Trail Journal - Blue Raccoon’s 2018 Appalachian Trail Journal - Christina Lobosco

Looking through journals to reflect on, I came across this specific one and was simply drawn in by the first sentence.  She said, “The one thing that stays the same is that everything changes.” I found this phrasing very captivating; regardless of the individual journey each person experiences, every day brings a new adventure.  Blue Raccoon continued to talk about her 10-mile day hike and animals she encountered on the trail. In particular, she expresses her excitement towards seeing a doe, a White Tail Buck, and discovering a hidden cemetery.  This cemetery was surrounded by American flags, but not considered a military centered memorial. This made me think of Lane’s second axioms regarding an ordinary place, made extraordinary through ritual. Even though it was specified that this cemetery isn’t a military memorial, the significance of the flags is meaningful to the people who brought them.  
I also enjoyed this journal entry because it involves the aspect of adventure and risk taking.  She spends time talking about walking across an iron bridge and even praying to God for protection.  Regardless of the unknown, she was still willing to venture out and explore new territory. Blue Raccoon continues to bring up all the wild life she sees on the trail, which I consider what she connects to the most.  The aspect of animals and seeing the wild life could be the way she connects to nature and experiences flow.
Blue Raccoon concludes by expressing her happiness for a great day of hiking, but is motivated to continue the following day.  As she wrote in the introduction, each day is changing, so one must be appreciative of the good days.

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