Go Beyond

After hiking 16.9 miles today, I finally reached my goal of hiking all 35 miles of trails at Brazos Bend State Park. Over the past several weeks I have walked the beautiful trails at the park a few miles at a time. Although I only lacked about 10 miles to complete my goal, I had to cover ground I have already hiked in order to get to some trails and double-back in order to reach others, thus the additional mileage. Today I hiked three different sections to meet my goal.

I hiked all day today under gray skies and drizzling rain, but it still beat staying indoors. I just happen to love the way gray skies add drama to landscapes. And there was plenty to enjoy today. Walking through the woods is like walking through an art gallery. I took almost 70 pics today and could have taken that many more. I can’t wait to revisit these trails in the Spring for a different perspective.

As for me, I am more than a little tired after hiking 32 miles in two days — but tired in a good way. Hiking longer distances yesterday and today has given me a better idea of how much more hiking I need to do in order to prepare for the longer treks I’d like to do next year. But beyond that, I enjoyed every mile of solitude, the opportunity to spend time in prayer, and simply being outdoors. It’s worth taking the time to slow down and to listen to the sounds of the birds or the wind rustling through the trees.

Here are a few of the photos I took as I hiked today.