Sunrise Hike

I love experiences.

I’m the person who will pay a little or a lot extra to have an unforgettable experience. It’s what makes me plan and/or pay to zipline over a canyon, river tube through a rainforest, meet so-and-so who’s almost famous, etc. This may also be why I’m addicted to Groupons, but that’s a topic for another post.

My love of experiences is what got me up today at 4:00 a.m.

You see, summer is my favorite season, and I always mourn its passing. So this year I’m getting a jump start on maximizing my summer and the accompanying daylight by doing cool things.

I decided that today I was going to do a sunrise hike to the top of a nearby mountain. And since sunrise was at 5:38 a.m., that meant getting up early. Naturally, I didn’t want to do this alone, so I convinced three of my friends to join me.

We met at my house at 4:30 a.m. and carpooled to the trailhead. Dawn was just beginning to break as we started up the trail. We chatted easily, breathing in the cool morning air. The trail was an easy uphill, one I’ve done many times.

We reached the top as pink started to spread across the distant horizon. Below us lay our city, still asleep.

I drank some water and pulled off my backpack. In it I had stashed two hymnals.

No, really. I forgot to tell you that my experiences often include some added flair.

My friends and I sat down on an outcropping of rock. I pulled out my phone, opened my Bible app, and read Psalm 121. We then had a little hymn sing, our voices echoing into the canyon below.

After taking in the stillness one last time, we headed back down the trail, got in the car, and went to IHOP for breakfast. Then we went back to my place to shower and change in time for church.

Ahhh, summer. And mountains. And friends. Getting up early was tough, but the memory was worth it.

What experiences have you made time for? What would you like to make time for this summer?

SHARE IT: