I knew, from the first formulation of my Plan, just what the after-effects would be. The Boy’s, and Wife, were to go to a party in Junction, Texas…and I wanted Wilderness. So it was South Llano River State Park. The river, itself, was largely closed off, due to several hundred Wild Turkeys in residence…fucking and roosting. This was indicated right there on the web site’s map. The adjacent Buck Wildlife Management Area contained miles of trails…that I immediately intuited were beyond my reach…so the “Scenic Overlook”, it was.
From the parking lot, to the top, the paved park road went at a consistent 45 degrees, up and back, 1.2 miles. I was determined…but I was under no illusions.
I preemptively took an extra Vicodin, and a half a Magic Brownie….dropped off my Bunch, and went.
I met an interesting couple in the parking lot…and we fell in together for the trek. Ended up talking all manner of Esoterica…from Geology to the Sight that seems to run in my family and hers.(premonitions and Vibe-Reading,lol)
Halfway up, it was not my legs, but my lungs, that were questioning the Wisdom of this endeavor…my enforced idleness has led to heavy smoking…a vice I have hitherto accepted as the price of Sobriety, Sanity and Clearheadedness in enduring my Boredom…
Three Quarters of the way Up, I could feel my joints’ growing protest…but I was determined. I have learned to eschew breaks, when I have a like task to complete; whether it something in the Garden, or some necessary Walking that I must do…when I rest, after exertion, my Joints (all of them) tend to “Seize Up”…
As I didn’t desire to become a permanent resident, despite the rugged beauty of the place, I stopped only twice on the ascent; and only for a moment.
At the Top, 500’ or so above the Vale of the Llano, there was a serviceable and much welcome picnic table. I did stop there, for almost 30 minutes. My erstwhile companions came up after 10 minutes, or so.
It was quite Beautiful…late afternoon sunlight and shadow…the mountains (someone from, say, Colorado, would call them hills…but in Texas, they are Mountains…)…Mountain Cedar, Mesquite, Cactus, Agerita, Bear Grass, and a number of plants, especially Trees, that I could not Identify…the spring fed South Llano, far below, with Donkeys grazing, a few deer…(the only ‘word’ I know in Deer is “Run!”,lol…a sharp “Pffft!”)
The couple inadvertently restored my Hope for Humanity…him especially. He was interested in Everything…and was almost giddy that I am a Fount of Information…most folks are bored, or put off when I Hold Forth…and I do tend to wander widely…I go on and on about everything, save sports…
These folks were not Put Off…and, more, kept up…I should have exchanged emails addy’s, at least.
My Bones were beginning to signal that I should descend…I’m a sort of connoisseur of Pain, these days…
So down we went.
Going down is harder, for me, than going up…worse, when there are stairs…this is due to the Nature of my Damage…by the time we got to my truck, I could already confirm my much earlier foreknowledge that I would not be worth shooting…We parted…and I went to pick up my Bunch…and flew the 45 miles home. By the time we arrived, it was all I could do to get to the bed…and I slept fitfully…and awoke, as I predicted, at 2 am, when the Pain Meds wore off. I managed to finish my book (Ch. Freeman’s “381”), while coffee was making…and here I am, in the Library…More than a mile, yesterday…and , today, I find the 30 feet to get down here almost impossible. I knew I would pay dearly for the experience. It will be Meds, Brownies and Movies, today…and Pain.
But it was worth it…I haven’t done anything of the sort in almost 6 years…and the chance meeting of Kindred Spirits made it all the more worthwhile…
(and Stevie Nix is in me head…)
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