Erin Reno- Old Rag "Trail Journal"

I have to admit, all those weeks of studying the AT in Dr. Redick’s class inspired me.  Hiking has never been a thing I’ve minded, and I’ve been on one or two, but I’ve never felt a need to go out and climb a mountain like some people I know.  The last hike I had been on had been a disaster in the Adirondacks which resulted in my mom getting sick and my little brother drinking bug spray when my father selected a much too difficult climb for what we were prepared for.  Nevertheless, after the assigned readings about spirituality in the wilderness and the accounts of communitas on the AT, I wanted to get a taste of it for myself with a new perspective. Instead of looking at a hike as a race towards a finish line or a conquest, I decided to head out to Shenandoah National Park and see what happened. 
Keeping in mind the axioms of a sacred place, I wasn’t looking for a “spiritual experience”, and this is just an honest account of my experience, not embellished for an experience I was hoping to have.  (With the recommendation of Dr. Redick) my friend Maddy and I decided to hike Old Rag, as it seems everyone and their grandma has done it, and would be a good fit for us.  We set out at 6am and were able to reach the park by 8. Despite the early start, there was already a good amount of people on the trail, and I was worried that somehow this would hinder my experience.  How was I supposed to appreciate the wilderness with Laura from Accounting complaining about her Manassas commute a few yards away? But that didn’t really prove to be a problem. As Maddy and I advanced on, we soon settled into our own pace.  At first when other hikers would pass us it felt like we were somehow “losing”, but I quickly shook the feeling off. I’d get to the top when I got there, and I was determined to not be distracted by the future and to be fully in the moment.  
The weekend we went would be considered “the peak” for fall colors in the Shenandoah, and the views were in no way lacking.  At first, Maddy and I couldn’t help but go “wow” at practically every bend in the trail, but eventually we quieted and were able to just take in what we were seeing.  Light blue blazes decorated trees along the way, but for the most part the trail was so well traveled that direction was rarely needed. What started out as a talkative trek turned quiet as the ascent got harder, and eventually the only time the two of us would talk would be to trade off the backpack.  I was a little relieved once we got to the rock scramble as the necessity to use my arms to climb over the rocks gave my legs some reprieve. Still, there was an unspoken mounting excitement as Maddy and I climbed higher and higher, proof of our ascent visible through the breaks in the foliage. When we finally broke out onto the ridge line, the peak seemed so near we could taste it.  
Little did we know we would be stuck in “traffic” on the ridge line for another two hours.  The high volume on the trail had condensed at the top as the climb got more difficult and paces slowed, resulting in a literal line leading up to the peak.  After the initial surprise wore off, Maddy and I were able to laugh it off and take the opportunity to rest and indulge in the company of the other hikers. The rock scramble proved to be a lot of fun, though we were mindful to be cautious and avoid injury.  Maddy had a babysitting gig later and the only thing worse than wrangling 7 year old is wrangling 7 year olds with a twisted ankle.  
When we finally reached the top, I didn’t want to come down.  The view was incredible, but it was the feeling I got inside that was most notable.  It was one that was reminiscent of something that I hadn’t felt since I was a kid and would play in the woods by my grandmother’s house in up-state New York.  Sitting down on an enormous rock with the wind whipping around me, I felt incredibly small, but in no ways intimidated. Maddy and I had taken that opportunity to drink our water and eat some of the food we had taken up with us, and sitting there I felt completely content, as if my body felt it had all that it needed in that moment.  It felt very nice.  
Eventually we did have to pack up and make the descent.  I think Maddy was ready to nap in the car, but I found myself reluctant to finish, as if I had just gotten my footing here and now had to go.  I hope that in the future I will have more opportunities to explore the trails in the park, and possibly other parks as well.
-Erin


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