When I set out to adopt a dog, I never thought I would become their cheerleader.
In her three years by my side, Blaze has spent time romping around in countless rivers and streams, but not fast-moving ones like these. Nor has she been in deep water except for when I took her paddleboarding once. which didn’t go well. But that’s a story for another day.
So when I read the reviews for this trail, I knew we were both in for a treat – they warned of countless river crossings and to wear sturdy shoes.
It was a welcome change from the squirrelly road we took to get here.
Speaking of the road… life lately has been wearing me down like worn leather.
From decision fatigue to concerns about our safety, the endless array of obstacles starts to dig grooves in what was once a sturdy web of buoyant resiliency but now feels like a heavy glop of anxiety.
The solitude, adventure, and freedom everyone craves is a double-edged sword.
Going into this van life experiment, I thought that I could take a large amount of solitude. But it appears that I can only be by myself for about 3-4 months before I start to get lonely and bored.
Don’t get me wrong, I love my alone time, I love watching a sunset by myself in the middle of nowhere. But it comes with a price tag – you miss the birthdays and the holiday gatherings. You miss the pure joy of being in your friend and family’s presence. And even though I’m only a short drive from family right now and I’ll spend a week with them very soon, it just doesn’t feel like enough. Yes there’s technology that makes being far away feel less isolating, but still it’s not the same as the warm hugs we so often take for granted.
And yet, I absolutely love these mini adventures that Blaze and I go on multiple times a week. She brightens my day with her silly antics. She seeks out attention from fellow explorers, which lets me know that she’s starved for connection, too. I guess we could both use a little pick-me-up now and again.
Thankfully, this 5-mile hike was just the medicine we needed to shake off that unwavering sense of loneliness and reinvigorate our sense of adventure!
Here are the hikes that we did:
- West Fork Gila River Trail, 5.7 miles, 423 ft of elevation gain (lots of river crossings)
- Melanie Hot Springs, 3.4 miles, 131 ft of elevation gain
Michelle and Blaze 