Early morning start sets the right tone and visuals.
Soft light removes harshness from harsh giants.
The king, Mount Triglav, with a natural skirt. Trail through partial forest on the left.
We don’t know about you, but we are unable to see much potential for peace and harmony in a world that frankly, looks like it has lost basic values, not to mention respect for truth. We could write a lot about it but that would serve no purpose in the context of this piece. Our Book, "A Life Experience As No Other", does a little of the job instead. Forgive the plug but the publisher encourages it.
What we do want to share is a solution or at least partial solution to clearing the noise from our souls. Today, we experienced something worth sharing because it felt like heaven on earth although we have no idea what heaven is about. Nevertheless, we would say heaven may be a place that offers reward for effort, perhaps even instantaneously, contradicting the negative desire for instant gratification.
The plural pronoun is incorrect for today’s outing because Jenni was forced, through injury, to rest. Therefore, I set out to get a closer look at Triglav, the highest peak in the country. It is a staggering, awesome and intimidating piece of rock. The latter term may not seem respectful but I assure you I’m in awe of this mountain and its neighbors. In fact, the landscape of this small country, or at least the north-west corner, provides one overpowering moments, one after another. Intimidating might be an equally good synonym, actually, a better one. Back to the trails.
I set off at 6:15am, heading up Vrsic Pass by car, the starting point for a climb of over 6,000 feet. I had no intention of doing the full hike or even close to it as it would require an overnight stay. My intention was to go out for about 3-4 hours and report back to the editor. The hike is rated difficult, dangerous and strenuous. After being below the magnificent edifice, I could add a few more adjectives to describe it and its companions. I will add that it’s awfully humbling standing in the presence of these objects. Furthermore, it seems the odds are always stacked against the human. We falter but once and life is over. They, the mountains, have nothing to lose save for eruption of a volcano or two. The odds are heavily favored toward the mountains.
(Continues at end...)
Trail cut into the slope.
A wisp takes on the big guys.
The previous day's tough climb to the peak ahead taken from this trail.
The mist was a treat.
A tranquil time in a potentially dangerous place. Partial view of trail as we round that mountain.
As I made my way from the trailhead, I noticed the mist covered the western valleys and higher, giving the lower mountains a surreal look. To the east, the clouds sat on the mountaintops cooling them while the soft light of the early morning sun shone gently, reflecting off their vertical faces. It made a difference from the later sunlight that usually causes a harsher effect. I took it all in and realized I was witnessing something special. There was nobody else in the vicinity, thus it was quiet and peaceful but for the occasional chirp of the birds and for a while, bleating of sheep ahead of me while soiling the trail. I deal with excrement with ease but it’s the thousands of flies that take to the air when a person closes in on their ‘dessert’. While I understand the process to a degree, fertilization and food, it does not make it any more pleasant. In fact, it’s repulsive. Fortunately, the sheep stayed at lower altitudes and the trail over rock, scree, sand at times, and always ascending or descending, was clear.
The guidebook we use describes the trail as one in which a person needs much stamina and a head for heights. I certainly have improved in the latter department as there was a period a decade or so ago when, to quote the editor, ‘You’re a wimp’. Times do change and so I usually feel comfortable even when there are steep drop-offs below. This was no exception. The path or trail was extremely narrow in many places and the valley was anything from many hundreds to thousands of feet below. The terrain varied from sheer cliffs of limestone and dolomite with the sloping banks covered in either scree, occasional grassy knolls and an abundance of trees. Rumor has it that Slovenia is the third most tree-covered land in Europe. I continued to tread carefully as I made my way toward Triglav. The tranquility of the space, of the land, of the day, immersed me in peaceful thoughts and feelings. I found myself thinking much less of the nonsense drowning the populace in lies, propaganda and other non-productive thoughts and ideas. My mind absorbed the surrounding beauty which became even more breathtaking with the mist or haze partly filling the valley below the great-mountain. As we say often, each day is different, never to be repeated. I made frequent stops to absorb the scene, particularly the way the clouds covered the distant mountains, glimpsing often at the mist hovering in the valley and the occasional wisp of clouds loitering well below where I stood and walked. The valley appeared to be a massive bowl surrounded by these sharp-edged edifices. Should the strenuous trail not have impacted my breath, the sights certainly took it away.
Although I’m always on the look-out for varying and interesting scenes, it’s not automatic that such sights will affect one the same way on each occasion. Today was, for want of a better term, a ‘crowding out’ occasion. The natural formations, the dynamic movement of air and its effect on the mist, mixed with soft sunlight, filled my mind and I think my soul with their magnificence. It left little space for anything else. I could not ask for more.
