Skip to main content

Rocky Ridge/Breeden Ridge Trail

Photo by: Tim Bindner Photography

Today I met my buddy Mark at O’ Bannon Woods State Park for a hike.  In this Coronavirus terrifying world, I needed to get out.

My week had not been going so well.  I got some surprises at work that changed how future projects will go for me and I was bombarded by daily messages of doom about the Corona Virus.  I was looking forward to the weekend because I had two hikes planned.  This is the only one that happened.

After a two day headache (Friday and Saturday) I was able to get out and hike.  I met Mark at the campground in O’ Bannon Woods and we set off on the Rocky Ridge Trail.  This is the trail we had planned on hiking a few weekends ago but it ended quickly when the forecasted 30% of rain became 100% sleet.

The trail this time was still muddy but as I could tell by the campground area we would be alone.  As my boots slushed through the mud I watched from behind as Mark often caught a tree root or rock with the toe of his boot, sending him into a quick dance for stability.  This is usually me, but today my legs felt good.  The air was in the low 30’s and the fresh deep breaths I was taking as I ambled down the path lifted my spirit.

We proceeded down the Rocky Ridge Trail to the intersecting split of the Breeden Ridge Trail.  We went left and proceeded uphill.  Within moments the well-defined trail became obvious to me that this trail was intended for mountain bikers.  Today it would be traveled by two hikers.

I had my camera and only took 3 shots, conjuring up my inner Thomas Heaton (a photographer I follow who will hike miles and only take one-shot).  For me today this hike was about destressing, untangling my brain and seeing my friend Mark.

Photo by: Tim Bindner Photography

This trail didn’t disappoint.  We say small streams, heard the call of birds high above, heard woodpeckers searching for food, felt the cool breeze, had great conversations and saw early signs of spring below our feet in the form of early blooming small plants.

We went roughly 2 miles, then turned around and returned in the same direction.  As we reached the trailhead we found we were only .8 miles from the end of the Breeden Ridge Trail, which connected to Potato Run Trail which would have brought us back to our cars.  Not knowing this ahead of time hurt us, but it will be an adventure for next time.  The virus has canceled Marks trip in April, but it allows more time for him and me to hit the trails and soon the streets to photograph what we see.  The shot above best displays my brain as I hit the trail.  There was light there, but it had trouble seeping through.  A simple hike cleared that up. All the clutter is temporarily gone.

In this current state, I think John Muir sums up how I am feeling right now. “Few places in this world are more dangerous than home. Fear not, therefore, to try the mountain passes. They will kill care, save you from deadly apathy, set you free, and call forth every faculty into vigorous, enthusiastic action.” – John Muir.

Until next time,

Tim

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Love to get your feedback on what you read!

Popular posts from this blog

Rumination

  I've found myself stuck in a loop lately. It's like my mind is on a hamster wheel, endlessly circling the same thoughts. I can't seem to shake them. It's exhausting. I've been there. That place where thoughts loop around and around, like a broken record stuck on the same groove. It's like my mind is a haunted house, and these persistent thoughts are the ghosts haunting me. I'll be thinking about something, maybe a conversation I had earlier in the day, and then suddenly, I'm spiraling. I'm replaying every word, every gesture, analyzing every detail. It's like a broken record, playing the same tune repeatedly. It's not just conversations, either. I can ruminate about my to-do list, my relationships, or even the weather. It's as if my brain is determined to find a problem, no matter how small. Rumination, as it's called, can be a real drain. It's like trying to go against the flow of a strong current. No matter how hard I ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Nobody's Listening

  I recently had conversations with two people I know that had experienced a sudden rash of acute anxiety. One was medication related, the other was situational. Both stated that they now had a better understanding of what I have been dealing with. With the recent changes to my medication, Although I still feel anxiety, it no longer takes control of my emotions like it did in the past. However, I know acutely that it still lurks on the fringes, patiently awaiting its chance to pounce on me. During my recent visit to Dr. Erin, she assigned me an exercise where I had to jot down three things each day that I felt I excelled at. This is proving to be difficult for me. The parameters are straightforward and easy to understand. “Anything I do well that day,” she said. As I continued with this exercise, I began thinking of a song by Linkin Par called Nobody’s Listening. I got a heart full of pain, head full of stress Handful of anger held in my chest And everything left’s a wast...
Post a Comment
Read more

Walk Tall

  I recently listened to a song by one of my favorite artist’s name John Mellencamp . The song is called Walk Tall . As I listened to the lyrics, I could not help reflecting on the world around me. John states: The simple minded and the uninformed Can be easily led astray And those that cannot connect the dots Hey, look the other way People believe what they wanna believe When it makes no sense at all… This is a recurring sight for me, encountered daily on social media, in conversations, on the news, and most notably in politics. People readily accept Facebook, MSNBC, CNN, or even their neighbor’s post on any platform as the ultimate truth. Very few people bother to delve into the facts, and it’s even worse how furious they get when faced with differing opinions. A point proven recently with a post I saw on Facebook. Someone stated, “this proves people will argue about anything”. There was a picture of a plastic cup of water that was ¾ full. The caption below said a fu...
1 comment
Read more