The Silence After the Hike

I thought the hardest part would be the climb. Turns out, it was the quiet at the top. Thunder Mountain Lakes looks like a screensaver, but standing there, boots muddy and lungs burning, I felt more alone than inspired. Nobody tells you that wilderness can be too much space. That the view you worked for might not fill the thing you hoped it would. I ate a granola bar and watched the clouds roll in, pretending I was just tired. Maybe I was. Maybe I wasn’t. Sometimes the best part of a trip is finally heading home. #Travel #SoloTravelTruth #HikingRealities