When exploring a new trail, there are times where I come across a crossroad. Do I follow the original path or do I go exploring the other path? Where does it lead? Sometimes you'll get led to another path with a different crossroad or you end up in someone's back yard. Or a dead end. I don't know how many times I ended up being greeted by a lattice tower at the end of a path.
There was this one time where I explored a path and ended up way over on the other side of where I parked my bike. At first, I had no clue as to where I was, but I finally made my way to the main road where I finally got my bearings. Plus, I came across a sign to a restaurant that served pizzas. The idea of pizza motivated me to walk back to where I parked my bike so I can go home, take a shower, and treat myself to a pizza lunch.
So I as walking along the road and saw another path. I figured that they had to connect somewhere, so I followed the path. I was walking along that path, then I saw a boulder with a rope hanging down it. I did walk past it once, but my curiosity got the better of me and I ended up going back. I went down the rope and followed the path, which ended up to be a narrow trail. I went over and under fallen trees on the trail that got narrower and narrower as I went. I thrashed through the overgrown brush and finally made my way to a wider path. Turns out it was the path I was on when I started.
I finally made it back to my bike, got home, took a shower, and enjoyed a nice pizza lunch.
Now, if I didn't explore the different paths, I never would have found the quaint little gem of a restaurant and then learn about the morning market at a tiny little fishing port on Sundays.
The good thing about going on nature hikes near civilization is that you'll eventually find a familiar path. But, it doesn't hurt to be careful and make sure you have plenty of water and a few candy bars packed in your backpack.
Have you gone down unfamiliar paths and ended up finding little gems?
Note: The sign in the pic says "Hiking Road" and it's pointing to a bunch of overgrown brush.
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13 comments
I like how you capture the thrill of exploring unfamiliar paths and stumbling upon hidden gems along the way!
Your story about the rope and the narrowing trail was especially vivid—it almost felt like I was right there, navigating through the brush.
It was an adventure, trashing through overgrown brush, crawling over and under fallen trees . . . but the only wildlife I saw were squirrels and birds. Nothing bigger. Fortunately 😂
Sounds like a lovely if perhaps longer walk than you intended. It also sounds like your hiking method is a lot like the way Diane and I do our car rambles. Just pick a road that looks interesting and maybe going in the general direction we originally picked. Often we are sort of lost but we figure if we keep going we will end up on a highway that head us toward home. Then we turn off on another rustic scenic road that we hope stays pointed in the right direction. We think life is more fun if one makes it about the journey not a particular destination.
Sending you big naked hugs.
I'll be honest, usually when I decide to check out an unfamiliar path it ends up like your experience of the path getting narrower and narrower and finally my legs are getting scratched. 😂
All the more to wear long pants or leggings under shorts 😂
I'm very prone to thinking "I wonder where this goes" and then attempting to find out.
I’ve ended up in the middle of someone’s field where they had all sorts of veggies planted 😂
Sounds like what Diane and I do on our rambles. Makes like a lot more interesting.
Sometimes it's best not to have a plan and just go with the flow.
That’s me when I go on nature hikes.
But I like to plan things out when I go on a trip to somewhere
Remember the words of the great philosopher Yogi Berra "when you come to a fork in the road, take it"
It would be cool to see a huge wooden fork stuck in a road 🤔
Might there be a hidden path beneath all that vegetation? And where would it lead?
Yes, I've sometimes taken random paths out in the countryside, and every now and then, I’ve gotten lost
Actually, there is a path past the vegetation 😂
Well, maybe it was an interesting path; who knows?