Reason to return

Last year we took the "Window Trail" hike on our last morning before leaving. It was absolutely incredible. The sun hadn't made it up over the ridge line yet and the color in the rocks along the way was astounding. The air was crisp and there was a calmness. We were a bit rushed seeing as we needed to hit the road fairly early. And the hike turned out to be a bit longer than we'd expected. About an hour and a half in to the hike we were reaching the trails end, where the rocks open up to an incredible vista, hence the window. Despite knowing we were so close we decided to turn back. We couldn't have been more than 5 minutes from the window, so why did we decide to turn back? We said it would leave us something to look forward to, a reason to return next year. And I'm so glad we did. All year long I looked forward to finishing that trail.

Sure enough, we took the Window Trail again this year. It was just as beautiful as an afternoon hike as it was a morning hike last year. As we winded our way to the window I reminisced about the things I had thought about during last year's peaceful hike. I remembered vividly what I was thinking about then, what I was hoping for as we quietly hiked. It made me smile. Rarely do I remember moments so vividly. I'd like to believe that those type of memories are the best ones in life, those that stay as fresh as the day you made them.

Finishing the trail was great, just as I hoped it would be all year long. The view was truly all it had been cracked up to be. But, really, as usually is the case, it was the journey to the window that I enjoyed most, not the window itself. So this is why I show you a photo of the trail and not the window, because the journey is actually better than the destination.