Triglav remained in view for a while until the mountain before it blocked my vision as I approached. Thereafter, I made my way along the pitons and cables. I had an idea of my turn-around position but made a decision then. I had committed to Jen that I would not be foolish. I don’t think I ever am but I knew what she meant. Because two of the links in the cables were broken, the nature of the danger changed. As I was not intending to go much further in this exploratory hike, it seemed the correct place to turn. Funnily enough, on the return journey, the danger felt more acute. Perhaps it has something to do with where the stronger side of a person is positioned.
Jenni had prepared breakfast-to-go, as always, and I selected a grassy patch below some scree to eat while casting frequent glances towards the towering peaks. I had some thoughts about the giants, especially those with strong snow-covering at their peaks. I’m not afraid to admit I was intimidated, if not less confident, than I was feeling before. The peak I had climbed the day before, to the north, blocking out visuals of Austria from where I stood, was a reminder that perhaps my negative feeling was temporary. After all, with all the glorious feelings showered over me on the morning, how was it possible to allow negativity to creep inside? Not unlike the weather in the mountains, things often change without warning.
I began the narrative with a purpose, which appears to have been waylaid or even have fallen off a cliff, so to speak. While we live in cities, it’s natural to be influenced by the structure and style of city-life. Personally, it has become an unnatural way of living. Obviously, this is an opinion and not meant to offend anyone. Nevertheless, we lose our connection to earth both physically and metaphysically as we cover our feet with shoes and anyway, walk mostly on asphalt, concrete and other man-made materials. None of this is necessarily bad for us but it tends to sever the connection to the earth—that is the problem. Add in the cars and traffic congestion, noise, pollution, overburdened roads and highways, buildings everywhere, crowding, with many people inhabiting box-like dwellings; it seems we’ve regressed from people of the wide-open spaces to that of humans locked into limited and noisy habitations. How can we recapture our natural beginnings, our connection to the land, a sense of oneness with Mother Earth?
It’s not difficult and there are many alternatives. One idea is simply to get out into the country, the wilds, the parks and realize what exists naturally, since the beginning, is remarkable, even miraculous, beautiful, soothing, stimulating and at times, frightening and intimidating. Take yourself into the wilderness and become a part of it even for a few days. Eat and sleep in the wilds, sit down without a blanket and feel the grass, stones or rocks beneath you while observing birds, flora, insects and animals supported by spectacular backdrops of mountains, cloud-filled sky, meadows, forests, lakes, rivers, volcanoes, naturally shaped boulders and rocks and other structures in colors unimaginable and another favorite, deserts. Remember though. Visit the wonderful national and local parks. But avoid the busy periods otherwise you’ll be diluting the experience by having the hordes, the cars and the noise again. Yes, sometimes you’ll be a little dirty, sweaty and not looking your best. However, it will be replaced with a hard-earned feeling of satisfaction together with a glow that is far more attractive, meaningful and enhancing than an artificial covering or formal dress.
I arrived back at the car realizing that in the three-and-half hours, a relatively short-period, especially for this hike, I had not seen another soul. Whereas I like people very much and enjoy company, it was appropriate to enjoy the period and place on my own—I felt fortunate. Little did I know what lay in store for me down the road.
I drove down the Vrsic Pass, knowing a section was under repair. The previous Friday, the road had been closed and we were forced to park the car prematurely and walk nearly 2 miles, gaining elevation of some 1,500 feet to a trailhead. In the early morning, the pass was open but closed by the time of my return. There was no indication of a road closure that I noticed. Therefore, I travelled down the pass to within ten minutes of our residence. Follow this. I turned the car around on the narrow road, with difficulty, and then spent another twenty minutes driving to the top, my second upward journey of the day. Three cyclists were taking pictures of each other as I parked on the side of the road, wishing to inquire of an alternative route. As I reached the trio in their colorful garb, one guy handed me an iPhone, indicating they wanted a group picture.
After taking the picture, I realized I could not converse in Italian. However, one gentleman spoke English and directed me. My route, which added 2 hours to the return journey, went down the pass on the other side, through tiny villages, into Italy, then close to the Austrian border and finally back into Slovenia. How I would explain to the car rental company why I had taken their car into another country would no doubt have been a nightmare. I can only hope that a camera did not record my movements. Effectively, I walked toward Slovenia’s highest mountain, immersed myself in a beautiful part of the world, viewed Austria from above, drove into Italy and left the country thirty minutes later while passing close to Austria before finally arriving back in our home-‘country’, Slovenia. All in a day on Hike-about.
Website: "A Life Experience As No Other".
Tranquility at ground level, in a dangerous, rugged and overwhelming environment.
In a coincidence that was remarkable, we met up with Jackie and David Diamond, good friends, in Bled. Although both couples learned a few months previously that we would be visiting Slovenia, the fact that the date of the trips and that we would both be in Bled at an overlapping time was fantastic.
Cheers,
Jenni and Jeffrey
No comments:
Post a Comment