Post by wanderer on Aug 8, 2016 20:49:29 GMT -8
Hello all, here is a very short piece I wrote months ago. There was. No planning involved, infact I simply sat at my desk and began writing with no topic in mind. The reasoning behind this piece was simply to prepare myself for a short story I was to wrote, a "warm up" if you will. It took me about 30 minutes to write, and has not undergone any editting. Therefore, there are obvious grammatical gaffes. As the title suggests, it has nothing to do with hiking, however I do believe it does a decent job of capturing the beauty of the night. I hope you enjoy.
A Late Night Run
By Jacob Groover
As i tore through that final barrier i couldn't help being overtaken by awe; the beauty of this late July night swept me off my feet with ease as I reached the midpoint destination of my midnight run. The sound of the rubber soles belonging to my carefully crafted New Balance running shoes transferring from the paved parking lot to the wooden walkway was accompanied by a multitude of oh-so familiar sounds; it was a summer night in West Michigan.
Originally my goal was narrow; I wanted to achieve a healthier body, however the things i discovered along the way were surreal. Every night, around midnight, i would abandon the comfort of my home to seek out an adventure that only summer nights in Michigan could provide. Midnight was perfect for me, I felt as though my body were seeping with energy, the wild life was at it's peak, the twinkling stars shining bright through the crystal clear sky of the night promised my every wish to come true, traffic seemed to have gone extinct, and the world was full of possibilities. The route i would follow took me along one of the busy, slow paced roads to the Holland State Park beach. I would begin by stretching, warming up my body to avoid any injury on my quest, following this came a brisk walk to the western entrance of my neighborhood. Across the road is when the real challenge began; I was off!
The concrete sidewalk was wide, about 7 feet to be more precise, void of damage, a pathway well suited for my interests. The bikepath led me past two campgrounds, the entire area smelled of a strong, relaxing mixture of sweet hickory campfires and the haze of smoke from pine fires. I followed a chainlink fence, bringing me to a section of sidewalk paralell to Lake Macatawa, which would be booming with the sounds of boats and jetskis had it been daytime. As I passed the neon sign reading "Ottawa Beach Inn" I couldn't help but be overtaken by a godly feeling, my feet were light, my legs were lose, I was young; I was free, the world was at my disposal. Off to my left I could see the white caps of waves slowly rolling towards to sandy shoreline, further in the distance the lights of the docks, restraunts, and gated community gently illuminated the winding hillside dunes full of various tree and plant species erupting from it's face. I followed my trail, passing several buildings only used during the summer season, along with the occasional street light or reflective sign notifying drivers of street regulation. As I neared my destination, the smell of the campground's slowly ceased and was replaced by the sweet, nurturing smell of flowers. Through the back of a dune, carved carefully so the sidewalk may allow pedestrians through, I continued on. I could see the docks in the parting of dune grass, being filled with sudden exhiliration I began racing towards the entrance of the parking lot.
The smells of Michigan's night began to accumulate, stronger and stronger, flowers, grass, sand, and the tangy aroma of sassafras trees all gathered, accompanied by the comforting blend that made up the fresh water channel welcomed me as I made my way across the road, faster and faster, with lightning speed. It was as though my senses were intesified; I could hear the every sound of active wild life, birds chirped, crickets sang, mammals rustled in the underbrush. I could feel the cool, refreshing summer air against my slick, hot face as I entered the parking lot, this was the moment, I had traveled miles for this, spread out infront of me, as magnificent as the Eifel Tower, as beautiful as the Mona Lisa, as breath taking as the Grand Canyon, and as stunning as the Milky Way itself; the lake.
I burst through what seemed like a thick barrier with my last breath onto the board walk and began my hike. My heart seemingly beating out of my chest was quickly calmed by the view of the Lake, beautifully brightened by the famous light house "Big Red". I could hear the waves lapping against the rocks below me as I walked out over the lake, I was still partially encased by the channel however the waves carefully attacking the pier infront of me were easily visable. Out over the lake I could gaze upon a wonderous sky, full of stars, there was only one light out here, making the beach as dark as space itself. I was able to make out a handful of famous constellations shining elegantly above the warm, soft sand I grew up in. The sounds of nature, the smell of the wild, the beauty of the infinite void above me, all blended together to create the overwhelming passion I felt for life that night leaving an everlasting effect of harmony. It was summer.
