August 6, 2004

Climbing to the summit of Mt. Greylock, an elevation of 3,491 feet, was the highlight of my 15 mile hike today.  Wow, the view was spectacular!  Mt. Greylock is Massachusetts' highest peak and a stone tower stands as a tribute to the war's dead.  Bear and I saw views of the Green, Catskill, and Taconic mountain ranges. Mt. Greylock inspired literary giants, Thoreau and Hawthorne.  Thoreau's quotes were engraved on stones placed at Mt. Greylock. 

Being at Greylock gave me goose bump, partly because the temperatures were cool, but mostly because I hadn't seen a view like Greylock in hundreds of miles. I, too, was inspired by Greylock's beauty and am excited to continue hiking northward to experience the emotions of climbing mountains again.  God is ever-present and today, I was reminded of this through His natural creations.  The air was crisp, the tempertures were cool, the cloud formations against the mountain landscape were breathtakingly beautiful.  I could have perched myself on Mt. Greylock for hours.  The picture perfect day fueled my soul and enlivened my spirit.  I ended my hike with a full heart.