Sunday, September 24, 2006

Switchbacks and Suffering

Yesterday, I decided to go for a hike out in the Columbia River Gorge. It has been just about two years since I went on this particular hike, and as I have unfortunately let myself go in the physical department over the past three years, it was extremely difficult.

As I started out for Upper Wahkeena Falls, my heart began to pound and my legs hurt, reminding me of two things: 1) I really miss hiking and being out in nature and 2) Damn, I'm out of shape. It was really sad, but as I felt the cool breeze and spray from Upper Wahkeena, I pushed on, setting my course for the switchbacks up to the lookout of the Gorge and my favorite section of trails that eventually lead to Fairy Falls, Devils Rest and many other destinations. The switchbacks, recently being paved, were just as I remembered them, neverending, yet, as I stopped over climbing each switchback, my attention was drawn to something different everytime. From the way the sun was streaming through a giant maple, a moss covered wall home to several millipedes, a dew-covered spider web, fuzzy caterpillars, a dead tree with its roots sticking up in the air, there were so many fascinating things, and for the first time, I felt the freedom to try and photograph them. It was great! Not many pictures turned out, but the key was that I was trying new things. FINALLY! Trying new things. Hiking a trail that has long forgotten my loving stride, taking pictures with new techniques (flash in the outdoors, slow-shutter zoom, high ISO, macro), and most importantly, getting in the car and driving to such a beautiful location.

While things were difficult to get to the top and back, and I am still feeling the effects of that hike, I was able to really say that through that suffering, it has produced in me the desire to keep trying. Sure, I couldn't go at the pace that I once did, but it seems to me that if I would have went at a faster pace, not only would it have harmed me, but perhaps I wouldn't have seen all that I saw on the hike, and had the magical epiphany that I had.

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