Lost and found

I broke my own rule. I was on Day 12 of 31 and I just couldn't hold out any longer. I had to go for a hike! so much for no activity...

I paid the price and an hour into the hike, i had a headache set in... and it just was a headache. I continued hiking, at times a bit less comfortable than one would have wished, like life went on. My head has been hurting all day, and so has my neck... but i was damn happy to get out into the mountains again.

Another thought... when we got lost today, I would have handled it differently. I would have trudged through the bush... until we got to the road and then figured it out from there. If I were leading, it would have been a complete disaster. Fortunately, it wasn't me in front! We steamrolled 20 minutes downhill only to hike back the same trail 40 min back uphill... in the sun at times... hiking through willows as tall as I am! we met two men who had followed our path and we told them of the error. we all shared a laugh and hiked back to the original ridge. And then we found the real trail... 90 degrees to the northwest! Ahh....

It got me thinking; i have been lost in the woods a bunch. Not lost... but not exactly where I would have imagined myself on the map. From age 18.... through now... i can count easily a half-dozen times... ahh. Why did I bring this up? When one gets "lost" there are many options. (Incidentally, if one "gets" "lost," then he actually has something to work with... he has gotten something... even if it is "lost" per se.) I don't have the patience to write all of this out now, but the most important thing to do is something that has behooved me for years. I am unable to do it, but i found the importance of it today.

STOP. Lose the ego. Make a decision to backtrack and get to the safe place. Don't dig yourself out of a hole. Just stop digging. Look at the hole. Leave the hole alone. Get out of it. And get back to the upper ground. Then dig (or hike) somewhere else. No regrets, no ego. Just leave it. and let it go... and get on with it.

What a great day outdoors. I will hate myself tomorrow as i stumble around in pain... and another day of head and neck pain.... but totally worth it. Now, I have to let it go. And get some pictures up too!