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June 21st, 2005
10:05 pm - Freedom
Today, I took off work a bit early to go see a movie (Sahara) with Tina.
Following the movie, I went to the bookstore to browse.
But this entry is not about those things.
It is about freedom.
On my way back home, I felt a familiar itch. My feet were unhappy, restless. Maybe it was talking to  singingwren about tomorrow's hike. Maybe it was something else. I'll never know.
But my boots won out.
I made a crazy left turn off Henderson Rd. and into the neighborhood between High Street and the Olentangy River. I drove down and in front of a random house, parked the car, and jumped out.
Down the hill I went.
I crossed the Olentangy River on the Henderson Rd. bridge, near 315. I stepped off the bridge and onto the bike trail. Antrum Lake was my goal, but the setting sun didn't look promising. It was 8:30 already, and I was running on fumes.
I set off down the path, breathing in wildly. 'That scent,' I thought. 'That scent is clean.' That scent is the mixture of dirt and water that makes mud. Happy, deep river mud. It filled my lungs and gave my legs fuel.
I plunged into the hike with fast feet, singing along to the music in my head. "Who wouldn't want to be me?" I questioned. "Jimmy, there's still so much to be done," I reasoned.
I looked at my boots. No chance to get them more dirty today, it's been too dry. Look at them, though: the sole is separated, the inserts squeek. It's really true: the truest measure of a man is how long his boots last. Never trust a man with clean boots. A man's boots will keep him when he's down and out, and they'll always be there for him. My boots, ladies, always win.
I jumped up on a fence and walked along it for a while, laughing and smiling and my arms extended as if I were flying. I repeated some of the same phrases you see in this entry to myself, edited them aloud, and spoke them again.
I looked forward as I passed Bethel Rd. I was doing alright on sunlight for now, but that wouldn't last long. I kept walking.
I smiled at every person I met, watched a beautiful woman try an control her rollerblades with little success, and laughed at a kid chasing fireflies. I jumped on another fence and nearly fell into the creek below when I missed a step. I laughed with the young couple who came up behind me.
Finally, I turned a bend and came to the point I had to turn back. It was becoming darker, and if I didn't turn back now, most of my walk would be in the dark.
Something changes in you when you decide that the hike is over. A sort of mild depression sets in, and you start to drag your feet. You become cautious and wary of your surroundings.
I still jumped on the fences, I still caught fireflies, and I still sang songs, but it was sadder than my approach was. I wanted to keep going.
My soul is most free when my sole is on the ground.
But that brief moment of freedom was everything I wanted.
And when I came home, I thought I should share it with you.
Thanks.
Current Mood:  ecstatic
Current Music: "Last Mango in Paris", -JB
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estatic mike=hot and wonderfuly calming that sounded like fun, I think I might do that sometime:-p I'm still intending to walk Crater Lake sometime. Though it's looking a bit less like this year. My soul is most free when my sole is on the ground.
But that brief moment of freedom was everything I wanted.
And when I came home, I thought I should share it with you.
Beautiful, many thanks. Doing what I can to help those who didn't walk yesterday :) Good stuff, dude. I had a neat experience with a city tree yesterday. I gave it a feel-up while I was pacing up and down Bob Hope Way while waiting for my mom to pick me up. That's as close to nature as I got. Some morning I want to walk the labrynth- but it needs to be once I've caught up on my sleep and don't wake up halfway through the night. One of the cats jumped on me this morning. Hard. Knocked the air out of me around 5:30 AM.
I know the feeling of being woken up half-way through the night. Far be it for a cat not to have his way. I assume it was one of the boys, since statistically it's more likely (heh, I am learning something in class!!!) And it was too heavy to be Infin. That's why I love ya, Mike.
Brilliant.
Hail the Mud-kin! It's not because I'm sexy and tall and handsome?
Damn. I need more superficial friends.
*grins* ![[User Picture]](https://l-userpic.livejournal.com/14473067/827191) | | From: | duriyah |
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| Date: | June 22nd, 2005 12:36 pm (UTC) |
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It sounds like it was a perfect walk. Thanks for sharing it with us. You are right about the moment when you decide to turn back...it becomes a bit sad and bittersweet after that.
I need to go for a walk soon. Everyone needs to go for a walk soon :) p.s. I had to change the date that I will be in Columbus. Are you available on Sunday around lunch'ish? When one is in a wedding (woo bridesmaid dress), one should find out if there is a rehearsal dinner the day before (let's say Friday).. d'oh. I'll be at ComFest then, but something might be doable. Hah! I seem to remember thinking of you and your hikes on my own bimble. That sounds beautiful. You are very lucky to be alive. Life is great. I couldn't agree more.
Actually, maybe I could, if I had any idea what a bimble was. ![[User Picture]](https://l-userpic.livejournal.com/18040833/3132294) | | From: | rfunk |
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| Date: | June 29th, 2005 04:07 am (UTC) |
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| | spontaneous hiking | (Link) |
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I miss the Olentangy and its bike path.... |
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