October 23, 2003
Off To Pilgrim Pines!
It was that time of year again...retreat time!!
Every year when the leaves start turning and the malls are decorated for Christmas (read: October), adventurous IUCCers pack their cars with sleeping bags, hiking boots, and spirits of fun and head off up the mountain into the lovely San Bernardino apple country. If you travel with Michael and David, that trunk also contains a coffeemaker and two pounds of Starbucks beans, which I have to say rather made us the envy of the campground. We had, however, forgotten to bring along a coffee grinder, but did have the fortune to be rooming with Gary, who had also brought along a coffeemaker and - thankfully - ground beans.
So, no, we didn't exactly "rough it." But why? I adore real camping...sleeping on the ground, cooking over a fire, not showering for four days...but this was a retreat, a time to meditate, reconnect with one's self, enjoy the company of friends, and be at peace. And to be fair to us, a LOT of our fellow campers drove into town for their morning Starbucks fix.
But enough about the coffee.
Everything about the weekend was perfect - perfect weather, perfect amount of activities, and REALLY perfect apple pie. It was great to hang out and chat with people that I don't normally see very much. Next time I go I'm definitely doing the high ropes challenge. Worth did the ropes this year, and it sounds wonderful. He did very well, too; didn't fall once, so I'm told!
One of the best parts of the trip was Saturday night. By the time we finished dinner the sun was setting, and what a fantastic sunset! I decided to take a trip to the labyrinth, in the hopes that it wouldn't be too crowded. As it turns out, it was deserted! If you've never been there, the labyrinth is on the side of a hill, overlooking nothing but trees. And the sky that night looked like a giant balloon filled with purple and pink paint had exploded across it. I had the most marvelous experience walking the labyrinth that night.
(And in case you REALLY don't know what I'm talking about, a meditation labyrinth is not a hedge maze; it's a path set out with stones - or tiles sometimes - that you follow and meditate on. It's not a maze in that you can't get lost and there are no wrong turns. There's only one way to go, and if you stay on the path you'll always come to the center and you'll always come out again. Very spiritual; I highly recommend trying it if you come across one. A lot of cathedrals in Europe have them.)
Sunday came around before I knew it, and it was time to load up the now-grungy clothes and head back down the mountain into smog and traffic. Sitting here at my desk now, I'm recalling that amazing sunset and wishing I were there again. But next year I will be, and YOU should be, too.
And remember...it's not really camping if there's no Kenneth Cole.
(For more Pilgrim Pines pictures, check out the Photo Gallery!)