Going Solo @Mount Mitchell, NC
Half way; 6 miles down, 6684 Ft. North Carolina, you will always be one of my favorites!
Have you ever wanted to go hiking but did not have anyone to go with? I can definitely relate. Back in my road-trip around the East Coast, I am laying down in my sleeping bag near Asheville, NC while trying to read a book. I feel distracted and can’t concentrate. My mind is wandering about a 12-mile trail that has become one of the best hikes in North Carolina. “Mount Mitchell, highest peak of the Appalachian Mountains”. If you are traveling around the East Coast, you will meet many thru hikers that are hiking the Appalachian (2,190 miles) thus you will end up becoming an Appalachian fan!
“No Pain, No Rain, No Maine”
I feel confident that I can solo hike this trail but what concerns me is the length of the route. Still, I am up for the challenge and I do not tell anyone of what I am about to do (not a good idea, I learned that afterwards).
The day comes and I drive to Black Mountain, which is located about two hours from Asheville. I head out to the trail and it is less crowded than I expected. I start hiking at a fast pace and I feel that I am almost running. I realize that I won’t stop saying, “excuse me, sorry, thanks”, to other peers on the trail. As I continue uphill I become more aware of sounds and noises, what if an animal comes? I am the least prepared; no phone service, no bear spray, it is just a bottle of water, a protein bar and me.
Can you spot the blue trail mark?
They are usually placed just above eye level to mark the direction of the trail.
Human beings are constantly seeking to feel secure and in a stable condition, a concept known as "homeostasis." When there is an attempt to alter the current state, the mind will go against change, sending messages of: don't do it. Fear, anxiety, and stress are necessary to move forward. They are essential impulses that serve as an internal motivation to achieve self-development.
“The world reveals itself to those who travel by foot”
I am half way, 6 miles done in 2 hours and 30 minutes. The summit is full of people and it appears that it is a tourist area that can be reached by car as well. I take a few pictures and forget to contemplate my first achievement for the day. I feel overwhelmed and want to get back to the woods. It is paradoxical that where I am with people the most closely crowded, the loneliness feels the greatest. I feel a renewed motivation!
My last 6 miles take a little bit more of time. I start embracing the air, sound, views and I embed myself in the situation. I am aware of my surroundings and I pay attention to the flowers. They are just beautiful! A few members pass by the trail and I happily say, “Have a Good Hike”.
“A trail contains all the elements of nature we can’t control: its beauty, its indifference, its complexity, its terror and wonder, and its vulnerability”
Facing and recognizing that my first 6 miles were full of fear of thoughts helps me understand that I have to change a pattern for the miles I have left. I remember that at one point I was able to stop and take a break, something I had never done before. I sit with my fear, it becomes my friend rather than my enemy. I speak to her and I even open the door. “Come in, you are welcome here”. Somehow, the fear ends up becoming my happiness.
Negative emotions are fundamental pieces to appreciate the positive emotions. The "fear" served as a tool to achieve calmness. “Discomfort is not a symptom of a problem, it is part of the solution!”
“In the vast expanse of this unpredictable wilderness, you will either become your best self and flourish, or you will run away, screaming from the dark and the cole hardship. There is no middle ground, no safe place; not here, in the Great Alone”
-The Great Alone, Kristin Hannah.
