Enduring Beauty

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  “Beauty is the quality which makes to endure. In a house that I know, I have noticed a block of spermaceti lying about closets and mantel-pieces, for twenty years together, simply because the tallow-man gave it the form of a rabbit; and, I suppose, it may continue to be lugged about unchanged for a century. Let an artist scrawl a few lines or figures on the back of a letter, and that scrap of paper is rescued from danger, is put in portfolio, is framed and glazed, and, in proportion to the beauty of the lines drawn, will be kept for centuries. Burns writes a copy of verses, and sends them to a newspaper, and the human race take charge of them that they shall not perish.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson. (1803–1882).   Essays and English Traits.

Weekend on the Black Crest Trail

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Our Mud Run team did not make the run this last April, so our fearfulless leader took us on the trail of our lives. The experience was unmatched and is nearly indescribable. Pictures will be posted later.

No map captures what this trail delivers. It is "black-diamond" expert level that most people do in descending fashion. We climbed. And climbed. And climbed. And experienced everything a human being could possibly experience--it was a ride, inside and out.

We summited 9 peaks in two days: Celo Knob, Gibbs Mountain, Winter Star Mountain, down into Deep Gap, up Potato Hill, Cattail Peak, Balsam Cone, Big Tom, Mt. Craig, then finally ending at Mt. Mitchell, the highest peak on the Eastern Seaboard. Here's a snapshot of maps with elevation details. With calories burned. I am in deep recovery mode right now.

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