided to jump out onto the road for a bit to get back to my car quicker. I was torn doing this, I wanted to go back the way I had come, and the pain in my heels was definitely a main focus of my experience, but it was also the kind of bitter sweet, redemptive pain that can last for awhile before it really starts causing problems. I was starting to feel my socks get wet though, and that is not a good sign, so I cut it short and jumped out on to the road for a mile or so.
The road was smooth, and it made me want to get out and do an epic dirt road ride. In the mile or so of road that I wandered, I didn't see a single car or indication that there was another person on earth. Solitude.
The rest of the hike was up and down the loess hills that line the Missouri River. At the tops are reminant loess prairies, in the valleys are old growth forest. Both have their majesty. Eventually I started getting blisters on my heels. Funny thing, I have never had problems with these boots, could be a socks thing, or the fact that I probably descended and climbed a couple thousand feet over the course of 7 miles or so. Finally completed the loop and decided to jump out onto the road for a bit to get back to my car quicker. I was torn doing this, I wanted to go back the way I had come, and the pain in my heels was definitely a main focus of my experience, but it was also the kind of bitter sweet, redemptive pain that can last for awhile before it really starts causing problems. I was starting to feel my socks get wet though, and that is not a good sign, so I cut it short and jumped out on to the road for a mile or so.
The road was smooth, and it made me want to get out and do an epic dirt road ride. In the mile or so of road that I wandered, I didn't see a single car or indication that there was another person on earth. Solitude.Saw one thing that I have never seen before... Walked for awhile with a "cloud" of lady bugs. Apparently those little bugs swarm and migrate or something, cause there was thousands and thousands of them, all moving at just a bit faster than walking speed, and me right in the thick of it. Really felt like I was part of something there for a minute, something larger than myself for sure. Just kidding, it was just a bunch of bugs, but it was pretty weird and I felt kind of lucky to see it.
Till next time....
2 comments:
Dude, I know the new kid thing is hard, but you gotta lay off the pipe! the obstetrics hippie.
P.S. That little adventure sounds more fun than working in the house all day. Good for you.
don't you like my little stories?
i wasn't messed up... totally lucid. yep, right in the heat of reality.
i did stop and eat some plant life that i found though. no, it's not like that. i found a kind of high land meadow that was full of wild raddishes. huge ones. i couldn't believe it. i ate a couple. they were good... sweet and crunchy, without that kind of bitter taste that farm raddishes have.
also found some wild (or ferrel anyway) milo with the berries still on the heads (was surprised the deer hadn't gotten it). ate that too.
wasn't particularly hungry, just felt like eating shit that i found.
didn't eat any bugs, the snake, the frog, or anything else though - so i didn't completely lose it. i also didn't eat any of the hundreds of mushrooms that i found. probably would have been safe with a couple of the species, i was pretty sure i knew what they were - but there is something about the risk of 48 hour combination renal and liver failure that i just couldn't get past in my head. i did stop and look at one for a minute though.
one of the dogs ate something nasty though. she barfed it up on the carpet for me to see this morning. i've said it before, i'll say it again.... idiot dogs!
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