BearFence Mountain

It’s fall. It’s a great time to hit the trails, see the leaves starting to turn colors. and feel the crisp autumn air. And if one is lucky, watch the sunrise come over the crest of the nearby peaks.

I headed out early, real early. Headed to Shenandoah National Park and cruised down the Skyline Drive – in complete darkness. I got to the trailhead parking lot before sunrise, still early, still dark. And then I realized, I forgot my headlamp. ARGHH. Fortunately, I had a flashlight in the FJ.

The trail is just about 1/2 mile to the peak. A little over a mile loop. There are two ways to get to the summit. The first is an offshoot around the scramble, that is part of the AT, the Appalachian Trial. It’s a steady incline, a rocky stepped trail. It beholds beautiful overlooks to the west but would miss the sunrise. So, I took the eastern trail which takes you over the short scramble.

I realized a few things – it wasn’t a tough scramble, but well worth doing in the daytime (especially the first time.) With only a flashlight, it was look, put flashlight down, move, pick flashlight back up – REPEAT, over and over.

Here’s the thing, I didn’t make the summit by sunrise. I was about half way through the scramble when it was bright enough to not use the scramble and I saw the sky changing colors.

I stopped, found a good sitting place, and waited. It didn’t take long before the sun rose and I felt the warmth on my face, I witnessed the beauty of God’s creation, and smiled at how good He is and how beautiful His creation is.

But I didn’t make it, I came up short. I failed.

For some reason, a movie came to my mind. A great movie starring Cuba Gooding Jr and Beyonce … The Fighting Temptations. Near the end of the movie, the choir sang a song that has become one of my favorite songs to pick me up and remind me of God’s love.

Go here to view it … YOU STILL LOVE ME

Seems like I always fall short, of being worthy
Cuz I ain’t good enough, but He still loves me
I ain’t no superstar, the spotlight ain’t shinin on me
Cuz I ain’t good enough,
but He still loves me
Loves me

The sun on the scramble was just as warm as it was on the summit. The colors the same, the beauty as grand, the feelings just as great … maybe better. For even though I didn’t make the summit in time, the sun still rose. Though I fall short, I experience God’s love.

Let me tell you – we are never good enough. We always get mud on our shoes and miss things. We get beat up and pressed down and picked on – but He still loves me. And that is what a sunrise on the scramble reminded me. We are all so blessed.

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I finished the trail, made the summit. I took both the AT and the scramble before it was over. I did about 3 miles roaming all around. And then – breakfast at Big Meadow Lodge. Then about an hour on the Drive taking in the early stages of fall colors.

It was a good day.