Raychel Writes

Shaun and I have always enjoyed the wild outdoors. We have always challenged ourselves to do hard things that push our bodies to our limits. Now in our forties and on the cusp of being empty nesters, instead of going easy and planning things to do that require less effort, we went the opposite way. Prior to obtaining horses for hunting and packing purposes we walked all those miles on our feet with our packs strapped to our backs. As we got older, we thought taking it easier was the answer, but we’ve quickly observed the error of our ways, both in ourselves and others who are much older and still incredibly active. We have chosen to be like them when we grow up as activeness seems to preserve!

So, we decided to pick backpacking back up, but far more seriously this time! I took it like a job, researching all the new developments since last we backpacked and how we could cut ounces with specific equipment which added together cuts pounds. We began to collect equipment, specific reviews on some of those to come later, and map our loop in Shenandoah National Park which boasts over 500 miles of hiking trails.

There’s a meme floating around social media somewhere that says something to the effect of, “into the forest we go to lose our minds and find our soul.” For Shaun and I, that couldn’t be more accurate, I’m not sure if Tristan would feel the same, I’ve learned he’s going to speak for himself regardless of anyone else’s observation of him.

After two weeks of collecting supplies, and practicing with our packs, footwear, clothing, tent, food, and anything else I could think to research to death, we loaded up and headed out Friday evening on what would be another in our list of grand adventures. Permits bought and entries paid, we eventually arrived at the Patterson trail heading DOWN towards Big Run. The first thing that arrested our attention and our feet was the beauty of the blooming Mountain Laurels, they continued to capture our attention the entire trip as they decorated the landscape with their intricate design. It was those delicate flowers that first turned our thoughts upward to marvel at our Creator and set a tone of awe in praise in our minds.

As we continued to walk, I began to identify trees even with the occasional scientific name popping into my mind which I thought was long forgotten. That turned my thoughts to my beloved professor, Dr. Michael S. Fountain, who taught me far more than dendrology and silviculture, although as I quizzed Shaun and Tristan, I could see he had certainly done that too. It was in those woods I finally dealt with his recent passing and reflected on him fondly, and hopefully made him proud. An approving smile from that man is better than the grade. I realized how much I missed the outdoors as it was previously a nearly everyday part of life for us.

About 3 or so miles in we had descended to the river and left the trail, stripping our socks and shoes to walk in the cool water. We shared our refreshing respite with a young coon searching the bank for a snack in the shade on the opposite side. The water was cool and refreshing, both to our feet and our bellies. We employed 3 different water filtering systems which we had individually packed in to determine which was the most convenient. Personally, I think my Sawyer takes the win!

By this time there were no outside world noises, no cell service, no car noise or sirens, no crowds, just us and the wild! We walked along that river nearly 3 more miles before we made camp, getting to observe a turkey hen and her brood of chicks who crossed and scattered directly in front of us. We observed many deer and a deer and her fawn browsing upon the lush vegetation. We lost all of the outside world and immersed ourselves in our surroundings making camp in a bend of the river near a series of small waterfalls that lulled Shaun to sleep faster than a box fan could ever hope to accomplish. We explored the bends, the rocks and cliffs, we observed the birds, the bugs, and the canvas of sunset from our backs on the forest floor looking up through the canopy of poplar, occasional pine, birch, hickory, and sycamore. Shaun made sassafras tea, which smells like root beer, and we read books and listened to the roar of the water. We were still, we were in the moment, at rest and peace, feeling the slight strain in our muscles from the steep descent and the weight of our packs.

The next morning was much of the same, we awoke to the splendor of God’s creation singing its morning song. We packed up camp back into our packs, altered our route to come out a little earlier and avoid the storms that night and began our winding ascent. We were again arrested by the beauty of the mountain laurels which we discovered smell as wonderful as they look and certainly far better than us. Our legs were screaming by the time we finally topped out, but so were our souls. The views were incredible and the splendor restorative. There was no doubt in my mind that God has, in fact, made known His existence through creation as Paul wrote in Romans chapter 1.

Relaxation isn’t always laying around resting, for us, very often, its trying to find the limits of our body as we take in the splendor of creation and listen to its song. Therapy isn’t always talking, sometimes it’s laying on the forest floor saying absolutely nothing at all!