First Time Up

“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”- Arthur Ashe

We all have those places that we dream of going. Most are far away, and nothing like we have seen before. We see different places on TV or see them online, and wonder what it would be like to see these places in person. So much of our lives for the last couple of years had to be defined by what we could see on screen that I think we all long to go somewhere far away.

For me, I have dreams of going to Europe. My wife has always dreamed of going to Parris. Some of her favorite movies of all time are based there, and who doesn’t want to see the Eiffel Tower? For myself, it has always been my dream to visit Germany. I used to study a lot Christian history, and many of the most important events of modern church history happened in Germany. How I practice my faith today can be traced back to what happened there.

While international travel is a dream, there are places close to town that I have not visited yet. I had heard people talk about Crowder’s Mountain near Charlotte. It’s a nice spot just outside of the city that is known for its great views and long hikes. Most of the members of my house are not big hiking people. I on the other hand will hike a few miles just to capture a great photo.

The trick to visiting Crowder’s Mountain is picking a time to visit that’s not during the weekend. This is a popular spot for people to meet and hike up the mountain together. It gets so busy during the weekend that you might get there, and find there is no place to park. I knew the only time I would be able to visit it was during summer break.

I finally found the perfect time to visit during the summer. The weather was going to be a little cooler that day, and it was a Monday. I asked to see who wanted to go with me, and only my son said yes. We loaded up our backpacks with some water, snacks, and of course my camera gear. We had a great day together, hiking, talking and taking pictures.

These were all of the photos I took on the way up to the top of the mountain. It was great being able to spend a few hours away from the city. I recommend coming here, but, if possible, I would go during the week. It will be a better experience. There will be fewer people on the trail, and parking will be much easier.