Rose Over the Cities, Castor, 58th Day of Hagwinter, 524 M.E.

 

Ever since the cold weather arrived earlier this month, I've been taking my alternate-day walks along the nearby Beltline trail. Not only was I trying to avoid the cold winds that blow down the Chattahoochee River on my other trail, but the cool weather kept me indoors longer and the late starts precluded the luxury of driving to the riverside trailhead.

Today was a little warmer though (high in the low 60s), so I headed to the 'Hootch and I'm glad that I did. It was overcast when I arrived, but after a mile or two the clouds parted and blue skies came through. But the big difference since the last time I hiked the trail was that all the leaves had fallen from the trees. This opened up the vistas and allowed be to see further, not only around me but also the trail ahead. I wouldn't say the walks felt claustrophobic before the leaves fell, but it did feel much more open and spacious today. I was aware of more of the trail than just the few yards ahead of me.

I guess the endorphins must have kicked in, because the walk felt more joyful, exciting, and interesting than it had for a long time. The miles seemed to pass by quicker, the hills felt easy, and there was more than a little skip to my step. I totaled 7.3 miles and while I was glad to get back to my car at the trailhead, I felt like I could have taken the walk all over again.