Every time I remember my family vacation to North Carolina, I recall the one lesson I learned on that invigorating trip: respect nature. The Appalachian Mountains in North Carolina attract thousands of hikers annually due to their beautiful, lengthy hiking trails. However, remaining on the beaten path is more crucial than one might assume.
Having driven the long route to the trail, my father, sister, brother, and I hopped out of our green minivan and purchased water bottles and park maps from the information kiosk located at the start of the trail. The thirty minutes we spent deciding which path to take made me incredibly twitchy. Having finally decided on a trail and eager to start hiking, my sister and I ran ahead of our father and older brother. Jogging to catch up with us, our dad chastised us, “Keep pace with your brother and me to keep from getting lost or hurt.” Slowing down a bit, we continued the trek up the beautiful mountain for what seemed like hours to my young childish mind.
Having walked two miles without encountering any remarkable occurrences, my eight-year-old self became quite restless. Noticing a gap in the brush just large enough for me to squeeze my way through, I begged my father to allow us to explore the forest off the path. After …show more content…
Frozen in fear, I stared at the deadly serpent for a moment. As it slithered into pouncing position, I rapidly spun myself 180 degrees and sprinted toward safety. Running faster than I ever had before, I swiftly cut in and out of trees until I found my way back to the trail and saw my dad. My brother and sister, unaware of the snake, asked why I sprinted back to the path. Breathing heavily and secreting loads of adrenaline, I told the story of the close call I had with a huge venomous snake, which had always been one of my biggest
Having driven the long route to the trail, my father, sister, brother, and I hopped out of our green minivan and purchased water bottles and park maps from the information kiosk located at the start of the trail. The thirty minutes we spent deciding which path to take made me incredibly twitchy. Having finally decided on a trail and eager to start hiking, my sister and I ran ahead of our father and older brother. Jogging to catch up with us, our dad chastised us, “Keep pace with your brother and me to keep from getting lost or hurt.” Slowing down a bit, we continued the trek up the beautiful mountain for what seemed like hours to my young childish mind.
Having walked two miles without encountering any remarkable occurrences, my eight-year-old self became quite restless. Noticing a gap in the brush just large enough for me to squeeze my way through, I begged my father to allow us to explore the forest off the path. After …show more content…
Frozen in fear, I stared at the deadly serpent for a moment. As it slithered into pouncing position, I rapidly spun myself 180 degrees and sprinted toward safety. Running faster than I ever had before, I swiftly cut in and out of trees until I found my way back to the trail and saw my dad. My brother and sister, unaware of the snake, asked why I sprinted back to the path. Breathing heavily and secreting loads of adrenaline, I told the story of the close call I had with a huge venomous snake, which had always been one of my biggest