Day 2: Incredible Journey 

Georgia – Providence Canyons

When we arrived at Providence Canyons, we were taken back by the beauty of this location. We actually thought that seeing it from above was the pinnacle of this day. However, little did we know that the canyon was merely an unwrapped gift. For within the valleys of this canyon resided an even greater beauty. We needed only to hike down to the bottom to see it, and thus we did.
 
We grabbed our gear, tossed on our back packs and proceeded to make our way down via its natural path, watching our footing with every step. The clay floor was solid, yet at times slippery to walk upon. One wrong step and someone’s ankle could easily break, thus ending our trip. This indeed was just the beginning, the start of an incredible journey that would solidify our friendship and bless our lives. We surely wanted to make sure that no one got hurt. I recall the sense of excitement as we hiked down, we were completely stoked and charged by the experience. We had a goal in mind and wanted to meet it. We were racing against time, since the park closed at a certain hour. We had to account for the hike down, the time there and the hike back. Daylight was not on our side, we still had to reach out campsite before dark.
 

Once we arrived at the lower level of the canyon, the scenery was breathtaking. We knew at that moment, that it surely would not be a mere simple path to get to the area we wanted to get to. This notion was proven correct for at times we had to wade through puddles of red clayish water.  Wading through water was something we were used to and quite comfortable doing. Like I always say, “If you are not getting your feet wet, it isn’t truly a hike”.

Forget the paved roads, there was something about venturing forth on a beaten path full of obstacles, within its natural state that beckons us. It is something we have always craved hiking upon, something that we look forward to.

As we got to the bottom, the views were stunning. It made us feel so small in the world, it showed us how blessed we were to be here. Three friends from afar, together for this moment, enjoying this amazing thing called life. We wished Anthony Morales was with us, however, we knew we would see him tomorrow in Tennessee. So for today we simply continue the hike, continued exploring, and continued taking photos and videos of this most amazing experience.