The Big Rock

Before I begin, let me remind my readers again that every one of my stories is absolutely true (with an occasional poetic license for talking dogs).

Mom and I spent the Fourth of July hiking Jay Mountain in the Adirondacks.  We knew it was a bit foggy at the bottom, but we were hopeful the skies would clear up by the time we reached the top.  I’m an adventurous dog, so my goal is always reaching the top. 

Jay Mountain is a fantastic trail that climbs 2000 feet over 2.5 miles.  The top is a wonderful place to be because there are views in every direction and a true sense of accomplishment to go along with standing at the top.

I was a little nervous about my journey because we haven’t done a big hike in a while, but as with every other aspect of my life, I jumped in with all four feet.

The path through the woods was pretty smooth and definitely beautiful!  Within a few minutes, I found myself surrounded by mature trees, thick undergrowth, and all sorts of wonderful wooded delights. 

I saw pretty mushrooms, I kicked up some birds out of the brush, and I carefully stepped over a tiny little orange salamander who was sharing my path for the day.  He didn’t look like he was trying to get to the top, so I said hello and continued up the trail.

The first mile of our day was….let’s say steadily UPHILL. 135 pounds of St. Bernard/Mastiff is a lot of dog to carry up 2000 feet, but I had my goal to get to the top, so I put one foot in front of the other. Step toward goal. Step toward goal. Think of reward. Think of reward. Top top top.

A WATERING HOLE!  One mile into my hike to the top I found a watering hole and I threw my entire giant body into it.  I had been working hard and I deserved this break.  I think we all need to pause on the way to the top to refresh ourselves, don’t you?

If the first mile of the trail  was steadily UPHILL, then the second mile of the trail was STEEP.  We  zigged and zagged through the switchbacks, bent low to walk through the leaves growing all around us, and took a few detours where trees had fallen over the trail to the top.

After about an hour, wouldn’t you know it, we made it to the top.  The place we had been shooting for all morning.  The place I couldn’t wait to see.  The place with the view!  And don’t you know it, there was fog everywhere.  I couldn’t see another mountain. I couldn’t see another scene.  All I could see was fog. 

Disappointing?  Not so much.

I had reached the top of my mountain and I felt good.  To clarify, I felt tired.  While mom sat and enjoyed the quiet all around us, I took a quick nap and enjoyed what I had accomplished.  Reaching the top. 

Now, this story is not really about reaching the top of Jay Mountain, even though reaching the top of Jay Mountain was my goal for the day.  When I got to the top of Jay Mountain, all I could see was fog.  I couldn’t see the rewards of the view, but I was ok with that.

No, this story is about what happened on the way back down. 

On the way down from the top of Jay Mountain we were passed by a young man running, yes running, up the mountain.  Remember when I explained about the UPHILL and STEEP hike?  This person was running up the mountain…and a few minutes later, he passed us running back down.

Mom and I took our time coming down from the top of the mountain. We stopped and took a few pictures and enjoyed the sites in the opposite direction. I took a second swim in my watering hole, we continued our trek, and then, it happened!

As we walked through a lovely section of the trail, I looked off to the right and I saw….something!  I stopped in my tracks, turned to mom, and said….look!  There was something on top of a rock.  A BIG ROCK.  There was something hidden on top of a big rock and I had spotted it! 

I told mom she had to climb the rock. 

Keeping a firm grip on my leash, mom attempted to climb the back side of the rock, but the moss was too slippery and she could not get a start.  Mom circled around and gave it another try, but this side was too high and she could not get a leg up.  Deciding there was not really anything on top of the rock, she gave me a tug and we turned to go.  

Nope.

Two seconds later we were back at the rock because we both knew there was SOMETHING ON THAT ROCK!

Mom put my leash down,  found a better approach, and just like that she was up the rock….where she found a treasure!

On top of the BIG ROCK, on the way back down from our climb up Jay Mountain, after the running guy passed us twice, mom and I found a treasure…a note in a baggie with a coin and a story and an invitation to share our adventure of how we #hiketheearth.

We were so excited and this little note made our day.

Mom and I set out early on the Fourth of July to hike up Jay Mountain. The trail was UPHILL and a bit STEEP and when we got to the top we didn’t get a view.  On our way back down we got passed by someone faster and fitter than us who was absolutely on the same trail but definitely on a different adventure. He was long gone when we returned to the car.  

Because we had a goal (and achieved it), and because we took the time to look around, we had the chance to climb another BIG ROCK we hadn’t originally anticipated, and we found a gift of a coin and a note.

• 

To learn more about the note we found, visit: https://theruggedoutdoorsmen.com/stories

Remember, I don’t make this stuff up!

I’m a dog, I love life, and I have flaws. I’m perfect.  Imperfect.  Just. Like. You.