Break through yourself

[Echoes from the John Muir Trail Backpacking Trip] First taste of backpacking trip

Photo courtesy/Xu Baishu

▲Mother and daughter walking together.

In July 2016, our family of four and two other friends, led by Zhong Jin, set foot on the John Muir Trail and attempted backpacking for the first time. During the five days on the mountain, I returned to the simplest and most basic way of life: stuffing all the necessities into a personal backpack, using the most primitive mode of transportation - one pair of feet and two sticks, and walking for fifty kilometers.

Friends around me were very surprised when they learned that I would participate in this trip; they had never heard of me doing any serious exercise, and I was afraid of being exposed to the sun, getting dirty, and being tired. My biggest hobbies were staying at home, watching movies, and sleeping in. Very "homely". It’s really surprising that I have to jump to the next level and become a backpacker.

How could he be so bold and do such an amazing thing?

In early 2016, the church service team studied "The Lion Chaser" by Pastor Mark Batterson. He encourages readers to be like the mighty warrior Benaiah who encountered a lion on a snowy day. Instead of turning around and running away, he faced the enemy head-on. He even chased the lion down to a pit and killed the lion. (See 2 Samuel 23:20-21) Pastor Mark encourages readers to see God-given opportunities in difficulties and challenges, and to pursue God-given dreams with an adventurous spirit. Due to the encouragement of this book, I am willing to try to step out of my comfort zone and take a backpacking trip as my final work after reading this book.

Just like that, a change of thought and a step forward brought about many unexpected gains and changes.

It's never too late

The reasons for not exercising are actually very simple. They are just tired or lack of time. Nowadays, sufficient physical strength has become a necessary condition for backpackers and is crucial to the entire group's trip. In order not to drag everyone down during the journey, my husband and I sacrificed time to catch up on sleep on weekend mornings and went to Mission Mountain near my home to train on my legs. I was out of breath when I didn't go very far at the beginning. Seeing the climbers who were behind me one by one, I felt frustrated. I also wondered if I had overestimated my capabilities and made the wrong promise.

Fortunately, after several consecutive weekends of training, I was able to catch up with some climbers, and the results of my training were already showing. It’s true that as long as you are willing, it’s never too late!

After having a child, the focus of life is on the child, and the daily calendar is mostly based on the child's activities, and very little time is spent investing in oneself. After climbing a mountain regularly, practice spending time on yourself, investing in your health, saving money for yourself, and at the same time having the opportunity to chat with your significant other. It is really rewarding.

Hidden in nature

Taking part in this journey, on the one hand, I also hope to separate myself from my original way of life. Escape the world for five days while walking the John Muir Trail. In the first two days, I was still thinking about how to arrange summer vacation activities and figuring out what to do when I go back. Once I get used to the quiet and slow life, I will see the grace that is easily missed in the busy and busy life day after day.

Because there is no mobile phone signal on the mountain, the adolescent daughter who used to keep her phone in her hand now only has the mother in front of her to talk to. After arriving at the destination and setting up the tent every day, my daughter and I are responsible for unpacking our bags, delivering the necessary supplies into the tent, and laying out the bedding properly. My daughter is already in high school, and she struggles with her homework and is busy with many extracurricular activities. In addition, she doesn’t talk much, so it’s difficult to enter her inner world. It was a good time. In a small tent of five square meters, the two of us were busy dismantling sleeping mats and sleeping bags. Without the interference of text messages from classmates, the mother and daughter talked about the scenery along the road and their moods; Think about what you have learned, talk about future plans, and share your thoughts without hesitation.

▲Zhu Jiaying and her daughter Xu Shaofei took care of the tent together and shared their thoughts.

impressed

When entering the ever-changing nature, you must be mentally prepared for "accidents" at any time. Although the team leader had already walked the trail last year, and had Google satellite aerial photos and detailed weather forecasts for reference, entering the mountainous area still inevitably encountered many unexpected situations.

Due to the abundant rainfall in the previous winter, the snow-water in the mountain streams was very fast in the summer. Travelers often had to cross the rivers on simple single-plank bridges made of tree trunks. The water under the bridge was roaring. If you fell down, your body would not be broken into pieces, but you would definitely become a drowned rat and your backpack would be soaked in the water. As I looked at the bridge, my scalp was numb and my feet were weak. But what surprised me was that none of these teenage children flinched or were afraid. They were all very skilled and carried nearly ten kilograms of backpacks, and they still passed smoothly. .

Mosquitoes in the mountains are extremely hungry, and they attack us with delicate skin and tender flesh for the first time. Normally, my children are like hothouse flowers, complaining constantly when things go wrong. But in those few days, I saw their resilience, patience and bravery, their calm confidence in dealing with "little accidents", and their willingness to adapt to inconvenient circumstances. It really made me admire them. .

▲After a hard day, we finally set up camp and rested. The children's shoes were covered with mud, and they chatted and laughed on the ground in the mountains without the interference of electronic products. (Photo courtesy: Zheng Zhongjin)

Add a break in life

I came home and was happy to be back to all the convenience and comfort. Although he soon fell back into the original busyness, because he has tasted the beauty of quietness, simple truth, and the tranquility of distance, he will realize that when he and his family are constantly pulled by various responsibilities and busyness, he is willing to Add a break to your life. Stop and deliberately have a distraction-free period: put down your phone, put down your work, go for a walk outside, and enjoy a moment of peace so that you can turn off your phone, turn it back on, and start again.

Author profile

Zhu Jiaying, who has a daughter and a son with her husband Xu Baishu, currently lives in Fremont, Northern California. Participate in small group and children's services at church.