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Travel | |
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There is something unique about being surrounded by nature, and when I say surrounded, I mean out in the thick of things—not a gas station or paved road for miles. I think what makes the wilderness special and surprisingly interesting is that one is able to experience an area that is almost completely untouched by man. This primitive oasis allows the beholder to take in everything without being interrupted.
One of my favorite memories was the magnificent rhododendrons I saw often during our July hikes along the Appalachian Trail: They accented the landscape with striking pink and white blooms. In many sections of the trail, these beautiful flowers engulfed the paths, weaving a canopy over my head. I remember feeling as if I were walking through a tunnel of flowers—one so natural and untouched that it made me feel as if I was entering a world that was created for my eyes only. The air in these tunnels smelled so sweet because the plants blocked the breeze and created a vacuum-like area under the flowers. Often the only way I was able to tell that I wasn’t on some foreign planet was the brief interruptions of a rocky field towards the peak of the mountain or a steep outlook.
I had another amazing encounter with the mountain mist the next year in Virginia. We had descended a mountain and began to cross a rocky field area when we discovered a field of wild ponies deep in the mist. They looked as if they had been splashed with brown and white paint, and they looked so magnificent running through the mist. They resembled ponies at a county fair or even a carnival, but there was a certain untamed presence to them—maybe even aloofness. It was as if I had seen a herd of wild mustangs. The ponies seemed so wild and so powerful. It was beyond me to realize that creatures like this still roamed free, and it made me see how truly untouched and untamed this area really was.
In an earlier year while passing through Cades Cove in Tennessee, we stumbled upon a black bear. Luckily for us it was young and seemed to be more interested in climbing a tree in search of berries than he was in eating a couple of hikers. This was the only time that I have seen a bear in the wild. It was amazing how beautiful he was. His large bounding body was covered with dark plush fur. I learned a lot about the bear by just watching him. He wasn’t aggressive, but rather playful. My encounter with the bear helped me better understand his presence in the wilderness, as well as dispel the myth that bears are always ferocious. We are slowly losing our wildlife and natural habitats to growth and development. As I reflect on my past experiences in nature, I am fearful that someday our precious natural resources will be a thing of the past. It makes me sad to think that perhaps future generations will not be able to experience the beauty of a wild rhododendron, the cool morning mist across the mountains, wild ponies playing in a valley, or a deer or bear in the pristine mountain air. What a gift it is to behold the beauty of nature. |
The reason I know so much about the outdoors is that, for many years, my family took annual backpacking trips—trekking through the wilderness. Over the years we hiked sections of the Appalachian Trail through Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. On one occasion we even ventured off to Michigan and hiked for many miles along the Manistee River. During our annual hikes, I experienced many things that will stay with me for life. As I reflect, I realize that our annual pilgrimages gave me an enormous appreciation for the beauty and simplicity of the great outdoors.
Besides the beautiful rhododendrons, another amazing feature I saw was the prominent morning mist. On one occasion the mist was breathtaking. While hiking in Virginia, we stopped for the night at a shelter that was atop a ridge. Behind the shelter there was a large boulder. From it I peered out across an open field and down the mountain. When I awoke the next morning I climbed back on top of the boulder and was taken aback by what the night had left. A mist covered the area like a blanket, and the only thing visible was the top of the surrounding mountains. The mist was so thick that it resembled a cluster of melted marshmallows. It seemed to separate the tops of the mountains and gave the illusion that there was nothing underneath it. The great cloud of mist made me feel as if I could walk across the air to the next crest of mountains. I think what I liked so much about the mist was that it made me realize that the world is reborn every morning—without a trace of yesterday. 
It was also very interesting to see the various types of wildlife indigenous to these remote areas. In Tennessee, I walked up on a herd of whitetail deer. There was a young buck that still had the velvet on his antlers, and two does accompanied him. The buck stayed for a while, almost as if he didn’t care much about my presence. I was even able to get a coupled of pictures before he decided to depart. Even though deer are pretty common in these parts, I still find it fascinating to be able to observe wild animals in their natural habitat.
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Inc., No part of this website may be used without the express permission of the author. |
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