Make iced tea…..Wait….That’s not how the saying goes…..
Anyway, we all know the popular idiom and what it means. Make the best of a bad situation or disappointment. And recently, that’s exactly what I did.
Those of you that follow my blog know that I’m an avid hiker. In fact, that’s where most of my photographs come from. Hiking. So, when I locate a new trail near where I live, I tend to be stoked.
Last week, I actually found two new trails in Lubec (home of Quoddy Head State Park). I had driven past the road these trails were on countless times on my way to Quoddy, Bold Coast in Cutler, and Campobello island. My mother and I tried out one of the trails last Saturday. The Morong Cove Trail. Aside from a few downed branches across the trail in spots and several poorly marked portions we had to navigate using my Native American wilderness intuition (long story), it was a decent trail. I can’t say the same for the second trail.
On Tuesday, April 2nd, my mother and I geared up and set out to hike the six miles that make up the Horan Head trail in Lubec. Sadly, we were disappointed. It was obvious from the start that this trail is neglected. There were so many trees down across the trail, not just branches, that it was difficult to traverse. And the markings? Even worse. What sparse markings there were, were difficult to see. Who uses white paint on a birch tree as a trail marker!? Seriously!? Anyway, about one mile into the trail, we called it quits. When one of us has a bad gut feeling about a trail, we turn back (this is a good practice, or rule, when hiking folks. Rule number one: NEVER hike alone. Rule two: Be prepared for anything. And Rule three: If something feels off or wrong, don’t continue down the trail. Go back).
We were both disappointed at the condition of this trail. It made us start thinking about forming some kind of group to volunteer to perform maintenance on trails like this. Sadly, we have few friends, and don’t know many people with four wheelers and the ability to safely operate a chainsaw that would be willing to help us out.
So, to soothe the sting of this disappointment, we headed to our trusted hiking stand-by, Quoddy. I know I talk about Quoddy all the time and my readers are probably rolling their eyes and saying to their computer screens “Talk about something else!”. I apologize. It’s just such a nice place, I want to publicize it so more folks can visit and enjoy its beauty as I do.
So disappointment turned into a decent day in spite of the biting cold (isn’t winter supposed to be over!?). I’m wishing for better luck on the next new trail I discover.
Until next time…
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~A.M.
Audrey May Photography 