Hiking

I hiked in Garden of the Gods on Saturday and Sunday. What lovely walks. A little cold, but with all the trees and shrubs, the wind was broken so there wasn't really any wind chill to speak of. A few icy patches here and there. Another effect of the trees. I didn't have any trouble Saturday, but Sunday I slipped and fell on an icy spot. No big deal. After a few years of hiking here, one learns how to fall. Ice in the winter and loose sand and gravel in the summer mean you will fall from time to time. It's always better to just go with it. Fewer injuries than when you try to fight it.

My fall came just as I was thinking about how to blog about hiking. I was thinking about how I use my walking stick to help keep my balance and protect myself from slips. That during hikes, it is important to pay attention to what is right in front of you, not worry too much about what's around the next turn. And, surprise!, I slipped on the ice right in front of me.

I'll let you draw the parallels between hiking and writing. I don't want to slip and fall on it. But I will be out walking again, first thing in the morning. Watching what's right in front of me. And I'll be writing this afternoon, doing the same.