I’ve never gone hiking by myself. Ever. Before yesterday. It’s because I’m a woman and I don’t like the idea of being completely isolated without the means to protect myself. And I am no mamby-pamby. I’ve got attitude. I’m tall and strong. But I have never wanted to be in a position where I could get hurt by accident or maliciousness with no one to be able to go for help.
But I like being alone. I like thinking, musing and holding my own counsel once in a while. I love the woods and nature. So hiking alone seems a natural. When we got Sport one of the things I wanted to be able to do was take him hiking with me, alone. Now that he is over a year old he is physically able to go on long walks. As long as I don’t take him over rocky terrain (like the lava fields Danielle and I hiked last year) he should be great. And he’s in better shape!
He’s a great companion, and only whines a little when I take too long on flower photos. He will run on ahead, but checks in, never leaving my sight for long. He comes when called. He’s a joy.
On the other hand I can use some improvement. I let us go a little too far, thinking I needed the extra conditioning. And I lost track of time, so went even farther. I went on a trail I knew (Wildcat Mountain), thinking it wouldn’t be one my hiking friend would want to do again, and I missed the turn-off for where I really wanted to go (McIntyre Ridge). It didn’t matter too much yesterday since there were no views to be had, but still. One should know where one is, in general.
It was foggy and misty. The forest varied greatly from hemlock and cedar with little ground-cover and blowdowns to rocky outcroppings with bear grass, paintbrush and cress to dense forest covered by oxalysis, young ferns just starting their year, trillium and bunchberry. Some of the trail still had snow, some had rhododendron blooming or buds still swelling. I saw avalanche lilies, bleeding heart and all sorts of wonderful flowers. But was concerned about the time so didn’t take too many photographs.
The most marvelous of all was areas where I could hear many bird calls. I wish, oh how I wish, I knew what the birds were. They did not reveal themselves, and in dense forest, they are so hard to see. One place had sounds I recognized (from other hikes in similar places) that were competing whistles, different tones. The whistles were about 3 seconds long and had two-notes within them, like an organ chord. Another species had call-responses that were nearly exact and followed each other immediately, nearly like a round with a warbler-type music, the flavor of a piccolo. Gorgeous.
I was bushed by the time I got back to my car at 6PM, having started out at 10:30AM or so. Next time I will set a time goal and turn back, no matter how far I have or haven’t gotten.
Next time I will pay close attention to how the roads look coming in. After 7 1/2 hours in the woods, I got a little confused on the unmarked forest roads and added 30 minutes to my return trip home, where Mark had a delicious salmon dinner waiting for me.
Sport slept all the way home.
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Oh, Deb, this sounds absolutely wonderful (despite missing the turnoff). Sport is a real mensch!
Sounds lovely!
What a beautiful day! Seems like a growth experience; going it alone. Wish I could have seen the flowers and heard the birds, but about 2 hours is my hike limit! Too out of shape).
a bad guy would laugh at my dogs. i think sport would give them second thoughts about messing with you, for sure. i was talking with one of the dads in our circle of friends about some trails on friday night, and i mentioned i liked to run on them but wouldn’t go alone or if i did, i’d feel like i’d need to carry mace. he couldn’t understand why. i don’t know if it’s a gender thing or what. but i get it. (and i am also tall and strong but still … )
it sounds like you had a lovely day. and the pictures are gorgeous. i like being in the woods on cloudy days!
and i wanted to say also, how envious i am that you still have accessible hiking trails with snow on them. the green of the trees behind it. it looks like my kind of place.
it’s already too hot and sunny here for me and it’s just june. still have july and august and september to get through. oh, boy!
Thanks, Libbi. A joy he is!
It was lovely and long, Dale. I am really sore today. :-)
Hey Cynthia, thanks for visiting Stoney Moss!
I was too out of shape for it, too. But it was definitely a growth experience. Those birds! Sigh.
You’d love our weather, Carolee. Hopefully it is gorgeous in July (fingers crossed).
I think I might need to write an essay about how women, even strong, sturdy women, feel vulnerable. Many, many guys just don’t get it. I’m glad — but sorry — that you do.
Sport does look like trouble, but he is so loving and so not a fighter. A Jack Russell got after him on the same trail!
It sounds as if you and Sport had a great time in the woods. Even allowing for some resting while taking photos, I know I’d sleep well after that much time hiking.
Love your shot of the Downy Yellow Violet.
cool post… i love sport… what a handsome animal…!
Sounds perfect. I’ll be able to go to the woods alone too now (well, with Lucy in tow). Sport is such an incredibly handsome dog, one of the best looking I’ve seen……..don’t let Hollywood catch a glimpse!!!
Hi Marvin, I was so tired and sore I had a hard time getting to sleep the next two nights! Glad you like the violet.
Thanks for the visit, Tony. Sport is a handsome love. And a great partner.
Jo, you’re so sweet. He is handsome & nice in that Brad Pitt kind of way. Sort of unbelievable. :-) Wish we were in the same spot and could hike all of us together.