My friend Chris Prince at 58 and me at 64 took a hike today, a modest, or rather ridiculous 15+ miles at Savage Gulf, TN. You can see from the photo below I was indeed at the point where the photo for the brochure for the area was made. A short but uncomfortable walk from the sign is where the second picture was taken. I did not get close to the edge because I simply can’t. It was a long way down from where we were and as you can see from the other side it was straight down. From that point we could also see a fairly large waterfall. It is less than subtle reminder of the magnificence of the Lord’s creation.

Unlike Big Frog Mountain, this wasn’t as high but the terrain was far rockier and slippery. Chris did take one significant fall but his backpack protected him. He later went under a fallen tree and I dutifully hit my head fairly hard against it. So we think we have done it and will probably return to Big Frog rather than here again.

While there were many dozens of people having a cookout in the parking lot, and perhaps one or two dozen more that we saw in the first mile of the hike, post that we saw one guy near the overlook, and two young guys preparing to camp for the weekend near the deepest part of the hike. We were very much alone in the area.

If you want evidence that I have not given up on life physically, this is it. This was a rare kind of trip for people of any age. Consider also the stamina I have shown in trying to reconcile my family. You might get the impression that I will not give up, as neither Chris nor myself gave up today.

Please someone, anyone, join me in this effort of reconciliation. It is the only course Christ offers. We are called to endure to the end. We are called to love.

Dorothy-Jane, I’m still reaching out to you. Please reach back!