A Late Night Run
By Jacob Groover
As i tore through that final barrier i couldn't help being overtaken by awe; the beauty of this late July night swept me off my feet with ease as I reached the midpoint destination of my midnight run. The sound of the rubber soles belonging to my carefully crafted New Balance running shoes transferring from the paved parking lot to the wooden walkway was accompanied by a multitude of oh-so familiar sounds; it was a summer night in West Michigan.
Originally my goal was narrow; I wanted to achieve a healthier body, however the things i discovered along the way were surreal. Every night, around midnight, i would abandon the comfort of my home to seek out an adventure that only summer nights in Michigan could provide. Midnight was perfect for me, I felt as though my body were seeping with energy, the wild life was at it's peak, the twinkling stars shining bright through the crystal clear sky of the night promised my every wish to come true, traffic seemed to have gone extinct, and the world was full of possibilities. The route i would follow took me along one of the busy, slow paced roads to the Holland State Park beach. I would begin by stretching, warming up my body to avoid any injury on my quest, following this came a brisk walk to the western entrance of my neighborhood. Across the road is when the real challenge began; I was off!
The concrete sidewalk was wide, about 7 feet to be more precise, void of damage, a pathway well suited for my interests. The bikepath led me past two campgrounds, the entire area smelled of a strong, relaxing mixture of sweet hickory campfires and the haze of smoke from pine fires. I followed a chainlink fence, bringing me to a section of sidewalk paralell to Lake Macatawa, which would be booming with the sounds of boats and jetskis had it been daytime. As I passed the neon sign reading "Ottawa Beach Inn" I couldn't help but be overtaken by a godly feeling, my feet were light, my legs were lose, I was young; I was free, the world was at my disposal. Off to my left I could see the white caps of waves slowly rolling towards to sandy shoreline, further in the distance the lights of the docks, restraunts, and gated community gently illuminated the winding hillside dunes full of various tree and plant species erupting from it's face. I followed my trail, passing several buildings only used during the summer season, along with the occasional street light or reflective sign notifying drivers of street regulation. As I neared my destination, the smell of the campground's slowly ceased and was replaced by the sweet, nurturing smell of flowers. Through the back of a dune, carved carefully so the sidewalk may allow pedestrians through, I continued on. I could see the docks in the parting of dune grass, being filled with sudden exhiliration I began racing towards the entrance of the parking lot.
The smells of Michigan's night began to accumulate, stronger and stronger, flowers, grass, sand, and the tangy aroma of sassafras trees all gathered, accompanied by the comforting blend that made up the fresh water channel welcomed me as I made my way across the road, faster and faster, with lightning speed. It was as though my senses were intesified; I could hear the every sound of active wild life, birds chirped, crickets sang, mammals rustled in the underbrush. I could feel the cool, refreshing summer air against my slick, hot face as I entered the parking lot, this was the moment, I had traveled miles for this, spread out infront of me, as magnificent as the Eifel Tower, as beautiful as the Mona Lisa, as breath taking as the Grand Canyon, and as stunning as the Milky Way itself; the lake.
I burst through what seemed like a thick barrier with my last breath onto the board walk and began my hike. My heart seemingly beating out of my chest was quickly calmed by the view of the Lake, beautifully brightened by the famous light house "Big Red". I could hear the waves lapping against the rocks below me as I walked out over the lake, I was still partially encased by the channel however the waves carefully attacking the pier infront of me were easily visable. Out over the lake I could gaze upon a wonderous sky, full of stars, there was only one light out here, making the beach as dark as space itself. I was able to make out a handful of famous constellations shining elegantly above the warm, soft sand I grew up in. The sounds of nature, the smell of the wild, the beauty of the infinite void above me, all blended together to create the overwhelming passion I felt for life that night leaving an everlasting effect of harmony. It was summer.