September 27, 2018
Mirror Lake and Tenaya Creek Loop
Total distance walked: 6.5 miles
“The moment my legs begin to move my thoughts begin to flow.” —Henry David Thoreau
Today I was blessed to enjoy a hike with my husband. We strolled around Mirror Lake in Yosemite National Park. The colors of autumn surrounded us: golden browns, tawny yellows, and dark greens.
The conversation flowed easily as we walked through the glacier-carved canyon.
When I walk alone, I don’t have the pleasure of chatting. Instead, words go through my mind.
My mind is a bit chaotic at first—the grey matter is in overdrive. My heart pumps faster—the cadence of my inner speech in tune with my limbs. I make mental lists of things I want to do or need to do, places I want to go. Random questions pop into my head about the things I see. Bits and pieces of song lyrics bounce around my brain. Snippets of remembered conversations play out and evolve into an inner monologue.
By the second or third mile, the kinks have been worked out. I slow my step. My mind calms to prayers of gratitude and thanksgiving for my surroundings.
When there are no more words, and the prayers have been said, my mind settles. I move in thoughtlessness, allowing the sights, sounds, and smells to wash over me. I gaze at God’s beauty. The emotion of contentment overtaking me.
Chris and I began the hike on the north side of the trail walking deeper into the woods towards Tenaya Canyon. Half Dome peeked through the trees. The trail crossed a bridge over waterless Tenaya Creek bringing us to the south side. We shuffled through the rubble of the Ahwiyah Point rock fall before reaching Mirror Lake. Mirror Lake had completely dried up leaving a pit of sand (dilly, dilly) where the reflective waters once stood. Walking across the arid lake, we headed back to the car satisfied with our first walk of autumn.
Hiking Yosemite and Beyond 
Oh, WOW! Your descriptive sentences and awe-inspiring photographs warm my heart. What a tribute to God’s creations! I especially liked the sentence “My heart pumps faster, the cadence of my inner speech in tune with my limbs”! Thank you for sharing your talents!
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🙂 Thank you, Sheelah.
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What fine photos, full of the images and colors of the seasons. Wish I were there. Thank you indeed, for letting us join you.
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Thank you, Robin. No matter what time of year, this is a great spot for a walk.
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I loved the pictures. Especially the chickadee, which Mother Nature has provided such a natural disguise it was hard to see, although the photo was clear as a bell..
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Thanks, Dad. 🙂
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It’s funny where the mind wanders when you walk. And you’re right, it generally takes a few miles to start to let the mind begin to rewind and just focus on the “now” and appreciate all the beauty around you.
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So true.
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How nice to have a hike with Chris. Looks like a beautiful fall day.
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Hi Terri, yes, it was nice to have him with me.
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I imagine it was. Nice to get back out there after your days on the JMT.
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What a glorious walk–thanks for sharing. Contentment overwhelms me too whenever I am out in Nature. I am thinking to take a short drive through Yosemite later in the month, hoping for some fall colors.
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Oh, cool! I always like seeing what you see, your perspective on things, especially your sideview mirror photos.
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loved the Half Dome through the trees pic
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I completely agree that sometimes hiking alone is wonderful to give time to think. But I also love having my family along to let out my feelings, both are wonderful. Thanks for the great post!!
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Thank you, Michele. 🙂 I love day hiking alone so I can go at my own pace. Hiking with a friend or my husband is equally as good. Thanks for the comment.
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What a beautiful area for a walk! I enjoyed the close-ups of the flowers, and butterfly.
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Thanks, Sheryl.
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