The trail system here is amazing. They have nearly the same number of trails here as they do back home, but it’s as if they had been constructed at the request of some mad prime minister — president, I mean, the whole federal system is hard for me to keep track of. On an average Saturday afternoon, they’re almost all empty. Granted, there isn’t the same level of advertising back home. In fact I found Soldiers Delight really by accident — it was mentioned in this old trailbook I found at The Book Thing. Last weekend was a total washout, nothing to do but laundry, so I thought why not?
It was empty last Saturday. It was okay, I didn’t mind. I was getting sick of being stuck in my own head. I know I’m being miserable here, I can recognize that it’s just plain old planesickness, but I can’t turn it around in my head. Soldiers Delight is actually pretty beautiful. There are all these plaques that will explain what exactly is going on with the geology or whatever there, but the only thing you really need to know is that for just a little bit, if you look at things the right way, you can feel like you’re somewhere other than where you really are.
At least that’s what I got out of it.
After a while of walking the trail alone, I started doing the same thing I always do given enough time — I start imagining running into people I haven’t seen in forever. Norman especially. The last time I came home we had coffee or something and there was something I wanted to tell him, but I couldn’t figure it out and anyway he was seeing somebody. With time dilation he is probably married now, and even without it he was happy. That was what he is best at. I imagined him coming down the trail, looking as astonished as I was. He wouldn’t wave at me, or even run up and hug me. He would just be surprised in that uniquely Norman way. And then — I don’t know, my imagination goes all fuzzy after that first moment. That’s really the point, just that first moment. In a lot of ways it is as good as it gets.
Finally as I made it to some scenic overlook and there was a couple there walking their dog, and the illusion popped like a little bubble, and honestly I was happy that it did.
Tagged nature
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