Spring Has Sprung

What glorious weather for my first Spring run in Highlands!  It began flurrying off and on yesterday afternoon, and this morning we awoke to conditions typical of this changeable plateau:  31 degrees, a sharp wind out of the north, and a half-inch of snow on the ground (and on our deck, where I moved through my Tai Chi moves gingerly on the slick boards).  Highlands is always a surprise!  I had to dig under a little pile of warmer-weather gear to find my tights again and toboggan and gloves.

Of course, it was Monday so Big Bearpen beckoned, and the road was perfectly dry all the way up.  As I began to climb, what seemed like an effort at first became easier, and I found myself warming up fast, unzipping my vest and enjoying the fresh coat of snow along the road.  The wind died down and birdsong chimed through the still morning air.  With absolutely no moisture in the atmosphere, the vistas on the way up were simply glorious.  And when I reached the very summit, I came around the corner and found myself in full, warm sunlight, which seemed like a special reward for the struggle uphill, a taste of grace and mercy at the end of a journey.  I stopped as I always do and stretched, looking far off to distant southern horizon.  And I was thankful to be climbing mountains once again.

"Struggling and suffering are the essence of a life worth living.

If you’re not pushing yourself beyond the comfort zone,

if you’re not demanding more from yourself—

expanding and learning as you go—

you're choosing a numb existence." - Dean Karnazes