Friday Night Hike

Today I decided to "work from home," meaning returning a few emails while a screwed around, so I had a lot of energy for a hike when I set out around 5pm.  I decided I was going to go as far as I felt like it.  That might be to the end of the parking lot, or a mile in, or the whole loop.  As it turned out, I felt pretty good and attacked the whole loop.  I ran much of the first mile, debating whether or not to pass an older guy ahead of me who was walking fast, as I wanted to avoid him re-passing me, but I went for it.  I stopped, stunned, about a mile in at the sight of two big beautiful grey/brown deer grazing on the trees.  I've been hiking up there for several years and have never seen anything like it.  They were incredible!  I waved to the two guys behind me and pointed at the deer, because beauty like that just has to be shared.  I felt a little like I did last weekend when I read a poem during a writing seminar I attended that actually used the word anthropomorphism, which is a word bf and I discovered a couple months ago when he was looking for a label for my behavior (it means attributing human characteristics to animals, if you're interested).  It was the first and only time I have ever seen that word in print, and I took it as a sign that I was exactly where I needed to be.  I felt the same way about seeing the deer after having taken the day off and spent it writing - confirmation that I'm exactly where I need to be.  (And now you're wondering, what could possibly rhyme with anthropomorphism, right?)

Anyhoo, old dude did pass me again eventually, despite my best efforts, but he was there at the saddle to greet me with a smile while he enjoyed the view, and he thanked me for pointing out the deer.  He said he's been hiking these trails for 3 years and never seen anything like them.  I took advantage of his desire to "enjoy the scenery" and took off down the trail, and I ran most of the way down.  At one point I paused and looked behind me and, wait!  Old man running!  He was only a couple hundred yards behind me, damnit all.  So I took off again, resolute to reach the trail head ahead of him. But alas, he did pass me about a half mile before the end.  Tough old bird that was. 

I did the trail in about 1:20, which was pretty damn good.  I am beat now, and not altogether unashamed to admit that I've been in bed since 8:30 on this Friday night.  Cause that's how I roll.