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.