Trail Pose: The Walk

Diversity is one of the great aspects of the trail. I have shared miles with people from all over the world, from all walks of life. In my experience, it is unusual for hikers to initiate conversations about political opinions, sexual orientation, or religious beliefs. Most people don’t care what someone packs or how fancy their equipment is. At the same time, I never set out to look for negative encounters.
We all choose how we ride a roller coaster. Some with their eyes closed very tightly. Some grip the bar so tightly that their knuckles turn white. Others keep their hands up, whistling freely through the wind.
I can look ahead to what’s to come, and that gives me a good idea of ​​what I can anticipate: the fall, the loop, the possibility of derailment. But I choose how I drive, never allowing the person next to me to influence my experience.
I make deliberate decisions about how I relate to others, never putting myself (or them) in a position of discomfort. Because here we are on the same page. A goal. Sharing the same funk due to the lack of a shower. Eyes that say, without words, I am determined.
We walk.
We eat.
We sleep.
Enjoying a shared but personal journey.
We interpret falls, loops and uncertainty in our own way.
We share Pop Rocks at camp, watching intently with smiles on our faces as the person who has never tried them pours—pop, pop, pop—all while the next big climb remains silently in the back of our minds.
I make an ongoing decision about how I remember my encounters along the way and how I carry them forward.
So I’ve made a decision about how to handle the rare negative encounters.
I welcome the butterflies to land on my arm, but I watch the bears from afar.

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