Day 001 – 5/25/11 – Point Reyes, CA to Randall Trailhead, Rt. 1
Distance = 17.0 miles; Elevation Change > 2010 feet
Lo Elevation = 0; Hi Elevation = 751
Journeys and Destinations
In a younger day our auspicious start in driving rains and cold temps would have been a disappointment. When you are young life is all about destinations and you want them all to be the way you envision them. Our auspicious start in driving rains and cold temps at a beautiful part of the country would have been a disappointment once upon a time.
One of the great things long distance hiking does is distract you from destinations, at least if you are to succeed. The end of a trail thousands of miles long readjusts the focus from far off destinations to what is immediately ahead of you. Eventually, your focus becomes the journey instead of the destination.
Destinations come and go, some as hoped for, some a disappointment. Eventually we learn that life, as with long distance backpacking, is about the overall journey. The paths we choose matter, the destinations where those paths lead become secondary.
Just so, our auspicious start is just another story to tell in our journey. Maybe we will actually see Point Reyes in the sun some day, maybe not. However, during this journey as a whole we are likely to see many amazing, beautiful things.
