Ever have a first that, while you were having it, you were pretty sure would be your last? Yeah, for me that would be snowshoeing.
I'm not unhappy my wife arranged for us to hike up to the Red Hill Fire Tower in Dening, New York this past weekend, but if she ever booked a trip in the future involving snowshoes, she'd be hiking solo. It wasn't unpleasant, per se. And I was grateful for the ideal weather we had. But like my single experience skydiving, I'm satisfied with one-and-done. Ever snowshoed? More than once? Willingly?
Because the hike up and back was on a brand-new trail, the twelve of us were single file in a "track" of sorts, making conversation challenging - both on ascent and descent - especially given the sound of the snowshoes. Consequently, the two and one-half hours it took to reach the tower - a gain of over 1,000 feet spread over two miles - was, at times, a bit tiresome. Only after I began practicing a walking meditation did I start feeling more centered. As I more fully took in the quiet around me - snowshoes aside - the trees blanketed with snow began to feel restorative. The descent taking just ninety minutes also helped.
And our day ended on an even higher note, despite my screaming thighs. We headed directly to our local pub and treated ourselves to a high-fat, high-sodium, empty carbs-laden dinner. Snowshoeing? First and last time for me. What first-and-last experiences have you had in life? Ever been tempted to try again?
One more adventure with my hiking buddy! I'll try not to involve snowshoes in the future...
ReplyDeleteLOL! For me it was scuba diving. Many years ago we were in Mexico and David was keen to scuba dive. We went for a practice run in the hotel pool. He swam off like a fish. I went under and was freaked out. The noise, the not breathing fresh air, claustrophobia, etc. I surfaced and told the man who was leading us that it wasn't for me. He had the audacity to say: "Well let's ask your husband." I informed him this had nothing to do with my husband. I wasn't going to scuba dive. Period. But, I would give snorkeling a try. That worked for me. I could bob up out of the water whenever I wanted or needed to. LOL again!
ReplyDeleteInes; Glad this gave you a giggle. And boy do I get it re scuba. Unlike you, I wasn't even able to get comfortable the fist-and-last time I snorkeled, Scuba? No way, Jose.
DeleteGood afternoon, Pat and thanks for the laugh. I loved reading todays post picturing all of you trudging and traipsing along the snow in your snowshoes and it left me with visions of a 1940's era mystery movie for some reason. Honestly have no idea why. But it's certainly not something you hear about people doing these days so. And, along with your friends, I'm sure it was not only a thigh screaming good time, but also a lot of fun. For me, the one and done, was definitely skiing. Long ago. Long, Long, Ago. I made it to the top of the 'learners/beginners ('bunny') slope, turned around and started downward - in all ways. I admit I gave it many tries that day but it never worked for me. And if it was something that I wasn't going to do in my late teens, when I was definitely more flexible, it wasn't happening later in life.
ReplyDeleteBe well,
Bob
Bob; You're most welcome of course; glad you got a chuckle . Sorry to hear skiing was your first and last, although when I recall my first day as a 30 year-old on the slopes I can surely appreciate how that sport is an easy one to abandon after all the falling you do as a novice. I'm glad I stuck with it to this day but you are not the first person I've heard with a similar "no thanks" story vis a vis skiing.
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