Weekly Hikes

I've been taking advantage of my three day weekends this summer, and my close proximity to Millcreek canyon to go hiking every Friday. My intention is to go in the mornings, but it usually ends up being LATE morning.

Last week I got half way up the Porter Fork trail. The sign at the trail head told me it was 3 miles to the top, 1.5 miles to the actual wilderness trail. I only made it half way, because that first 1.5 miles, though paved, was UPHILL the entire way. There were cabins and beautiful summer homes all along the paved road, so I can't say that it was an entire disappointment. Another day, I'll go better prepared to hike in the actual trail.

Today, I hiked on the Pipeline trail. Again, quite a bit of uphill hiking before I got to some level walking, but it was refreshing and beautiful. We're in our first "heat wave" of the summer, so it was quite warm. Even that was enjoyable, though. The canyon wind was hot, rather than the cool breeze you would expect. I did fine respite on an obliging rock in the shade of some trees. It's in the lower left hand corner of the collage.

I've recently started reading the Essays and Poems of Emerson, and I took some time to read about Commodity and Beauty in relation to Nature. Beautiful stuff. Here's a quote:

"To go into solitude, a man needs to retire as much from his chamber as from
society. I am not solitary whilst I read and write, though nobody is with me.
But if a man would be alone, let him look at the stars. The rays that come from
those heavenly worlds, will separate between him and what he touches. One might
think the atmosphere was made transparent with this design, to give man, in the
heavenly bodies, the perpetual presence of the sublime. Seen in the streets of
cities, how great would en believe and adore; and preserve for many generations
the remembrance of the city of God which had been shown! but every night come
out these envoys of beauty, and light the universe with their admonishing
smile."