Reflections from The Trail

Happy new year!

A few months ago, I made the goal of going camping once a month. I finally made it happen on New Year’s Eve. Seems fitting for a procrastinator like me.

New Year’s Eve rolled around and my backpack wasn’t even packed. Nothing was ready. I pulled my backpack, sleeping bag, and tent out of storage in the morning then ran a few errands. When I returned home, all I wanted to do was lay on the couch and watch tv.

After 3 episodes of Andor and a bowl of ice cream, I finally pulled together everything else on my gear list and start driving toward Mount Rushmore. It had already been dark for 3 hours.

Two park rangers followed me into the park, because, who goes hiking at 7pm in the winter on New Year’s Eve, right? I get it. I didn’t want to be there either.

That’s the thing about camping. It’s not very fun. There’s so much to pack. I don’t sleep well. I eat not-the-best food. It takes a lot of effort. It’s a little bit risky. It’s not comfortable in any way.

Despite all of this, something draws me to keep going. Maybe it’s the chance to show myself that I know what I’m doing. Maybe it’s the distraction from the expectations of modern life. Maybe it’s just the opportunity to experience nature up close. It’s probably all 3.

But most of all, when I get back home and unpack, I’m left with a feeling of accomplishment. I set a goal & took the necessary actions to achieve it. I feel more confident with myself and my ability to share what I know with others to make their experience even better.

As I look forward to 2023, my guiding motto is LEAN IN. I’m going to lean into my fears and discomforts.

“Lean In” is something my mentor Larry taught me while learning to kayak. When I approached a rock in the creek sideways, he said to lean in rather than away. Don’t follow your instincts. If you lean away, you’ll flip over and possibly get pinned. If you lean in, the current simply flows under you.

To be honest, when I go camping, I’m a little afraid of the unknown. Going out into the dark by myself while carrying a heavy pack 1.25 miles up steep trail & granite cliffs isn’t exactly taking the safe route. There are mountain lion out there! Maybe they’re hungry tonight. Who knows?

So that’s it for 2022. I’m ready to LEAN IN to 2023. Who’s coming with me? Let me know you’re 2023 goals & aspirations in the comments.

Author: Black Hills Traveler