Straying from the path in Utah
This past weekend, some friends and I went camping in southern Utah. On Saturday we went hiking on a lightly-trafficked trail in Dammeron Valley.
Near the beginning of the hike, I got separated from my friends. Then my curiosity got the best of me, and I chose to freely explore the area instead of sticking to the main route. Stupid.
This resulted in me wandering around rough terrain in poorly-suited shoes for hours. At one point I verbally asked for a sign of life. Not 15 seconds passed before I came across a coyote skeleton. That was not what I meant.
Luckily, I located some experienced hikers with heavy-duty walking sticks. They taught me to find the path again by following cairns and footprints. Then they transformed into giant eagles and flew away. At least, that’s how my dehydrated brain remembered it.
I eventually reconnected with my friends near the trailhead. “You’re alive!” I was happy to see their relief. Troubling them is what worried me the most.
I’ve been in bad situations before. With experience, I’ve learned not to panic. There’s almost always a solution, even if it’s painful.
The path will reveal itself. Eventually.
