Its been a long rugged semester. I am patiently awaiting an even more rugged time on the trail. A rugged time to batter my mind back and, to replenish my tired soul. Returning oneself to a more primal way of life for weeks on ends has a way of rejuvenating ones perspective on the things that are most important in life. The fast paced life we all have evolved and are evolving to live can be very tiring. However, tiring it may be the inexplicable inescapable rat race that appears to be forever haunting. Sometimes in order to become renewed it takes the back breaking labor of lugging a unnecessarily weighted pack through dense yellow, smokey wooded, trails up the tallest peaks in the southern Appalachian mountains. For an unknown unexplained reason the return to a simpler more difficult way of life helps you realize how great you do have it and, it can restore your faith in the things that matter most in your life. It provides a means to appreciate things that are otherwise unappreciated. It generally helps you from feeling the way this girl feels about receiving a white iphone 5 instead of the black one.
Lessons unfortunately I am embarrassed to admit that I forget all to easily. The hiking experience can be daunting and overwhelming but, the more difficult the trek the more rewarding the realization. I am overdue for such an experience.
This semester the bulk of my time has been spent working on my challenging classes but, also an original research project. It's on Gene Conservation and Evolution in Marine Sponges and, there is still a great deal of work yet to be done. I really enjoyed trying something I have no general knowledge of and, can really appreciate the amount of time it consumes.
This picture was taken at the presentation of the research.
Here I am sucking in my beer keg of a gut trying to look smart and, explain my project to the cute dark haired girl who clearly it seems is not impressed. Fishing for some form of non-verbal communication que of acceptance or perhaps a flash of the pearly whites or even a cute wink or a nod or just something anything. Its either the Sponge Bob Square pants tie or possibly my delivery. Maybe she just couldn't quite figure out what in the hell I was pointing at. Hell, I don't even know what im pointing at. I guess ill never truly know which one it was. All in all, im closing in fast to the end of the wild ride of a semester. I only have two more exams left then its off to the mountains. I should close out with only one B and im hoping it to be a B+. At least I still have my head above C level to breathe. If I can just maintain a little more I may even have a real chance at med school. If i can even make it off the mountain this weekend that is. I may just continue northward to Moordor mountain
or I mean Katahadin in Maine
Boy I have really lost it two exams closing in hot and, the only thing I can think about doing is writing about how awesome it is going to be not doing anything. Ha haha and I think I can go to med school.... I wonder how long I can keep fooling myself. I really need to get away and do some backpacking its been far to long and I cant wait to feel the euphoric sound of the crunch of earth, the whisper of the wind, wrestle of the water, the brightness of the birds, the sounds of a million trusting trees triumphantly towering tickling each other, of course the sarcastically steamy sensual sound of sex,
and the sweet taste of gorp for days on end.
Bottom line is I just cant wait to get out there.
Cherokee rose
Awesome Smokey Mountain Trail Map----and Click me too.
The link should take you to an amazingly awesome free map of the smokey mountain wilderness. The same map I will be using to plan out and carefully carve the path I will follow for my Appalachian somewhat Deliverance-esque trip/ adventure. Unfortunately I only have a week and a half to get away but, I will be sure to use every drop of time I can ring out of this universe for the trip. Time which generally speaking is never enough to quench the thirst for life.
Details of my intended route soon to follow in next post. Im still working out all the logistics, gear lists, food lists, supplies list, shit list, and of course the hit list. Ive eaten enough of your time. If you made it all the way through thanks allot for reading and I hope you enjoyed it. If not then go fuck yourself and have a nice day.
-Bryce Parrish
