Going with the Flow

I can’t even remember what day it was now. It was the 4th, yes, the 4th, which makes it a Wednesday that I actually dragged myself out of bed early in the morning and drove out to Trabuco Canyon. My plan was to run up Holy Jim trail and back down for a total of ten miles. Turned out, that I needed to practice something that I’ve been teaching myself for many years now – that is to roll with the punches, or rather go with the flow.

After a forty-five minute drive, I came upon a locked gate on Trabuco Canyon Road – locked due to the recent rains. In my youth, that would have dashed all my plans to the rocks. I would have returned home sulking, and it would have probably ruined my entire day. Now however, in my older, years, my goal is to wisely, yet quickly, come up with something new to satisfy my goal when something gets in the way.  Well, my goal was to get my legs used to mountain trails, and also, to experience the creeks now flowing with these past rains.

Having parked on the side of the road two miles out from the Holy Jim parking lot, there was no way that I had enough time to make it up to The Main Divide and back. I had to work Wednesday evening, and I didn’t want to be rushing around too much when I finally arrived home, only to make the long drive out to my Wednesday night classroom. And so, going with the flow, I quickly changed my plans, and headed out to Holy Jim Falls (which I haven’t been to in a long time due to the drought).

Well, the creeks were flowing, and the landscape was wet and lush. I couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day. Every single creek crossing was full. And the falls, well, I haven’t seen more than a dribble in a long time. On this day, there was actually a pool beneath what was much more than a dribble. And even better than that, I didn’t fall once, even though it was rough for me on those mountain trails. Coastal hills are wonderful, but they really don’t prepare me much for the mountain trails. Only mountain trails prepare me for mountain trails.

8.07 miles and my mission was accomplished. I got my legs out moving on mountain trails, and I got to experience the wonderful flowing creeks.