This afternoon my plan of going for a nice walk in the canyon turned into a five and a half mile, six hour back country hike, that might just be a sign that my life could use a planner. Blast!

Wearing my new, favorite pair of Hollister Jeans, a t-shirt, and tennis shoes, I was not exactly the image of a hiker. After a couple hours I found myself on top of a mountain with no water, my sister's book that I was planning on returning today, and a notepad that was the original motivation of leaving my house. I did take some time at the top to rest my legs and record some thoughts inspired by the view of Cache Valley, Utah.

Around 3:00 I parked my car at the mouth of Green Canyon and started walking up the road, but after about 200 yards I was distracted by an interesting rock formation just up the side of the canyon. I was about to let it pass by, but after a seconds hesitation I turned back and started to climb. Well, once I'm part way up I might as well go on to the top, right? To my chagrin, that's exactly what happened.

At the top, conveniently enough, there was a trail that ran along the ridge, climbing up to the next peak. I thought, why not, I've got time. Well, after the trail piddled away to nothing I was left tracking the last explorer who passed that way until I reached the highest peak in the vicinity. It was at this point, where my height afforded the best view of the valley, that I took a few minutes to record some of the thoughts that had been bouncing around in my head. I consider myself somewhat of a philosopher and I am trying to get in the habit of taking a pen and paper wherever I go. You never know when one might just have the idea of a lifetime.

Rather than coming back down the way that I'd gone up, while making use of the little previous knowledge I had about the canyon, I decided to go down the back side and circle around on the road. I would never consider myself a backwoodsman, but I have been blessed with a certain amount of skill in understanding the lay of the land.

I experienced a relatively simple and problem-free descent coming out onto the road just above campground #12, for those who might know the upper reaches of the canyon. Just before I came out onto the road I discovered another interesting rock formation that I'm going to have to go back and explore more thoroughly. I have some interest in spelunking and I just wonder if there might be something worth exploring there. Fortunately I live within ten miles of the mouth of the canyon.

If you have even the tiniest bit of explorer in you I encourage you to take due advantage of living in the vicinity of the world's wonders. Whether they be of natural or man-made origin the value is, in my mind, equal.

Some thoughts before I sign off.

1. Dogs make wonderful hiking companions. As I'm a college student I don't have one, but I'd like one.

2. If you decide to take a dog hiking with you be sure to take a leash and train it to come at your call. Other hikers don't generally know a nice dog from a mean one.

3. Take a bag with you and pick up any trash you find along the way. In spite of my caution to not litter, the wind does occasionally get the best of me.

4. Trails are generally easier to see looking down on them...rather than up at them.

5. If you're having a hard time seeing the trail, look closely to see marks in the soil or rocks that are pressed into the soil rather than sitting on top. It sometimes helps to look a little further ahead to see where the vegetation is worn away, however slightly.

Several days later...

The great thing about the internet is that I can come back and edit this story to my heart's content.  I do have to be careful, though, or I may end up with a whopping "big fish" story... (wink)

Some of my friends at Uncharted asked me what I was thinking about and, though I won't bore you with any details, I'll humor them.

I began by thinking about relationships, a very serious subject for anyone my age...at least anyone that I know that's my age and still living alone.  The power of the land, beautiful and clean as it is, to invoke powerful thoughts...the tendency I have, as well as others I'm sure, to take my strength for granted...the freedom of a well-ordered life...and the need to organize my own.

After that I contemplated friendship and group dynamics, a fascinating subject, but you'll have to ask me later if you want to know the details.