October 08, 2009Hiking Up Owl’s Head

I wake up. Slowly. It’s Saturday and I had fun Friday evening. I drowsily open the curtains. That’s when I smile. A perfect day. The sky’s a blue so lush and crisp it would make a painter cry. Narry a cloud in sight. The leaves have changed. Bright red. The contrast between the red and the blue only serves to make them more beautiful.

And to the scenery, add the day’s plans : eat a hearty breakfast, loaf around and then hike up Mount Owl’s Head. Ooooh yeah, these are the days you savour like a fresh apple.

A whole bunch of bacon, eggs, fruit, yoghourt, toast and home fries later, we're stuffed. Now's not the time to go for a hike. A little digestion is imperative.

Once that's done we head on out. Owl’s Head awaits us. I rub my hands in anticipation of a good hike: blood flowing, lungs pushing, heart racing, sweat flowing.

We were a good bunch. 10 or so. We started together. The hill was steeper than we had anticipated. Starting cold is rough. Before long though, the body’s had time to warm up and things are enjoyable. But not for everyone. We lose a couple after the first steep part. They go back down. That’s also where the group splits in two. One’s heading straight up for glory and the other wants to enjoy a more laid-back approach. Whatever floats your boat, I say.

The route filled with glory proved to be nicely demanding. The terrain was tricky and steep. I hadn’t felt my heart beat like that in a while. I was happy.

Shortly after arriving at the peak, the second group joined us. We enjoyed the fine view before heading back down and getting ready for an evening filled with good food, good booze and good friends.

Like I said, it was a perfect day.