TerraMar's first Hike and Pie event of the season took place Saturday, and it's a particularly fun event to lead. I've discovered our members are much more enthusiastic about getting through the toughest parts of a hike when there are four freshly baked pies waiting for them at the bottom! It was great to be out in the Delaware Water Gap for the first time this spring. I really enjoy seeing a place as it changes throughout the course of the seasons.Mount Tammany, despite being a short hike, is one of my favorites in that area. The trail doesn't afford you much time to warm up; it begins climbing steeply right from the parking lot. But the further up you go, the more rewarding the view is. Each of the three viewpoints on the ascent provides a more spectacular view of the Delaware River. Even though you're quite close to I-80, you'd hardly know it. The higher you go, the more the sounds of rushing cars falls away.
One of my good friends, Lauren, came along on the hike to learn about being a TerraMar guide. She and another super strong #badassgirl, Carla, are the newest proposed additions to the TerraMar team. On the ascent, Lauren mentioned how methodical my steps were, and how purposeful. It got me thinking, of course, about life in general, and how I approach journeys from one destination to another.
I think a lot. I analyze things a lot. I like to be deliberate with my movements and my decision, each being carefully and critically thought through. I'll do my best to make sure I've got as much information as possible to avoid uncertainty, and if I haven't done that work, the event/day/hike/etc. becomes more stressful. I'll likely look for someone else to make a decision about that event.
I've done the Mount Tammany hike at least half a dozen times, but still felt better looking at the map Carla printed out to verify the colors of the blazes we were following. Verifying what I already knew was comforting. Dan and I planned to camp near Ralph Stover that night, and try to find our way to the crag the next morning without a guide book or help from people who'd been there before. But the thought of not knowing where the crag was or anything about where specific routes were really ate away at my climbing motivation. The fact that the temperature dropped to the low 30's at night and topped out at 45ยบ the next day certainly didn't help! We ended up finding the campground, but when we woke up the next morning, we decided to explore a little town in the area, then head to PRG Oaks for indoor bouldering instead.
I know that uncertainty is part of life, and that I'll never evolve in climbing, or in anything I do if I let that uncertainty get to me. I'm learning to tell myself that it's alright if things don't go exactly as planned - it doesn't mean the plans were a failure, it's just life's way of teaching me to be more flexible. And it means I'll know more about how to plan next time. Part of my personal evolution is becoming aware of how I react to situations, why, and what I can do to manage those reactions. It's an ongoing process, without a doubt!