I guess this means I'm growing up

I used to have no hesitations and give not a fleeting thought to solo day hikes. I love time in the woods by myself. But last night, when Amber called sounding like she'd swallowed a frog and I realized she wasn't going to be able to spend the day adventuring at Little River Canyon this weekend, I was disappointed. In myself. Because I knew that I wasn't going to go alone, and time was, that I wouldn't have thought twice about it.

But last year, on the trail, we came across a copperhead, and it was me and the two dogs, and I realized that if one of them had gotten bit, there was no way I could have carried an 80 pound dog seven miles out of the wilderness, followed by a twenty-mile drive just to get within cell service range. And what if the snake had bit me?! I don't like to think about it, but that day on the trail flipped a switch for me.

When I expressed these reservations about solo hikes to my sister this morning, she reassured me that if anything, it makes her happy knowing that I have become more aware and conscious about my personal safety. There are just too many variables now. So, instead of going on a solo day hike today, I will venture to the Civic Center for a Home & Garden Expo with my husband. Five years ago we would have laughed at ourselves, and you know you've rounded some imaginary bend on the path of life when you become excited about home appliances and find yourself watching HGTV on a regular basis.

So, I thought I'd share some photos of one of my favorite solo day hikes. Just Sipsey & me, on the trail in the Sipsey Wilderness on a spring day in 2007 {the same trail that the snake would appear on years later causing all these revelations.}