I went hiking for the first time in my life a weekend ago. I've never been the outdoors girl, primarily because I've never had the chance to explore that part of me. I'm not afraid to get my hands dirty and I'm trying this new "push yourself" and "try new things" part of myself to discover true happiness. So when one of my best and closest friends invited me up to New York for the weekend to hang out and suggested we go hiking, I didn't say no.
Since he has been hiking countless times before our adventure with nature he suggested we do the "Stairway to Heaven" trail in New Jersey. At 7.3 miles round trip, we both agreed that it felt longer due to the winding way up the mountain and the steep rock parts that took plenty of mental and physical strength to complete. The first part of the trail is the warm-up to the mountain, with its leisurely strolls on board-walked pathways and train-tracks that intercept the tail end of the first section that leads into a pasture of cattle grazing.
The second part of the trail with the "Stairway to Heaven," along with the first section, are all part of the Appalachian trail, but the name of the second half is fitting because you're literally climbing up for what feels like an eternity. However, we both pushed on and the view was worth the muscle tearing pain that rippled through our bodies and caused our hearts to nearly explode onto the trail.
What hit me the most, after we reached the top of the stairway and sat on a rock just taking in the sight that many people will never see, is that there is so much beauty around us. We could see the pasture we roamed through before starting the climb of the mountain and knowing we were that small on the ground below us is so fascinating. Everyone at the top of that peak climbed for different reasons, but we all had the same view and I hope everyone on that peak took in how small we are and how amazing the nature around us is.
The coolest part at the peak was when a mother black bear and her cubs were spotted coming closer to where we were. We didn't stick around long to find out what she wanted, but just to observe animals in their natural habitat, away from the fences enclosing them in zoos, was one of the most remarkable things I have ever experienced. It made me upset that we are invading these animals territories and it shows how close we are to running most animals away from where they thrive, but at the same time it just showed me how connected we are as separate species and to appreciate space.
After our encounter, almost everyone raced back down the mountain to avoid getting in the bear's territory with her cubs. The descent took only a few minutes, which was hard to grasp considering it took us nearly an hour to ascent the mountain. The cow pasture, the train tracks, and the marshy boardwalk paths back to the car made me smile because I know how beautiful they are on the ground and from hundreds of feet above. Nature is such a beautiful work of art to admire and I'm so happy I was finally able to explore that with one of my favorite people.
So here's to you, Jared, for taking me on a new adventure. Thank you for pushing me and stopping with me on the trail for numerous water and breath-gasping breaks. Thank you for letting me rest on your shoulder when we got to the top and being equally captivated by the beautiful bears we encountered. Thank you for the laughs and making me more terrified by jumping on the suspension bridge. Most importantly, thank you for showing me how beautiful nature really is and new parts of myself to love. I hope we can conquer another trail soon, but until then I'm going to start looking for a new pair of hiking shoes.
