43.01 Bulgaria, Bansko: Vihren Peak, an experience worth flying across the world; and a salute to Jenni.
Within minutes the fog moved in, changing the final ascent completely. Visibility disappeared toward the top. Returning to Vihren hut, a treacherous, rocky and slippery trail. The hut is the commencement point for a number of hikes in Pirin National Park. For a long time, I’ve made the misjudgment of pronouncing that one hiking experience is the best or closest to the best of all time. The problem with stating such opinions is that someone will remind me of what I said the previous day, week or month of a similar pronouncement. After all, a person, no matter how lacking in discernment, cannot have thirty favorite hikes or at least 10 best hike(s) of all time. Even I know that,…I think. Well, where does that leave me? Fortunately, as I have aged and matured, (the latter is another opinion), I have also grown wiser ( an even bolder opinion). With this newly acquired wisdom, I am reticent to make rash judgments. Nevertheless, old habits die hard and lapses in judgment and wi...