Never shall I forget the creaky, dust-covered black gate that provided as both a warning sign and a beginning to a hike that would forever be embedded in my memory.
Never shall I forget the shallow rivers and pools strewn with rocks, dozens of these rivulets scattered throughout the trek.
Never shall I forget the plaintive call of the blue jays and mocking birds, filling the evening air with a hum of life and joy.
Never shall I forget the odor of pine resin, plants, wildlife; the crooked trees and wild undergrowth covering the hike, the slithering of unseen snakes and wild mice.
Never shall I forget the painstaking climbs up sheer rock walls, seizing the rough rope with a death’s grip, adrenaline and determination coursing through my veins like wildfire.
Never shall I forget the relief of finishing the challenging hike, the delicious, crunchy taste of pack food, exhaustion melting away.
Never shall I forget the thrill of having completing an exciting, but arduous hike- the pleasure of reaching home and relaxing aching muscles.
Never.