Logging some beautiful sunrise miles up to Redwood Peak. (Photo: J.Torralba)
“One of my favorite feelings is something I call ‘secondhand rediscovery.’ It’s that feeling you get when you show someone the places you love, but for them it’s the first time. You may have seen the place a million times, yet with them, you see it through their eyes, and discover it for yourself all over again...you almost discover it better, because you see it again with the heart knowledge that the place is already beloved. And in the sparking eyes of a friend, you love both the astonishment of something new and the intimacy of something known, all at once.”
Sunrise at Redwood Peak.
At one time, I was that friend, being shown a sacred spot for the first time, marveling in the beauty and electricity of such a unique experience in nature. I love how that moment is forever etched in my heart and memory, just like how those initials carved in the large stones of Redwood Peak will remain there for years to come, as hikers and runners and lovers and loners sit upon those same rocks.
I love the outdoors because places which become common to you can become magical all over again with secondhand rediscovery. It is both a unique miracle and gift to be able to see things again for the first time, with expert eyes.