It had been a hard day of hiking inside the Hundred Mile Wilderness of Maine’s Appalachian Trail.
The kind of day that every long distance hiker dreads. The kind of day where gravity and will, fight an almost equal but opposite battle. The 40 pound backpack tries to bind you, pinch you and knot you in an attempt to pull you to the ground, while your will tries to lift you, give you wings and help you fly. The two forces leave you solidly trudging on, under the hot and muggy green canopy.
photo credit: WTL photos
As most runners and hikers know, the easiest way to make miles is to fixate on something, anything, but the pain. The easiest way to make miles is to hypnotize yourself with a word, or phrase or thought, and this day was a hypno day for sure.
It’s Mosquito season! It’s Sweat season! Daffy Duck and Elmer Fudd, face to face, yelling at each other. It’s Mosquito season! It’s Sweat Season!
Like Gravity and Will, the two argued in my mind as I gave up trying to wave the mosquito’s away and the sweat off. The sweat poured off my chin in a steady stream where it landed, splish splash on my shuffling boots.
It’s Mosquito season! It’s time to Shut Up! The Devil went up to Maine, he was looking for a hiker to steal. He was in a bind, he was way behind, he was willing to make a deal. He came upon a young hiker who was hiking it, and hiking it hot!. He jumped up on a mosquito stump and say “Boy, let me tell you what!” Ahhh, I’m losing my mind!
photo credit: CharlesLam
Wait! What is that? I stumbled over a root. Is that WATER I smell? I’d never smelled water before. I listened. Is that wind, or is that water? I had plenty of water in my pack, and it wasn’t water that I wanted to drink. It was water that I wanted to be IN.
photo credit: CharlesLam
Turning a corner in the trail, I saw a break in the trees, and simultaneously smelled, saw and felt the water in front of me. A river that crossed the trail. A river about three feet deep and 40 feet wide with large rocks to cross by. I dropped the pack. “Gravity, you win”, and ran, an animal sound coming from me that was some mix of joy and need.
I hit the water, flew into the water, and forced my head down, feeling the hard round pebbles against my lips. I flipped over, and tried making snow angels in the river. I lifted my head and thanked God for the breeze that blew fast and cold across my face.
I sat. I listened. I sat, and I listened some more. I heard water. I heard wind. I heard a buzzing. I sat and I listened, and as I did, I was surrounded by dragonflies. Hundreds of them. I let them land on my wet palm.
It’s Dragonfly season.
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{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
I love it. What wonderful dragonfly pictures and a great story. I’ve felt that way about hiking too… it’s been a while. I need to get back out there.
Alison,
Thank you. Yup, we could all do with a little more hiking and appreciation of nature.
This is a great site that you have here. I love it! I can’t wait to read some more that you got. I have a blog myself that attempts to inspire people. I would like to exchange links with you. Let me know if this is possible. Take care!
Jason,
Why don’t you drop me an E-mail at adam at twilightearth doc com. And thank you for the compliment.
Honestly Adam, where on earth – LITERALLY! – do you find these photos? I mean, I can see where you find them, but….when I look for stuff, they are never – NEVER – as good as what you come up with for whatever topic you’re illuminating.
Once again, your Photo Sunday is Photo Magnifique!
Christopher
Nice photos, but the third photo actually shows a damselfly
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthropoda/uniramia/odonatoida.html
Thanks Randy, for pointing that out. You learn something new every day. I never knew there was a difference. I’ll have to check it out.
Thanks for the comment,
Adam