Today is about the mountain

I wrote this piece many weeks back when I was still hiking the Appalachian Trail and haven’t had a chance to share it with you until now. I am now off trail and into the next part of my journey, but these thoughts still ring true for me even today. So much has happened since, like SO much! and I can hardly begin to capture in words all the things I have felt, seen, and experienced in this short period of time.

I imagine that through time and reflection, I will find words for them and will gladly share them with you. Until then, here’s a few thoughts from the Great Smokey Mountains!

I’m now 250miles along on the Appalachian Trail (AT), (that’s over 400km for my Canadian friends), a trail that runs from Springer Mountain, Georgia to Mount Katahdin, Minnesota, and I can truly say the last big section I hiked, The Great Smokey Mountains, were tough with a capital T! It wasn’t the terrain or the elevations per se, it was everything that came along with my time on the trail while going through them.

To begin with, the Smokey Mountains are in a National Park and have an incredibly rich and protected biodome…which appropriately so, results in more strict regulations as far as where you are allowed to camp, where the trail takes you and where you can/cannot “relieve” yourself. #toiletarea So… logistically speaking, some days can become a bit more complicated, forcing you to stop your day short or push you to make more miles than you’re really feeling up to. 

Another factor that made our time in the Smokeys more difficult, something that isn’t always a factor but is apparently quite common, is the harsh and unpredictable weather. We had wind, rain, hail (not a word of lie!), thunder, lightning and spent over half our time hiking mile after mile literally IN a storm cloud; damp, wet, cold…and worst of all…no breathtaking views to make the hard world seem “worth it.” We even made it to the highest point on the AT, Kuwohi Mountain at a whopping 6644ft, which I’ve been told has a 360deg view…but I can’t say for sure because I arrived at the peak in the heart of a storm cloud…soaked by torrential rain…and had no views. 

Like I said, the trail itself wasn’t tough, but it was tough to keep going. Every day I climbed out of a wet tent, put on wet clothing, wet socks, wet shoes and headed out into a wet forest with all the strength I could muster, putting one foot in front of the other to get to the other side of the storm (I hoped!), up and over mountain peaks, along steep ridges, through mud and puddles, and never-ending cloud cover…

To help me remember our time on the trail, and to reflect at the end of each day, I have had my camera close at hand to capture views, beautiful spring flowers and each of us enjoying our time in the mountains. But not on these days. On these days, it has stayed tucked safe and dry in my backpack. To help with energy levels while hiking, I usually stop every hour and half or so to rest and eat. But not on these days. The forest was very wet making it hard to find places to stop, never mind the cold that would set in when I stopped walking, so I plodded on, eating while I hiked (not ideal), resting only at the end of the day. The days felt longer, the trail felt harder, the climbs felt pointless without the views, and I felt tired and “spent”…physically and mentally. 

During these tough days, a phrase kept coming to mind, “Today is about the mountain.” I didn’t have another option. I needed to get from A to B. There was only one trail. I couldn’t change the steepness or length of the climb, I couldn’t make the trail to the next shelter any shorter, and I certainly couldn’t magically change the weather. I had to keep each small goal at the forefront of my mind, and then to learn to let my circumstances teach me more about who I am. Each day I had to make a conscious effort to focus on what I COULD control and keep moving in the direction I needed to go…no small task!

Here’s the best part…because I have a fantastic hiking partner, I learned again what it means to take to heart the encouragement I was given to keep pressing on. Reminders to stop, eat, rest, hydrate…to look at how far we’d gone and to look ahead at where we would end the day. Perspective. Small steps still make miles. Slow climbs still get to the top…and then remembering to offer the same encouragement, as we moved up and over, around and through each and every obstacle in our way…together.

Currently, there are literal mountains in my way. I have chosen a path that takes me great distances with huge elevations, which can be a tough, tough path. Now some days, the path is kind and the miles and ascents add up without notice. But some days. Wow. Some days the mountain overwhelms me. And you know what? That’s ok. I am learning what it means to focus on my goal, fuel my dream and lean on others for support on the way up AND the way down (actually WAY harder than up…trust me on this one!).

Now…let me tell you. After 3 days of hiking in the storm…when the clouds finally broke, and the rain stopped…the first time I actually got to SEE the Smokeys from 5000ft. Wow. Just wow. Somehow, it made all that struggle worth it!! Sounds a bit strange, but it’s true. Although the struggle was still fresh on my mind, the reward was almost as consuming…

There are all sorts of “mountains” in our lives aren’t there? Things in our path that seem so great and grand we have trouble imagining the way over or around them. Or maybe it’s small struggles that add up or seem to repeat themselves over and over, and the work it takes to overcome them feels pointless because we think (know) the difficulty will be back again….

If this is how you’re feeling, you are not alone!! Keep taking a step in the direction you need to go. Keep fueling your dream, your ambition, your will. Keep perspective on where you’ve been, what you’ve learned and what lies ahead for you.

And trust me on this one, it’s probably THE most important thing…travel with others. The best way up a mountain is with a friend. Or even better…if you see someone struggling to find their footing, BE the friend who comes along and with whatever strength you have to share, journey with them.

If today is about the mountain, take courage my friend…the clouds will break, the storm will pass…your reward is waiting…

Happy Trails 🙂