OUTSIDE: A Trail Unblazed

Do you have a bucket-list, a wishlist of things to do?

My recent list is to do every trail between Humpback Rock and Peaks of Otter. Yesterday, I hit Fallingwater Cascades Trail.

This trail is a short (1.4 miles) loop that goes down 450 feet and circles back up again. This is unusual for the Blue Ridge Parkway. Most are up the mountain and then back down. And since a short jaunt, the angle of descent and ascent could be a bit … challenging.

Outside … the leaves were dancing from drops of water
Outside … the ground was golden as it was covered with fallen leaves of deep yellow
Outside … I had the trail to myself, probably kept away by the rain and dense fog
Outside … the silence was captivating, nothing except for the rainfall and the splash of the waterfall
Outside … the rocks were slippery (but my Merrell Moab 3 were up to the task and my Black Diamond trekking poles more than once kept me surefooted)
Outside … my clothes began to be soaked from the spray of waterfall, drops of rain and trees collecting and dumping with any little bump or wind
Outside … was where I was

The trail was unblazed. It held no marks of the pathway, but it was clearly evident from the work that was put into it and the well worn dirt below my feet.

Outside was were I learned and was reminded of some very important lessons.

LESSON ONE … This trial was beautiful and a delight to travel. And though unblazed, there were obvious clues that many people had gone before me and made this trek as positive as it was …

• ample and available parking space was provided
• signs that indicate the sign and direction to travel
• methods of assistance were placed along the path (steps, a bridge, guardrails along the path)
• resting spots/benches that were placed for both catching your breath and viewing the scenery
• big obstacles were cleared (trees that had fallen across the path had been split and sections removed to clear the trailway)

Life is a journey. But Lesson One shows us life is better and easier due to those that have gone before us … providing a place to get started (parking), showing us dangers and direction (giving warnings and advice like avoid people or places), making the path of life simpler to journey (like those that fought for work benefits or those that remind us to rest), and removal of obstacles (like dealing with problems in life and social injustice.)

LESSON TWO … This trial had many ups and downs. It was these places that truly tested my endurance and increased my stamina. The occasional smooth clearances and level trail spots are a moment to catch my breath but it was climbing the steps and carefully descending that pushed me.

Life is journey. But Lesson Two shows is it is the difficult and trying moments that show us who we are are and push us to higher levels. It isn’t the smooth and level parts of life that do this. It is in the valleys and ups/downs of life that test us.

GET OUTSIDE … G.O.

It’s worth it.