2026-B

When I started this March hike, I did not know that before the day would be done, my soul would be shattered and spread among the hills and flowers like dust in the wind. But I suppose it is best for that sort of thing to be unexpected. I thought I was just going on a routine hike that I like to do once every year or two. I consider it a classic. Today's hike, however, was anything but routine. At least not to me.

We started out at a trailhead with four other vehicles. Not bad, I thought. This is a trail that I do not enjoy running into other people on though, so that was four too many in my mind. The trail snakes up a steep and rocky ridge with very little room to pass, especially on the roughest ascents. Shortly after we hit the trail, though, instead of obsessing about where the other humans were, I was brought to a standstill by my first Balsamroot of the season. "What?" I questioned in shock. It was too early for Balsamroot. But here it was. I gently stroked the petals to make sure I was not imagining them. These are my very favorite trail flowers and every year I compete with myself to find the best ones. This was not a bad start.

As luck would have it, I passed all four hiking parties coming out before I was even a mile in! Now I knew I had the trail all to myself and could really relax and let go, doing anything I wanted. I know, counting cars at trailheads to then count people is weird, but I do it every single time. I like to know who I am up against and what to expect. I clearly have control issues. Strangely, I will even make judgements based on the vehicles if I think they are men or women. I am usually right. I am pretty sure my hiking partners also count people, or they just sense me relax. Because as soon as we know we are the only humans left on a trail, they visibly relax too. The views got better and better as we climbed once the threat of humans was gone.

Before long we reached the upper plateau where the views opened up all around us. Birds were flying over our heads and along to our sides as we walked along cliff edges. They loudly called to one another in the strong winds. Dark clouds were moving fast all around us. A light rain sprinkled down on us. Not enough to pull out my rain coat, but enough to put on a stocking cap. As we came to one of my very favorite forests, I enjoyed the signs of spring all around us.

There are a variety of trails that can be explored across the ridges here. I like one particular loop and then a large figure eight the best. I can only describe it as magical. In fact, this was the trail that I took Josie the Wolf on for her very first overnight backpacking trip. It was the first time I tried taking a tent on the trail, thinking that with a young wolf pup it would make more sense than our normal cowboy camping style. Turns out Wolves don't like tents. I showed the girls the hill we slept on those many years ago, but they seemed to remember it as well as I was.

The winds were kicking up hard as even darker clouds chased us. Hail started to ping off us. I smiled, loving the storm. There is nothing like being in a storm on the trail. When you watch a storm from behind glass, you see it, but you don't experience it. When you are far from shelter, high on a trail, you experience every part of the storm. From the sounds, sights, smells, even the fear that rises in your chest in a close call, you become the storm. I love every part of that. I knew if the hail got worse, we could take shelter under some trees until it passed, but we never needed to.

As we climbed to a favorite overlook, we stopped for some snacks. The birds wanted to share. Then we got a little goofy and since we know how to have a good time in the outdoors, posed with a friendly tree.

After completing our first loop, we headed for the second. This section of trail is fairly new and it would only be my second time to enjoy it. What I can tell you is that who ever built this trail, is surely a soul mate of mine. They took their time with it. The trail winds far away, looping through forests and along steep ridges. The switchbacks are long and slow and sometimes fast and hard. The trail takes the longest route possible, allowing your mind to become lost as you quickly are drawn in like a magnet. It is one of the best trails I have ever hiked. It encourages you to run at times, but also to stop and sit. Everything about it draws my heart to it. It honestly cannot be described, it must be experienced. I was so looking forward to it and it was just how I remembered it from my dreams.

After a number of miles, the trail then makes you do a walk that is likely to give you vertigo. I never take a photo in that section as both times I have now done it, I find my legs clinging to the trail and just trying to get through it. I don't want to stop or twist or do anything but methotically move across that wide cliff side section without looking down. We go single file and none of us slows our progression. The girls surely sense my trepidation in this section. I don't know why, but I just don't love heights, despite my love for the mountains.

Luckily as soon as we got to the other side, I could take a deep breath. Josie did too, sniffing the winds. Until she saw some deer she wanted to chase of course. (Which I never allow as she is tied to me at all times due to her strong prey drive). But I did wave and wave at the pretty ladies and assured them they had nothing to worry about from us. They did listen intently.

The skies were growing darker as the sun was lowering herself to bed. I knew we wouldn't have too much time left before we would be night hiking. But the truck was not too far away now, which was good because the rains were starting to really come down and I was growing cold.

A whisper of a voice came to me then. "Climb."

"What??" I whispered back.

"Climb" He said again.

"It is getting dark and it will be too cloudy for a good sunset. There is no reason to climb." I responded. "Besides it is raining harder now and the truck is calling me."

But I could feel God nudging me to make a change of plans. Instead of taking the spur back down to my truck, He wanted us to restart the entire figure eight and climb back up the ridge we had started with.

"Climb for sunset." He whispered.

I argued for a few minutes and drug my feet a bit. But then I said, "Okay, if we are going to do this, we are going to do it fast" and started to run back up the ridge. The girls were momentarily confused, knowing we were going in the wrong direction. But like the great little hiking soldiers they are, they only briefly looked in my eyes to make sure I didn't have a head injury and then gamely took off up the ridge with me. They understand that bad decisions make good stories.

Once it was clear that our intentions were to follow directions to climb and fully commit to another run up the trail, something magical happened. The rain instantly stopped falling and a bright light came down on us from behind. I immediately could feel the warmth on my back and smiled. The colors all around me were changing. I slowly....very slowly.....turned around to look. That is when my soul shattered into a million pieces and floated down the ridgeline and all around us. I am pretty sure some curse words fell out in that process.

I dropped to the ground right on the trail in the dirt and just lay there with my legs off the cliff's edge. I was speechless. While the strong winds were blowing the flowers all around, I could hardly feel anything. I was just stunned at how close I came to missing this show if I had not listened to that voice I love so much. He was right. We needed to climb again. Nova looked at me with such knowing. I smiled at her and kissed her forehead as she came to snuggle with me on the ground along the ridge trail.

We lay there until it was almost dark, taking a few more pictures. While this is a day I will never forget for the beauty, I will admit there was a beast on this trail that I likely won't forget anytime soon either. Just like the wildflowers have come early this year, so have the ticks. On the hike out, Nova started to walk funny and was dragging. I picked her up to check her and found over two dozen ticks fully embedded on her undercarriage. After picking them all off, I found they left huge red angry welts on her. The Wolf was already itching, but she won't let me try to find them on her. I pulled several off myself, the worst one leaving a huge red bullseye on my skin and throbbing, hot pain for days. The ticks on this particular trail are unlike the ticks we find elsewhere. They embed in deeper, they hurt significantly more, and every bite causes a significant reaction. It was as if I could feel the Lyme's Disease spreading. The girls get tick prevention every month and tested twice a year, but I think the ticks are immune on this trail. As we hiked out in pain, I started to think about hell. Satan does not need fire in hell, he just needs to cover you in these ticks. I dubbed them the Satanic Ticks. They are thieves for sure.

Was it worth it you may ask? I know I asked myself that very question.

Well take a look at my final pics, and you tell me. I know my answer.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it more abundantly.

John 10:10