At 7:00 PM on May 28th, I entered into a frenzy of human activity atop Clingmans Dome. Surrounded by hundreds of people seeking a glimpse of the Great Smoky Mountains from the most accessible point, I quietly exited the Appalachian wilderness. My time on the A.T. was in the books: 15 days, 210 trail miles, 360 miles walked over 687,000 steps that consumed 35,000 calories. I stood in disarray at the crowds, making my last observations from this beautiful place that suddenly began to remind me of the place I had left.
After months of being smothered by some of the worst aspects of humanity, I planned an unconventional escape to the woods in pursuit of the purity of nature with its one simple rule: survival. Nature, I reasoned, didn’t have the same tragic flaw as people: reason. While its world is unyielding to mankind, it favors the prepared mind and humble spirit. I was eager to leave the corporate society that had become filled with the stench of greed, selfishness, cowardness, arrogance and nepotism. As I left I was hopeful that I would see a new world, a world that revealed the best aspects of life. A world without man’s footprint. What I found was quite different, but better than what I had imagined…
Nature was more spectacular than I anticipated and much more wild. Bears, boars, snakes and fowl were common on the journey, but the greatest surprise came in my fellow man. Afterall, I had chosen the trail to escape the evil and manipulation of people, but quickly found out that people were key to my survival. I was humbly reminded that we’re social by nature and have survived for so long because of our interdependence.
The people I encountered filled the spectrum of humanity which included some odd ones, but I was especially blessed to meet 4 awesome companions I’m now honored to call friends. Each of us had our reason for taking to the trail and each was on a unique journey as we travelled together. Together, we not only survived, but thrived in nature’s world which as humans I feel we’ve all but forgotten. Nature’s indifference towards our plight was overcome by our companionship and made this difficult journey not only possible, but triumphant.
For me, this was an unforgettable trip that reminded me that humans can be the best part of life and that our experiences are best shared among people closest to us. Going forward, I am more motivated than ever to seek, capture and share these moments with the people I’m blessed to call family and friends. I hope these scenes inspire you to find and cherish the moments of life that are best shared among the ones closest to you.
