When I was 22, I read A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson, a book about hiking the Appalachian Trail. Since then, the AT has been a symbol of adventure and nature and an incredible journey that not everyone will undertake. Last weekend, I had the opportunity to go backpacking for three days in the trail with friends and celebrate my 27th birthday in the woods.
Friday was rainy and cold, but we hit the trail anyway!
It was my first time backpacking since September of 2011. I was a little excited, to say the least.
The views from the trail were incredible.
There were seven of us from the Adventures in Missions office: Hope, Pat, Mark, Kayla Dawnn, Alys, Miles, and I.
We summited three peaks, including Tray Mountain. I laughed at the low elevation compared to the Rocky Mountains, but the straight climb up the side of the moutain humbled me.
Friday night was cold and windy, thanks to camping on top of a mountain. We were eager to get moving Saturday morning.
Overall, we hiked about 17 miles from Friday afternoon to Sunday morning.
And then Mark and I hitchhiked back to the car that was left at Unicoi Gap.
My life is so full of goodness in this season. I realize how blessed I am to be where I am: working in an office pursuing my passion for education, receiving guidance and wisdom in my classes, and being in a community of fellow adventurers who are just as excited as I am to spend three days in the mountains. God keeps leading us into opportunities to live a big life and we're taking it for all we can!
