A tale of two hikes

Photo by: Tim Bindner Photography

This weekend I went on two different hikes at two different locations and had two very different experiences.  One with a friend and one alone.

Saturday morning I met Kristin at O’ Bannon Woods State Park to hike the Rocky Ridge Trail.  This was my first return to O’ Bannon since last May when I was swarmed with hundreds of ticks and consequently got sick thereafter.  This time though I still used bug spray I felt safe as the morning temperature hung in the low to mid 30’s

We began our hike at the trailhead at the edge of the campground lot.  The air was sweet, the breeze cool and I led the way for about an eighth of a mile.  Kristin then took the lead or shall I say Gambit did.  The trail was soft yet not muddy.  It had been clear and was easily traversed however I knew I was with an experienced and distance hiker, so I made my intentions known early.  The loop was a bit over two miles, and that was all I had in me today.

As we hiked we caught up.  I had not seen Kristin since May and we discussed various subjects like tv shows, work, the recent layoffs at work and an upcoming trip she had planned next year.  The time and trek flew by.  I snapped a few shots and before I knew it we were back at our cars and preparing to head back home.  It was good to be back at this location and I enjoyed my time with my friend.

Sunday morning I awake at was headed out the door at 7 am to my favorite local hiking spot.  The temperature was a perfect 27 degrees and I knew I had a chance to get some good shots like the one above.

I made my way toward the lake and I could already see the mist rising off the water.  The backdrop of oranges, yellows, and reds, dare I say, was picture perfect.  Unfortunately, I could not do it justice with my camera.  I walked around the right side of the lake, the grass frozen and crunching below my boots, and I took various shots of the still water and reflections that only autumn could provide.  It is Sunday and this is my church.

As I rounded the pond and reached the dock I shed my sweatshirt.   It was still 30 degrees but I was already warm, despite my hands being a bit chilled.  I made my way to my normal path behind the lake and over to the other side.  The solitude, peace, and quiet was the opposite of the previous day hike, and I enjoyed both variations.  I had some things to sort out in my head and this was the perfect environment.

I took my time and ended up going over four miles today.  My legs were heavy but I didn’t care.  I stopped to admire a deer hopping across a field, various squirrels darting back and forth across my path and I was under no pressure, had no agenda, nor any time restraints.  The frozen ground below, the frozen plants and leaves all around me and the cool air filling my lungs helped to invigorate my soul.

I am glad I was alone today.  I have two big subjects rolling around in my head that I want to blog about, and I worked some of it out today in my head while hiking.  I now just need to put the proverbial pen to paper and regurgitate out the words.  More to come in the next few weeks.  For now, I am on a high that only nature can provide.  I will revel in it until the static of reality comes crashing back in.

Until next time,

Tim