[at-l] hike prep

[Cody Girl]

Thanks Tenacious one.  Great story.  All y'all have been excellent
by sharing your stories, it helps me get to know you better and to get a
clear picture of what you are saying.

On Wed, Dec 9, 2009 at 10:30 PM, Tenacious Tanasi <
tenacious_tanasi at yahoo.com> wrote:

>   Skeeter writ:  Hike prep for your brain. - Don't forget to pack your
> sense of humor... if you take yourself too seriously I think you're done
> for.
>
> When my eldest daughter was 12 (Lawdy but can it be that this was going on
> 6 years ago now!!!) on the Spivey Gap to Erwin section, she did something
> that kinda caught me off guard.  You see it was drizzlin jes a tad when Miss
> Janet let us out at the trail head.  However, after we were about 3 miles in
> the bottom fell outta the sky.  We wuz mizerawble to say the least!  As
> we trudged along with her in the lead I began to notice that she was doin
> sumpin kinda funny..... she was going AROUND the mud puddles!
>
> I stopped dead in the middle of the trail and watched this child o' mine
> skirtin around ankle deep puddles in the midst of the trail as we were
> winding our way along the ridge.... IN THE MIDDLE OF A BLESSET DOWNPOUR!!!
>
> But, then I recalled all those times as she'd been a tiny thing that I'd
> gotten onto her to "Watch out for the mudholes and don't get your shoes
> wet!"
>
> "Mandy!," yells I over the deluge hammering down through the branches of
> the trees overhead and pummeling onto the ground all about us.
>
> "What, Momma?," she bellows back at me without looking up from her
> concentrated effort to tiptoe around yet another mudhole.
>
> "What in the blue, bloody blazes are you doin, Girl?!"  I asked as I
> pointedly stomped through the murky brew toward her, spraying the muck and
> mire back toward the sky with a fury.
>
> When that child looked up at me with her confoozled look and caught the
> gist of what I was ah askin as I marched directly down the middle of the
> mini-Amazon, she slowly began to grin.  I began to giggle.  She let into all
> out belly laughin.  Then side by side we splashed quite a ways up the trail
> gigglin the whole way.
>
> I said all that to say this, Cody.  While you are out there hiking, don't
> forget to let your inner child out to play.  Remember the wonder of the feel
> of the rain as it washes the salty sweat from your brow and cools your
> forehead.  Remember to see the beauty of the temporary streams it creates.
> Breathe deep the scents upon the wind of the woodlands.  Bring forth again
> that childish awe and wonderment of the outdoor world around you and absorb
> it to renew your soul.
>
> Hiking is a lot of work.  It is hard on you mentally and physically and
> emotionally.  But, as with anything it is what you make of it.  You're out
> there for a reason (everyone has their own motivation toward it or away from
> it).  Capitolize upon that reason...it will help you work through those
> difficult times and enjoy the good times all the more better.
>
> Tenacious Tanasi
>
>
>
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