Let's Just Go For a WALK! : Ahlstromomy's Nature W/OMar 02 '03 Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line Ahlstromomy, we all wish you the very best and a speedy recovery. I wish you twelve hundred foot rubs, too!
This write off is to honor Ahlstromomy who is to have a surgery in April. She is in a lot of pain, and this is to try and comfort her. I wish her and her husband, Klueger, the very best. Your car pulls into a space on the gravel parking lot that is blanketed by multitudes of orange pine needles. Pine trees lunge into the sky, shading the parking lot. This is the base of Monument Mountain in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. You amble over toward the map in its big brown stand and see that there is a very steep and very direct route to your right, or a slightly longer path that gently winds to the top – you choose the latter. There are white-gray boulders to your right as you gingerly step over ancient, gnarling tree roots and partially buried rocks. Fir trees muffle the sound of traffic whipping past – soon the sounds of civilization will dissipate altogether. Sunlight beats down on the leafy green canopy above you, filtering through to leave gold and black leopard print on the forest’s floor. You suddenly understand Monet and other impressionists – you see the spots and splotches on your arms, on the path, and on the mix of vegetation. The aroma of young spring leaves mingled with the stench of brown decaying ones on the ground leaves you pleasantly amazed by its pungency. You hear a brief “t-t-t-t-ttttt!” It sounds almost like a rattlesnake, you muse, until you dismiss the notion. This is the northeast, after all, and not the southwest. Your initial instincts were correct, however – there are in fact rattlesnakes here, but they are not wont to make themselves known. There are only two records of their having bitten anyone, and their venom is rather weak in this northerly environment. Still, you are wise to be cautious due to the nagging suspicions you have about the noise. The unease is fleeting, however. It’s a beautiful and peaceful place to be. You walk past white birch trees, maples, and more varieties of pine than you ever dreamed. Occasionally a sound emerges, the sound of something dropping to a pile of dead leaves… maybe a squirrel scampering into this dry pile and startling itself into paralysis. It’s very green in here and very soothing. The Eskimo recognizes hundreds of shades of white for different types of snow, and there are equal amounts of green in here between the trees, the grass, ferns, and moss. There is a slight change in the air – it’s just a tad cooler – and you gather your jacket around you more tightly. You notice there is a small heap of dirty snow in the shade of a bunch of pine trees. It was a rough winter here in Massachusetts and the snow is being stubborn. You hesitate at a new trail that has a sign with an arrow leading to “the scenic vista.” This is where I would urge you to go. If you’re big on hiking, then follow through to the very top where you will be rewarded by a short and steep rock climb and an immeasurable view. But you’ll probably at this time find the peace and lack of other hikers more rewarding – for some reason many people miss this “scenic vista.” You follow the path around more boulders until you find stone steps that lead up a steep hill and wind around. You gingerly walk through slippery and dead pine needles and through the trees you can see nothing but the cerulean sky with its faint streaks of white clouds. As you approach, you notice treetops below you just beyond the rocky path. There is a large mass of rocks that jut out into the sky and you choose to sit here. Toward the back and closer to the path is a slight dip in the rocks and you find that it pleasantly cradles you, admonishing almost anyone’s natural fear of heights. Beyond the rocks you watch the countryside roll from blonde fields into lush green meadows. There is a golden stream far off in the distance that glistens and gleams as if full of fireflies. In the foreground is a big red barn with rounds of hay surrounding it, giving this just the right touch of old New England. Leaning just far enough to the right, you can block out the far off road with its ant like cars making this a timeless scene that anyone in most any era could see. Just above the treetops beneath you, you notice hawks circling, their majestic shadows seeming to prey upon the trees. There’s a sense up here of omniscience – like you can see and be everywhere at once – and you’re literally above it all. After a while you notice the sky begins to blush and the clouds succumb to lavender. It's time to get going before the path becomes too dark. You smile once more at the view that awes all who see it, and you take one more quieting deep breath of the fresh dewey air. It may be over, but it will stay with you for quite some time. I hope this was a nice getaway for you, Ahlstromomy, and I wish you the most speedy and painless recovery possible! We all look forward to hearing from you soon! Please read Klueger’s profile page for a list of other participants. Many thanks, Mr. K for inviting me and many thanks to you for reading!  |
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