Since my trip is sort of focusing on visiting National Parks and The Great Smoky Mountains National Park gets more visitors than any other National Park I figure it is ok to write about my time at GSMNP on here (even if it is in my backyard, how lucky am I?) The other night I found myself blessed with an hour of free time and the sun still up so I decided to wander down to Deep Creek. Here are some random thoughts I had/wrote while there:
Entering the shady, silent green, tunnel of trees I can't help but notice that in a single moment breathing has become easier. I smile and have to hold myself back from skipping down the trail.
Some days I feel like Alice, entering Wonderland. Even though I have been here many times before I can't help but feel like a little kid. I find myself leaning forward as I start down the trail. I can't wait to see what I will discover.
I want to jump in and slide right over this miniature rapid but I'm reminded that its 830 at night and I'm a half mile from my car and I have no towel and the water is about 48 degrees... Should that stop me? I still want to... Compromise? How about just the feet? That will be a good chance to remind myself how cold the water is and then I won't want to swim in it... Well, that didn't work. It isn't as cold as I remember... now I'm just more intrigued.
More compromise...So... I walk around in the creek. I hop from rock to rock and wander upstream. I laugh at myself when I slip and think, "why can't a 23 year old play by them self in a creek?" Maybe we should all spend a little more time pursuing our inner child...
