Hiking Through: One Man's Journey to Peace and Freedom on the Appalachian Trail by Stutzman Paul V

Author:Stutzman, Paul V. [Stutzman, Paul V.]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: BIO018000, Paul V.—Travel—Appalachian Trail, Bereavement, Paul V.—Religion, Appalachian Trail—Description and travel, Hiking—Appalachian Trail, Stutzman, Self-actualization (Psychology), BIO026000, Wives—Death
Publisher: Baker Book Group
Published: 2012-03-01T05:00:00+00:00

Sir Enity and I crossed Priest Mountain in the early morning light. The day was difficult but rewarding; twenty-four miles took us to heights and depths. From 4,063-foot Priest Mountain, we dropped to just 997 feet at the banks of the Tye River, where we wobbled across a wooden suspension bridge that swayed like a pendulum. Then it was back uphill as we headed into the Three Ridges Wilderness area to a height of over 4,000 feet that gave us splendid views over the valleys and mountain ranges. White mountain laurel bloomed around us, and purple and white flowers flaunted their wild beauty along the path. Several graceful waterfalls coursed over rocky drops.

We finally stopped on top of Hanging Rock and took a moment to imbibe the sweetness of the day. Below us lay farms and fields of the beautiful Shenandoah Valley. At our backs, honeysuckle blossoms sent out their sweet aroma. I felt fortunate, one of the privileged few who would ever sit on this spot and savor such a moment.

Sir Enity finally convinced me to stop sniffing the flowers and get moving. The rest of our day was filled with stream crossings, log steps up and down inclines, and mountaintop experiences in the sky. We had no particular goal except to get as close to Waynesboro as possible.

The sun was dropping in the sky when we reached Humpback Mountain, still eleven miles from Waynesboro. We were not stopped by darkness or our physical condition. We were halted by our surroundings. Near the crest of Humpback, the trail led over rocky outcroppings at the breathtaking edge of the mountain, with views reaching for miles over the Shenandoah Valley. Sir Enity voiced my thoughts: it would be fantastic to camp here and watch the day disappear over the valley.

We searched for a camping area and found a grassy spot perfect for our two tents, just a few yards back from the jutting stone ledge. I set up Big Agnes and within minutes had water boiling for a hot meal. Hidden somewhere in the rocks, Sir Enity called my name. “Apostle, get over here! You’ve gotta see this!”

I grabbed my food and headlamp and followed the direction of his voice. He was perched on the rocks with the world stretched out far below. I found my own seat in the grandstand, an indentation in the stone that fit my body and still held lingering warmth from the day’s sunshine. We sat and watched the sunset in silence, two wanderers on a lonely trail, both on our own quest for peace. Among the billions of humans on earth that night, only we two had these front row seats as earth moved from day to night.

The sun disappeared, and now, across the expansive valley, twilight slowly ebbed away and darkness descended. Smaller lights flickered on, as folks in distant buildings lit their little worlds against the darkness; lights were going on in my much larger world too, as the stars grew brighter. Soon

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