For those of you that know me well, you can confirm that there are few things that I dislike more than muggy, humid heat and biting black flies (well messy, disorganized chaos is up there as well…). Well, you only live once and I would let nothing disrupt my first trip to the Porkies. So many bucket list items in this park, and by golly I was going to enjoy no matter what!
Until yesterday things weren’t too bad. Yesterday was the day that really started to push me over the edge. I even considered leaving the park a day early. I couldn’t have been more wrong! So glad I powered through and stayed on. Was I any less hot and miserable? Well, I wasn’t less hot, but absolutely not miserable. The thing about unwanted circumstances is not to dwell on how unwanted they are, but to consider how to lessen their severity. Turn that frown upside-down and find a way to work things to your benefit.
One of my long time bucket list items was the escarpment trail that runs between the Lake of the Clouds and Lake Superior. This morning as the flies were biting and the heat was rising I thought to myself, if there is anywhere the wind will cool and blow away the flies it would be along the escarpment. So off we went!
It was still warm, too warm to expect the dogs to make the full 8 miles round trip, but we happily made it a bit over 3 miles. Unbelievable, beautiful, memory making miles. I can’t wait to come back on a normal year and complete the whole hike, but lesson learned if it is again, an unseasonably hot fall I won’t give in to discomfort. I will find a way to make the most of every incredible day. That goes for those regular non vacation days as well.
Life is a gift. Celebrate every moment for the miracle it is!
