Lazarow World-Hike-About: 60:14 Bulgaria: Mount Vihren, in support of the Cover Photograph, including a feeling of Awe.

LAZAROW WORLD HIKE-ABOUT

Eastern Cape, South Africa: Storms River region.

'LAZAROW WORLD HIKE-ABOUT: WHAT IN THE WORLD IS HIKE-ABOUT?'

Hike-about is an adventure that commenced June 2010. After storing our household movables, ridding ourselves of a house but retaining our 'home' together, we set off with the purpose of hiking in different parts of the world, not forgetting the home country, the USA.

Our primary focus is hiking to mountain peaks but any challenging hike will do just fine. Extended stays enable us to enjoy and experience living in various places amongst differing cultures. Hike-about has evolved into a way of life. It's also a process of discovery, both the world and ourselves.

We work and live 'on the road' but return to the city in which our grandchildren reside, every couple of months. This provides us the wonderful opportunity to be with them as well as a child or two, even three and of course, friends.

By the end of 2023, the blog contained over 1,560 hikes (less than that actually undertaken), each a set of pictures with stories and anecdotes from the trails. An index to the right allows the viewer to identify earlier experiences.

Finally, we are often asked about the journey's end. Our reply, as accurate as we can state, is: "When we are either forced to cease through health issues or the enjoyment level no longer reaches our aspirations, we will hang up the boots."

"A Life Experience As No Other: Dare to Seize the Day Together", published by Fulton Books, depicts our life on the road and mountains until the beginning of 2017. It has developed 'exponentially' since then.

Jenni and Jeffrey Lazarow

Whereas we continue to update the blog regularly, we circulate email notifications infrequently.

Sunday, September 3, 2023

60:14 Bulgaria: Mount Vihren, in support of the Cover Photograph, including a feeling of Awe.

In keeping with showing support of the Cover Picture, we include a few photographs providing a hint of that which we observed as well as a little of the struggle, which it certainly was. I have always maintained these two mountains in the Pirin National Park warrant a flight to Bulgaria to undertake them. Of course, once a person is in the country, there are a few hundred others to keep one involved.

After an hour, Jen continues to plod toward the goal. Life on trails is always deceptive, nothing is as close or as low as it appears.

Less than 3 hours after commencement, Jen approaches the summit. It was a struggle.

Ever since we hiked to the peak of Vihren and its sister, Kutelo during 2018 and 2019, we have had a soft spot for them: They are awfully hard as in strenuous mountains, awfully hard as in extremely tough because of rough and rocky paths which are totally unforgiving. Yet they are most attractive, actually even more than that, a major part of the Balkan Range and a test that makes one feel something most worthwhile has been accomplished. Vihren is the second highest mountain in the country, losing to the winner by all of 18 feet.

In our recent climb, we were rewarded with clouds rising fast and vertically, covering the surroundings which caused the massive mountains to appear to disappear and then dissipating quickly thereafter (clouds not mountains). We did not know what it meant, the way the clouds moved, but enjoyed watching the speed, the direct upward motion, and the effect it had on our enclosed world. The fact that they disappeared suddenly allowed us to watch scenes evolving from oblivion, not unlike a slow curtain opening at a theatre, only many times more dramatic, more powerful and unforgettable.

It goes without saying but worth repeating that because one has to struggle to reach a goal, a notch is carved into the soul following success which remains for a lifetime.

This scene 'drove me wild'...in a manner of speaking; Jenni remained cool.

Looking down into the town of Bansko through the big lense...a favorite place.

Jen about to reach the the top of the penultimate climb before the turn, followed by a walk along the lower ridge and then a direct climb to the peak of Vihren. When confronted with the latter sight as one approaches, one becomes awfully humble.