(Not) Trespassing: Bob Knob's Ridge

One day when I was going down the road I ran into an old man named Bob Knob who invited me to come walking on his property, to see the "view from the top of the ridge"... (his real name is not Bob Knob but his real name totally ryhmes in that same way, making wish mine did too). So, for realz this time I was not trespassing, this place is not for sale nor was I uninvited... these facts though did not change the same basic feelings of mysteriousness, confusion, and excitement. The land was vast and the road winding, long and with many forks!
Bob Knob had explained to me to walk right through the gate, then walk up the road "till you get to the big tree in the road, then go up towards the ridge." These directions sounded easy 'nough and I bound through the gate with confidence... till I got the the very first fork in the road, big trees on either side and I had no clue which way to go.
I literally stood at the fork and closed my eyes and waited to feel a tug towards which way to go (this is how i follow my spirit instead of my mind.) The tug pulled to the dirt road and not the gravel side so up to the right I went!

THINGS I SAW :::::::::::::

Even though I had a hunch I was not going the "right way", I also didn't feel like it was "wrong" either, so i took in the smells, heat, shade, plants, trees through my nose and eyes and enjoyed the lack of knowing where the *F* i was going.

*

I saw streams....

I found apple trees!

And wild red bee balm !!!!

PLUS, evidence of wild animals....

Such as turkey feathers! (I love these feathers and keep a collection at my cabin...)

Really strange coyote scat.... except all the animal had eaten was pine needles and berries, i saw no sign of fur in the poop and was a bit baffled as to why? and IF it is indeed coyote poop?

TOTALLY LOST:::::::::::::

Eventually I realized I was totally lost and came upon a big mountain home where I noticed the left hand gravel road must have gone to also! I figured it was Bob Knob's house and went up to the door to say hello.... (so that i wasnt' the creepy person randomly walking around outside)....

Something about approaching a doorbell, in the middle of the woods, not expected, that seems utterly strange. I felt like I should give a rebel yell or whistle to announce myself --- if i hadn't already been watched walking up the dirt road.

I rang it. And heard a small dog barking like crazy, and eventually heard some people coming. When the older woman (who came down some stairs in some auto-electric chair) and younger old man answered the door I was totally thrown off because it was not Bob Knob, but it totally looked like him.

Bob Knob JR. !

Me and Bob Knob Jr. became instant friends - he told me about the coyote scat he had found and he told me the way to the top of the ridge.... the right way he said was to "go past the big tree in the middle of the road, up towards the ridge, stay on the gravel road until you see a picnic table..."

Bob Knob Jr also told me about a hidden old cabin (coming soon)!
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I started back along the road up and up and up a long curvy abyss of forest, hiking in such a way that I was out of breath, my ears popped, and i had to stop in the road and eat a pear. I could tell though that i was close to the top and the space was beginning to open up.

I eventually saw on top a hill, the picnic table I'd been waiting for, and walked towards it like a bug to a bug light, nothing could have stopped me....

WOWSAS! Bob Knob Jr was not kidding when he said "it's the best view I've seen around here." The air, the sun, the vast beauty was astounding - it made me think about deep shit, and I listened to my mind ask deeper questions like "Who made this, how does this come to be, it's such a good idea...?!!??"

In the vast vast world, I am so tiny.

views of lives on other hills, views of the valley below, views of endless forest... (is this when I get the cue to sing 'The Hilllllssss are alive with the sound of MUzzzakkkkk"???)......

Patches of wildflowers.....

I sat down to take it all in and have a snack, cause it was one hell of a hike up there in the summer sun! A hike entirely worth every bead of sweat, every moment of lost uncertainty.

Turkey vultures flew overhead, coming close down while riding the wind that blows over the tops of the mountains...

WHEN IT WAS ALL (ALMOST) OVER :::::::

On my way back down, I found the big tree in the middle of the road! ha!

smooches XOXoxo