Shenandoah Memories

       A couple of nights ago I dreamt about the Shenandoah River, the place where it converges with the Potomac, in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. I visited there this summer, arriving at the confluence of the two rivers on foot, while my friend Bruce and I were hiking on the Appalachian Trail. In my dream, the bridge we crossed was rickety and frightening, the waters below were dark and seething. I woke up shaking.
       In reality, my trip to Harpers Ferry and the Shenandoah was a wonderful experience. The expanse of water at that place is monumental, for sure. I imagined what pioneers must have thought upon arriving at that same location. With no bridges to cross it, it must have seemed impossible. At Harper's Ferry I met up with my friends Cindy and Tom, who were also hiking on the Appalachian Trail. We had a meal together, and then said goodbye on the trestle bridge that took them back on their path, going north to Maine. Later in the summer, they would make it all the way to New Hampshire before they returned to Jacksonville, FL, their home.
       Bruce and I got off the trail in Harpers Ferry and decided to canoe a section of the mighty Shenandoah. We rented a canoe that took us from Luray, VA, all the way to Front Royal, about 40 miles. We took our camping equipment, lots of food and water, and headed north. The river is wide, deep in some places, shallow in others. Their are many homes along the way, other areas that are pasture, forest, and cliffs. A couple of class II rapids kept us on the edge of our seats, but for the most part, the paddle was enjoyable, and easy. One of the things I loved was pulling the canoe to the bank, and jumping in the water to take a swim. It was summer, hot as hell, and that cold water was a welcome treat. We set up camps along the way, mostly at designated areas. The trip took us three days.
       I guess the reason I've been thinking about the Shenandoah recently, is that while we were in Harpers Ferry, the river seemed so big and unapproachable. Yet when we set out on our canoe trip, and we got up close and personal to the Shenandoah River, it was not at all as I had imagined. It was a friendly river, quiet, tranquil, and just plain beautiful, home to all sorts of birds, fish, and wildlife.
       And like a lot of what happens to us in life, when we cozy up to what frightens us, we realize that our fear is often unfounded. And wouldn't it be a shame not to paddle that river, or climb that mountain, or take that journey that might take us out of our comfort zone for a little while.

Me and Cindy saying goodbye on the trestle bridge in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. She and her husband Tom continued on the Appalachian Trail all the way to New Hampshire this summer.