http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=4806731&blogID=193152798&indicate=1Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Big Bend National Park
I recently returned from a camping trip in west texas. drove out to big bend national park and spent a week camping and hiking. This park was one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. Covering mountain, desert and river environments, one can easily get lost in the miles of winding roads and trails that transverse the area. Although one can get a glimpse of the park from one's car, the only way to truly experience the majesty of big bend is on foot. There are so many little holes and vistas completely inaccessible to vehicular traffic; it would be a shame to come away from this place without ever knowing the hidden treasures that lurk just beyond the view of the asphalt. This special view does come at a price, though. Many of the most rewarding treks are also extremely strenuous, requiring miles and miles of hiking in a very inhospitable environment, sometimes up thousands of feet of rock and sand. But fear not, as in almost every part of life, it is the difficult journey that reaps the sweetest rewards.
The sheer size and grandeur of the mountains humbled me in a way I did not expect. Although I have hiked in mountains before, there was something really special about these in particular. The way the sunlight illuminated the cliffs of the mesa de aguilla made for a spectacle beyond my expectations. No words, or pictures for that matter, can begin to express the awe one takes away from such experiences. Spending the night camping atop a mountain, huddled around a small fire with a few close friends. Waking up in a cloud and trekking through miles of white-washed expanse. Standing in the shadow of 1500 feet of sheer limestone cliff leaves one feeling as though our little trials and tribulations are truly inconsequential in the big picture. Spending a night in the desert, the stillness and quiet that is ever-present becomes apparent. It took me another week after our return to truly come down out of the clouds. Plans have already begun for my return.
