I started back to work this week. District meetings, faculty meetings, getting my new PE schedules, visiting each school to check in with Principals and teachers and check on my PE closets. And of course, lesson prep. I truly like being a teacher and working with kids. And I like having summers off, and I like going back to school in the fall (or end of August actually). I like getting back in to a routine during fall and winter. Ready to hunker down for the long haul, dealing with trials as they come, and taking breaks along the way as needed.
Kind of like the backpacking trip we took last weekend.
Our Leader-in-Adventure, Lynn (former River Guide with my husband), called us a couple of weeks ago and asked if we'd like to go backpacking to the Grandaddy Lakes area in the Uintah Mountains of Utah. We said yes. We rarely say no to Lynn.
So we planned and packed and bought a new 3-person backpacking tent (think light - 6 lbs.!), dehydrated meals and backpacking towels. I decided it was finally time to buy fancy easy-to-dry backpacking/camping/hiking pants, and did.
Drove to Hanna, Ut looking for the road to Hades Campground (Hades! Uh oh, is that a sign?!) and the trailhead to the Grandaddy Lakes. Couldn't find it. Asked for directions. They didn't help. Asked again and finally found it. Drove on dirt road about 6 miles, parked, loaded on our 30 lb. backpacks, and started hiking.
It was a beautiful afternoon (Fri., Aug. 15), 75 degrees. The trail was steep and rocky. Lots of rocks and evergreen trees. The trail was steep. I got tired. Did I say the trail was steep? But we plugged on, taking rest stops for water and snacks along the way. Four miles in. I'd say about three miles were uphill to the ridge of the mountain, then one mile downhill in to the basin where we could see the Grandaddy Lake, a beautiful, serene mountain lake.
Set up camp before dark, made dinner, sat around the campfire talking and laughing. But I was pretty wiped out. I guess I'm not as young as I used to be. So I headed to bed before the others.
Saturday we hiked another six miles (SIX MILES!) in a loop from our camp around to other lakes and back. Stopped at Rainbow Lake for lunch and photoshots as we jumped in to the cool mountain water.
I was tired again when we returned to camp. Took a nap before dinner. Enjoyed visiting and telling stories around the campfire that evening.
Camping like this helps you appreciate bathrooms with toilet paper and chairs to sit on when eating. But these are trials that can be dealt with. Hiking like this means we can take breaks as needed or wanted. Because we're tired or hungry, or because there is a beautiful view of a lake or tree or bird.
I need those breaks during school also. And I need to remember to see the beauty in my students and co-workers, because, as the saying goes,"the joy is in the journey, not in the destination"! It wasn't just the beauty of our camp site or the lakes, it was the whole experience of hiking, being tired, dealing with no toilets, and sharing stories with friends. The whole experience of teaching PE and teaching anger management and teaching responsibility for one's own actions. Laughing with the kids and crying with co-workers. The Joy is in being able to see the Whole Experience, and to find Joy in it. Here's to finding the Joy in another backpacking trip, and another year of school!
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