Omayra Acevedo, Peak to Peak. I was in my late twenties when I began to truly understand the meaning of quality over quantity. I didn’t grow up wealthy. Compared to a lot of people, one could say that we pretty much had nothing. However, come birthdays and holidays, as kids, we were excited to receive presents. Regardless of what it was, we simply couldn’t wait to see what we were getting and how much. I was always the intuitive, picky and observant child. Though our mother taught us to appreciate everything we had, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of emptiness after receiving gifts. 

As I grew older, my senses only intensified and I started appreciating experiences so much more than objects. I can’t help but think that when I die, all of my possessions will be lost, but all of my memories will come with me. This was one of the many thoughts I had while on a hike with a stranger I met a few days ago. We decided to go for a short and easy hike in Golden Gate Canyon State Park: The Buffalo Trail. It was beautiful. The sun was shining, the clouds and breeze rolled in at perfect times offering relief from the heat; the wild flowers were settling on either side of the trail and the smell of pine swept across the air like mother nature’s candle. 

The trail starts at the Rifleman Phillips parking area, past the visitor center. It is an estimated 2.8-mile hike, with roughly 500 feet of elevation gain. Along the path, you can see a few historic buildings, aspen groves and streams. My new friend and I, made a stop at the first structure we came upon. We sat on a log swing, having random conversations and enjoying the view. We laughed, we had our snacks and I lived in a moment that meant more to me than he will ever know. 

Should you crave a longer hike, the Buffalo Trail intersects the Mountain Lion Trail, which can extend your adventure exponentially. The hike ended and our time together was over. The hike was shorter than I normally go on, but that didn’t diminish its value. Time and length didn’t matter. It was the experience itself that held the most significance. “True life is lived when tiny changes occur.” – Leo Tolstoy

(Originally published in the June 4, 2020, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)