Update

Well, that last post only caught one of you. It was kind of fun though to get the startled response wondering if I had lost my mind.

Last week a couple of us did a Monday morning hike at the local State Park. We enjoyed the walk, and I made my morning appointment with plenty of time left to spare!

Be thinking of more hikes you'd like to take, and be dreaming of next spring in the Smokies.

Missing the Hike, so I've planned another!

Hey U Hike Along followers! Everyone had such a great time on the hike (except for a couple of exceptions at the tail end of the first day), I decided we cut it too short. So we are all going again. Tomorrow! And we will finish the week we had originally planned. Any of you who weren't able to go along can join us.

See you tomorrow morning at the church at 9 AM sharp. This is going to be fun!

(doesn't hurt to dream...)

Reflections on our First Trip and Dates for next Spring!

It is bittersweet to write this entry. Our hiking trip is finished, except for the stories, photos and incredible memories.

The first four days of this week were a beautiful reminder of the power of presence. Seven of us spent time together in such a beautiful place. We had no media distractions, and none of us posed with plastic faces. Instead, we climbed, laughed, cried and at times groaned our ways through beautific mountains, streams and campfire nights.

We walked together; and in the process met new people. True, we knew one another at some level before the hikes began; but the time and the views and the pain and the goals achieved drew out from us some deeper realities. We now understand attributes of one another that we could never have discovered while staring at the backs of heads in some worship setting. Our lives not only leaked-out evidences of some deeper beauties, but as I look back, they fountained the miracle stuff that our creator has put there within us.

Each time I begin to reflect back, I long to go back. I long to hold those moments and you friends who were there in that secluded space and time we shared for those days. And so I do. And we will continue to do so with pictures and memories and stories. But we can never return to those moments. Seals and Crofts recorded a song I caught my self singing on our last morning while breaking camp. We may never pass this way again...

However, I can say one thing for certain. None of us will ever understand one another in the same way we did only a week ago. And in that sense, we are "back there." Because the love we discovered in mountain shadows and shared meals will remain. And those bonds are ours to have and to hold.

Grace and peace to you, and let's grow our number as we look to hikes in the Brown County forests and to another UHikeAlong group during Spring Break, March 14-20, 2010.

Tomorrow we are on our way!

Tomorrow afternoon, five people from my home church and two others from Virginia are heading toward the Great Smoky Mountains and Elkmont Campgrounds. We have scheduled several incredible day hikes.

I'll report back here afterward, and then we will begin planning our next one!

Almost Hike Time! New 4 day format.

I met with four of the six hikers Sunday! Wow are we excited. One of us is working on reserving the sites right now, and things are coming together.

Eric, looking forward to seeing you there. We will let you know arrival times, campsite info, etc.

We have a great group planning to be there, so if you aren't a part yet, you could probably still jump in.

We have shortened the trip from a week to Sunday through Wednesday. We have a great list of day hikes planned.

Peace.

Details and Plans: I'm Excited!!!

At this point there are six of us that I know are planning (or close to it) on this trip. So far 2 women and 4 men are in the plans. We will situate our camps so that everyone has privacy and yet feels secure and part of the group. We do need to get some definite numbers so we can reserve sites, etc. Here is the trip in a nutshell.

I want this to be economical as much as possible. We can put two tents on a site, so that will be a shared expense. We will buy food and cook at camp as much as possible to spare expense. We may go out for a meal or two if the group wants. We can have a midweek laundry run, so you won't have to pack a bunch.

We will travel down on Sunday afternoon, August 16. (We will share rides and costs.) You can pack a lunch for the drive down, and maybe we'll get something fast before we arrive at the campgrounds.

We will set up camp that night, study the projected weather for the week, and plot our hikes. We are going to do relatively easy, day hikes.

I'd recommend hiking boots, but tennis shoes will work if you don't weigh as much as I do. (Grin.) We can fix everyone up with a tent if you don't have one. I like trekking poles, but they are not necessary. You'll need everything you want for sleeping in a tent, towels for our visits to showers, and any cooking supplies you have.

We will spend time together in the evenings talking about our days and the ones to come. You can read that sentence any way you want. I want you to hear this: We will enjoy the beauty of the place, and the joys that only friends can deliver. I really hope you will be able to come along.

The plan has been to return on Saturday the 22nd of August. However, I am open to returning a day or so earlier if that's what the group wants.

I look forward to making your reservation soon. Let me know ASAP about your participation.

David

The Invitation: You Hike Along!

Hi Everyone;

I love to hike, and the Smokey Mountains are one of my favorite places to go and enjoy mountain trails. I also love retreat settings, where people can relax together and share their lives. So, I've decided to make a dream a reality.

I'm inviting you to join me this August for some day hikes in the mountains, and camping by a mountain stream. This is a simple trip and fairly low budget. Here are a few initial details:

I will leave after church on August 16, and arrive at the park that night--hopefully in time to set-up camp before dark. I'll head back home on Saturday late morning. (Note, two tents can share a site, so the cost of $20 per site per night can be pretty cheap.)

The campground has flush toilets, water, and a nice river roaring through it. I'll get some pics up. There are no showers, but in town there are places you can shower for 5 bucks...if you are a wimp.

We will spend time together talking around fires at night. The mountains are a little cooler than surrounding other local places, so the nights should be in the 60's or even high 50's. But should not get above 70 or so for sleeping.

We will hike during the days. I have some favorites picked out for us. The biggie will be Mt. LeConte and we will decide which approach trail and which descent trail we will use according to the ability of everyone. On a clear day, it has incredible vistas and will be very fun to hike together. (I've added some pics up for you to get the idea of the beauty of the places.) I also hope we can do the Chimney Tops (a short but intense climb with an incredible finish), Abram's falls, Andrew's bald, etc.

Next post I'll talk about equipment you will need. Rest assured there will be little you don't have now.

Sign on as a follower if you want. Comment about your interest. Or you can email me and I'll post your comments for you if you want. (Click on "E-Mail me.) Let's get some conversation going here.

Peace, and get ready for the mountains!!!

David Hayes