According to Timehop, it was exactly 6 years ago that I went hiking alone for the first time. I really wanted to get into hiking, which isn't easy in Chicago. So I set my sights on Devil's Lake in Wisconsin, but no one could go with me. Finally, I made a decision that was a turning point in my life. It was time to be brave. To stop waiting around and start living and pursue the desires of my heart, even if it meant doing so alone. It's funny to look back and remember how nervous I was about that day, but also how empowered I felt on the way home. I think that experience changed my life. I wanted more.
I did the 8 mile hike to Parson Spring in Sycamore Canyon on Saturday, and it was lovely. It was lush and green with plenty of swimming holes. This seemed to be the most popular spot:
This spot reminded me of South Carolina:
Not sure why... Maybe it was the way the trees made a canopy over the trail.
I found some boulders in the middle of the creek and got comfortable with my book. This was my view:
Oh, except for the encounter with my nemesis, the monarch butterfly. I didn't think those lived in Arizona, so I was completely caught off guard when one appeared out of nowhere and got aggressive with me. I was frozen in complete terror for a moment. "What are *you* doing here???" I yelled, then ducked and covered as it dive bombed my head. It truly was a horrific moment, and I ran like a Kenyan trying to get out of there, all the while checking to make sure it wasn't in my hair. I looked back over my shoulder and I swear it was mocking me, fluttering around over the trail, just daring me to set foot on its turf again. Those things are a menace.
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