Mahhhhhvelous Monday!

I mentioned in yesterday morning’s post that Lisa and I were headed out to Pilot Mountain! And head out we did!

I haven’t hiked Pilot Mountain in a couple of years, and I was itching to go! It’s nice to find girlfriends who will get me OUT of the basement and go do something healthy – like moving my body – and something soul enhancing – like going up a mountain side and enjoying the beauty and wonder of creation.

First…I over-shot the exit! Lisa and I were coming from two different directions, and so we had picked a meet-up place. There is a Sam’s Club headed North on I-52 that is a great “leave one car in the parking lot” kind of meet up place—and because the trees have leafed out so much I blew past it! No problem, that’s what cloverleaf exits are for, right?

We left my car in the parking lot, and up the road we went! And soon, very soon….I could see Pilot Mountain just beckoning me in the distance!

Isn’t that just an amazing looking spot for a hike?! The trails go all over, and there is a great view from up top…only…..

When we GOT there…the park was closed for REPAVING!!?!??! They weren’t letting anyone in, and said it would be closed most of the week. Bummer.

We chatted to the workers for a while, and we decided that since our plans had been NIXXED and we had come all this way – that we would re-route ourselves and head back south a bit…and then EAST…and get ourselves over to Hanging Rock State Park!

After all, the day was lovely, temps were mid-cool and there probably won’t be a lot of Mondays left like this before summer fully sets in around here…

But, It is MONDAY for crying out loud, and life has a way of throwing conspiracies in our path!

MORE roadwork! This, my friends, is what we refer to as a “North Carolina Traffic Jam!” Which usually means construction, or slow moving farm equipment that can back up traffic for miles. I have a theory that the guys in the green/orange vests at Pilot Mountain called ahead to these guys in the green/orange vests on the way to Hanging Rock just to put off our bliss of nature just a bit longer! But it didn’t work. We eventually got past them and on our way up the windy road to Hanging Rock.

1.3 miles? Not a problem! Until you realize it is UPHILL ALL THE WAY!

But LOOK at that new green! And how it glows with the sun shining through! I really wished I could bottle up this smell and send it to you, it was that fresh and amazing out there. I love being in the mountains!

The mountain laurel is in full pink splendor and exploding bouquets of beauty everywhere along the trail!

It was too beautiful for words! Besides…it was so steep we were breathing too hard to be able to speak the words even if we wanted to! LOL!

Here it is! the Stairway to Heaven! We’d only passed two people at this point, and they were coming DOWN…with YOGA MATS under their arms? We are still trying to figure out just WHERE was flat enough to DO yoga up on Hanging Rock – The rock stairs go up and up and up and up and up…

Shelby and I stopped to catch our breath before going up any farther. Okay…that was an excuse. *I* stopped to catch my breath, and to tie my shirt around my waist before going up any further. All that exertion and temps were starting to climb. I just wanted to sit and love on a cute Shelby girl a bit before going further!

That Shelby is quite a poser! And too cute not to snap pictures of! I’ve never had experience with toy sized dogs before, and I really enjoy having her little person-ality around! She is the perfect size, the only thing missing is a PURR!

And Miss Lisa is pretty great to have around too!

Up and up and up and up – You mean we are going up HERE!? Yes. We are!

Almost There! I can see the view from the trees! ((And aren’t trees that grow up through solid ROCK just an amazing example for life?! I love life-lessons, and I know there is one for me in the fortitude of these amazing rock anchored trees!))

This is the view south, Winston Salem and Greensboro are somewhere out there….we are UP on top of the world!

That is one super rock climbing dog! She really did do most of it herself..jumping those rock steps as if they were hurdles! But LOOK at this view?! Can you see why we are so happy to be here?

Glorious scenery in every direction. There is NO ONE up here…not a soul – but Shelby, Lisa and myself. Oh. And one buzzard who kept swarming – must have been thinking that Shelby looked like LUNCH!

There just are not words for this kind of beauty. This is looking toward the North. We are about 10 miles south of the Virginia state line as the crow ((Or buzzard)) flies! The only sounds we hear are the buzzing of busy insects, the sound of the wind through the tree tops far below, and the beating of our own hearts from the climb.

This sky of scattered clouds mixed with blue and sunshine would continue to gather and shower us with a huge thunderstorm come later in the afternoon, but for now, all was perfect.

I could have sat here forever. Time stopped up here. Yes, there were mountains of STUFF at home, but somehow, I needed time out on THIS mountain to refresh my soul. STUFF can wait. But these moments – time out with nature, and a friend – those are too priceless to put off!

Things I continue to ponder and apply from this day trip:

• Don’t quit due to a detour!
• Slow down and enjoy the view!
• Take time to appreciate flowers!
• Stand steadfast in rocky places!
• Dance and climb while the sun shines!
• Laugh! LOTS!
• Consider the unconditional love of dogs, and apply it!
• Don’t be so busy that you pass up TIME with friends.

And--

Never let a chance to walk barefoot through moss pass you by!

Happy Tuesday, folks!