The Desert Fix
Destination
Journeys carry destinations, especially in the daily cycle. On one day, we two couples start down a long narrow canyon. The upper part has a lot of brush and the stream is full, fast and cold. The walls force many crossings – more than 50 in the course of 8-9 miles according to a guidebook. After a half dozen or so, we figure out that it will be dark long before we are out. The destination does not matter; let’s go somewhere else. Our next destination is an arch down a much more open dry wash. A dazzling progression of visions beneath our feet greets us – it is intoxicating. We welcome an addiction with open arms and hearts. It is why the pilgrimage must be repeated. A 150 foot dry fall stops us. This will become our end point. The witness of our feet has been the destination for every step all along. Planning for the days pays little attention now to any distinct objective other than just being out there.