Tag: adventure

My favorite form of physical exercise…hmm… Hiking. Nothing beats a strenuous hike in mother nature. I’ve been a hiker and a backpacker since I was little. As a young man, I helped plan and lead backpacking trips into the Bighorn Mountains. I climbed to the top of 13,171 foot Cloud Peak. I was lucky, one might say, to share the experience with my father. I have also enjoyed hiking in Rocky Mountain N.P. in Colorado, the Wallowa Mountains in Oregon and the Canyonlands of Utah. I enjoy the solitude of hiking alone. Now, when I go out to beat the trail, I am accompanied by my furry friend Roper. She enjoys the exercise too. Usually, I like to plan ahead. I wake up and make coffee. I’m out the door before anyone is awake, like 04:30 in the morning. I have studied the map and know the trail I’m on. I know the landmarks and their names. I have orienteering skills. I read the history of the land. I watch for signs of bear. I see the scat of coyotes. The sun has barely risen above the horizon. My nose is cold and dripping but the movement of my body creates warmth. My breath is visible in the crisp air. I see a doe raise her head from the grass she is eating and look at me. She swishes her tail twice and goes back to eating. A yellow-bellied marmot comes out to see me. I hear his claws scratching across the granite rock. I stop for a late breakfast and hydration break. It’s been hours and I haven’t seen anyone else so I decide to do some exploring. I crawl through wind fallen trees careful not to disturb a rattlesnake hiding on the other side of a log. I reach a boggy meadow full of tall grasses where the elk like to drink. Butterflies float on the breeze. I wish I could stay here for days. There is more here I want to see. On the way back to the vehicle, I startle a rabbit from the brush. The rabbit bounds forward in a zigzagging line and stops to watch as I leave. I ask the rabbit to forgive my intrusion on his home.