descend
The hike up to Rockslide Ridge began at the Cal Poly Horse unit. I got off the bus at 10:00, and had 15 minutes max to traverse across campus to arrive before the group left. On the bus, my stomach was upset and my head started pounding; I was afraid that I wasn't going to make it up the hill. Despite my fears, I made it to the Horse Unit in the nick of time.
We walked. I looked at the land, and was reminded how blessed I am to study at Cal Poly with such a playground around me. The land seemed to interact with us with birds soaring high and the wind blowing ever so soft. We arrived at the _ where the sun glistened on the soft ripples of water. I looked down and saw a tiny flower growing at my feet. It took all the self-control in me not to pick it and press it for my enjoyment.
Reaching the Rockslide Ridge, I had the option to continue upward, journal, or descend on my own. My stomach was still churning and I was dizzy, so I decided to sit and absorb my surroundings. I sat on a rock not too far from where the other students ascended. I could hear their voices as they continued to climb growing fainter and fainter in the distance. Time drifted by as I sat and felt the wind across my back.
I was without a watch, but I thought it was time for me to find my way back. I decided I wanted to find a different way back then the way we came. So I went west and Poly Cannon was on my left; If not for the barbed wire fence, I would have descended towards the fascinating structures. I continued to walk and walk until I came to quite a steep cliff. I wasn't sure where my feet should take me, but I certainly could not turn back to go home the way I came. There were some people down below seeming so small, almost like toy soldiers walking so slowly.
I turned to the right and began my decent. Fear at times overtook me; the slope was very steep. I came to this spot next to a huge rock where I stood for a few minutes. Suddenly, out of the bushes, a mother deer jumped out and charged down the deep slope. It was almost as if I was watching an Olympian skier exit their holding box to charge the steep slope below. She ran with control and without fear. I wondered if I had startled her and caused her to reveal her presence. I stood there reflecting and watching the doe at the bottom of the hill. She stood there and watched me, at least I thought she was watching me, but not 5 minutes later, a fawn charged from this bush after waiting for minutes till the right moment came for him too to expose himself. It occurred to me that the mother was waiting for her child in anticipation to ensure that he would make it safe next to her. They ran into the landscape side by side.
I continued my decent somewhat sliding down the hill to try to find the path with least resistance. My journey became very familiar when to my right was the very rock that peered down on me just a week before as I was traveling the path less traveled. And sure enough, the yucca plants all seemed so familiar. It was like I was driving home and arrived in my neighborhood. I had no time to sit and catch up, so I said my hellos and continued on me way.
My feet brought me closer and closer to the road, until I crossed the creek and climbed the stairs to arrive safely on Poly Cannon Road.
We walked. I looked at the land, and was reminded how blessed I am to study at Cal Poly with such a playground around me. The land seemed to interact with us with birds soaring high and the wind blowing ever so soft. We arrived at the _ where the sun glistened on the soft ripples of water. I looked down and saw a tiny flower growing at my feet. It took all the self-control in me not to pick it and press it for my enjoyment.
Reaching the Rockslide Ridge, I had the option to continue upward, journal, or descend on my own. My stomach was still churning and I was dizzy, so I decided to sit and absorb my surroundings. I sat on a rock not too far from where the other students ascended. I could hear their voices as they continued to climb growing fainter and fainter in the distance. Time drifted by as I sat and felt the wind across my back.
I was without a watch, but I thought it was time for me to find my way back. I decided I wanted to find a different way back then the way we came. So I went west and Poly Cannon was on my left; If not for the barbed wire fence, I would have descended towards the fascinating structures. I continued to walk and walk until I came to quite a steep cliff. I wasn't sure where my feet should take me, but I certainly could not turn back to go home the way I came. There were some people down below seeming so small, almost like toy soldiers walking so slowly.
I turned to the right and began my decent. Fear at times overtook me; the slope was very steep. I came to this spot next to a huge rock where I stood for a few minutes. Suddenly, out of the bushes, a mother deer jumped out and charged down the deep slope. It was almost as if I was watching an Olympian skier exit their holding box to charge the steep slope below. She ran with control and without fear. I wondered if I had startled her and caused her to reveal her presence. I stood there reflecting and watching the doe at the bottom of the hill. She stood there and watched me, at least I thought she was watching me, but not 5 minutes later, a fawn charged from this bush after waiting for minutes till the right moment came for him too to expose himself. It occurred to me that the mother was waiting for her child in anticipation to ensure that he would make it safe next to her. They ran into the landscape side by side.
I continued my decent somewhat sliding down the hill to try to find the path with least resistance. My journey became very familiar when to my right was the very rock that peered down on me just a week before as I was traveling the path less traveled. And sure enough, the yucca plants all seemed so familiar. It was like I was driving home and arrived in my neighborhood. I had no time to sit and catch up, so I said my hellos and continued on me way.
My feet brought me closer and closer to the road, until I crossed the creek and climbed the stairs to arrive safely on Poly Cannon Road.
posted by ruthie at 12:06 PM
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