Hiking & Me

I look up to people like Wordsworth and the Bronte sisters, as well as Gerry Anderson. These people all have one thing in common: they were/are into things like hikes and walking tours. Emily Bronte rambled all over those wild moors, Wordsworth and his sister traversed the woods of the Wye River, Gerry climbs anything over 2000 feet. There's something rugged and adventurous about it - something inspiring in the thought.

And yet, this summer, I have come face to face with the incontrovertible fact that I would rather do almost anything else in the world rather climb another mountain. Ever. Except bungee jump or sky dive.

As I trudged up the slopes of Gap Mountain (which is about 10 feet high), I realized that trudging is not my favorite. Not even the most amazing view in the world can make the toiling worthwhile. I don't like walking. I definitely don't like climbing. And I pretty much loath gasping for air.

So my similarities with the Bronte sisters will have to end with the world-famous novel I'm about to write. My similarity with Wordsworth will have to remain in our mutual admiration of Tintern Abbey, and my similarity with Gerry will have to be......... ummmmmmmmm......................... our musc... nope, our ability to rhy.... nope, our leadership in the men's dor..... nooope, our sanguine perso.... nope, our attendance of Fairwood Bible Chapel. Yessss.

And yet, despite these strong statements, every six years or so I decide it's time to toil up the slopes of Mt. Monadnock again. Strange. They do say, though, that your cells renew themselves often enough that you're an entirely new person every five years. So I guess that explains it (along with one bonus year to gear myself up).

It must be six years since I climbed Mt. Monadnock, because today I was game for Ravenswood Park, where my family and I took the trails by storm. The walk was enjoyable, partly because of the amazing boulders everywhere and the lovely trees, and partly because of the view of Gloucester Harbour from the top. And the slope was definitely my speed at about a one foot incline per half mile (except for near the top of the trail). Plus the company was excellent, and we were all in the mood to laugh.

So I took care of that for another six years or so. See you in 2016, Mt. Monadnock!