MY
JOURNEY CONTINUES
October
27, 2007
By
Lynda
Platone
“Live your
life each day as you would climb a mountain. An occasional glance toward the
summit keeps the goal in mind, but many beautiful scenes are to be observed
from each new vantage point. Climb slowly, steadily, enjoying each passing
moment; and the view from the summit will serve as a fitting climax for the
journey.”
Well,
after the September hike, I had no idea I’d be planning yet one more hike on
Saturday
morning came bright and early………smiles………much earlier for Gail and
I as we had to drive over the mountain from Waynesville to Cherokee to meet up
with Ed, Bob, Austin and Charlie by 6ish AM or so at Hardees.
It’s customary for me to ride to the trailhead with the Wright family
from there. What a very pleasant
surprise it was to meet Ed’s daughter-in-law Lisa who had not expected to be able to make the hike due to work commitments.
We arrived at the trailhead at the appointed time to find
Tillroe Smith, Tom Grubbs and Mike Williams waiting for the rest of the group.
I was thrilled to hear Cindy
Wisnieski’s
voice when she pulled into the trailhead parking lot because she had emailed me to
let me know she couldn’t make this hike.
Soon after Cindy’s arrival Al Smith
and Janice Henderson arrived. They
are both awesome amateur photographers and you can find Al’s link on Ed’s
website. Our little group was now
ready to head out. The time was
7:20 AM, the temperature hovered around 45 degrees and
it was still dark!
Off
we went into the darkness, our little band of happy
hikers,
all very excited for the
opportunity to hike with the Master himself yet one more time this year!
Ahhhhhhhh……...the music of the creek………it always soothes my heart and soul
and sets me up for the wonderful, miraculous day I know awaits me.
Photo
opportunities were very limited in the early part of the hike because of the
darkness and cloud cover. It
wasn’t long before we were at the mouth
of Arch Rock where we rested for a bit
and took some photos. It was such
a pleasure to be able to hike with the
Wright family and witness
the love they share.
I’m
not sure what Tillroe and Mike were looking at but I took the opportunity to
get this group shot as they all gathered
together on the trail on the opposite side of the washout.
Although I didn’t see any forest critters this time around, I did see
glorious color and
new growth. Not to mention
the spectacular views
once the clouds moved out and the sun
beamed down upon us!
How could one
not believe in a higher power, a Creator, GOD, a Supreme Being, when one is witness to such breathtaking
beauty.
I am always humbled on
By
the time we reached Paul’s Face
it had cleared considerably. One
of my favorite locations on the trail is
the row of
Fraser Fir trees as you approach
the Lodge. It was stunningly
clear, cool
and beautiful at
the top. Gail
and I had the obligatory photo
taken at the dining room where a new roof was being installed.
We rested and had lunch and then headed back down the mountain in less
than an hour.
Smiles……
I can tell you that Ed lets no moss gather under his boots
on the trip
down and I had to “beat feet” to keep up with him!
I was able to get this shot
of the colors when we stopped for a breather at Alum Cave Bluff.
Duck Hawk Ridge was cloud shrouded on the way up but I was able to get
this shot of the Eye of the Needle on the way down.
We rested at Arch Rock on the return trip and Tillroe
regaled us with jokes.
Ed, Bob,
Charlie and I brought up the rear on the journey off the mountain and I can’t
express in words how special it was to watch those three interact with each
other. Their love, devotion and
respect for each other was very touching to observe and I can’t think of a
better way to wrap up a perfect day on
Until
March, dear Ed, when next we scale the mountain
together, I wish you and yours peace, health, joy and happiness!
