So this is a hike from quite a while ago, but this hike is too epic to keep in the queue for any longer than I already have. I neeeed to share this so you can add it to the list and go experience it for yourself. 😁 Plus (or rather the main reason I’m posting this now 😛) Katie (aka Apache) is about to start her thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trial very soon on April 9! For those of you who aren’t aware, Katie and I met during our thru-hikes of the Appalachian Trail in 2017 and have been friends ever since. All this said, I’m wishing her luck on her endeavors through her journey of the PCT. 🔥🔥🔥
Anyway, the hike…actually let’s talk about the drive up. The drive up to the parking lot for this hike is very steep, so steep that it bothered me driving in a car with a low center of gravity, so be sure to mentally prepare yourself prior for when the road transitions from gravel to asphalt.
So, while I remember being psyched for this hike, I don’t remember too many details of what I was thinking nor conversation so unfortunately for readability/story sake, the pictures will have to do. This hike happened in March 2020, so near the start of the world shutting down from Covid-19, so high chance we were talking about that.
| Name | Linville Gorge – Table Rock Mountain |
| Location | Linville Gorge Wilderness (NC) |
| Trailhead/Parking | Table Rock Mountain Parking Area |
| Trail Name | Table Rock Summit Trail |
| Hike Length | 1.4 Miles (Out & Back) |
| AllTrails Link | Table Rock Trail |
Personal Update:
This is trivial in comparison to Katie’s thru-hike and journey up until this point planning, but my laptop finally died…
The performance was actually great still for a 2016 laptop, however the power port isn’t receiving charge and the battery (which I’ve already replaced once) is starting to fade. The power port fix (assuming I’m right) is actually less than $200 to fix, but I finding someone to do the fix is not something I have made the time for. So instead, I decided to think on it. While it is cheaper to do the fix than getting a replacement, the question really is if it’s worth fixing if another break could be around the corner? Do I really want death by a thousand cuts? So, after some thought, I decided I didn’t need one or at least didn’t need one for personal use. For the majority of the time, my laptops have been a work expense, as a device to code on for work, as well as growth, so I instead requested a work laptop from work. Anything personal, like these blogs, I’ll use my tablet, which up until this point I have been primarily using to organize the chaos and as my weekly to-do list via Notability and Trello. An older version of myself would have just bought a new computer, which means my resistance to unnecessary (non-functional) consumer products has improved. Long story short, I used to be a naïve big spender before I learned the true cost of things.
I do have a few goals that will require a personal laptop in the future (upfront work, passive income business ideas), but nothing yet I have made the consistent time for. Doesn’t have the time? I know what you are thinking because I think the same thing when I hear this. It is simply an excuse and for the most part, unless I know you have accomplished your previous goals, I would as well have doubts. This said, hear me out if you would like to accomplish your goals. So, I would consider myself patient when it comes to committing to another goal in my life because those goals have a process. First planning, which concerns engraining the “why” and “how.” Next, consciously perform the daily/weekly/monthly task, which will in time become a habit. Once confident the habit is truly a habit, I will then allow myself another goal to incorporate. To prevent mishaps, it is very rare I take on more than one developing habit at a time. If you need help forming a habit, the book I recommend for developing habits is “Atomic Habits” by James Clear. Another great book to consider is “Better Than Before” by Gretchen Rubin.
I am aware about the passion I have towards my personal growth, hence the sites name, “LoneGrowth,” but would like to note that my entire life isn’t operated by rules and habits. I very much crave and enjoy spontaneity, however in order to enjoy such spontaneity, I need to have order or what I would call foundational habits to lead what I have defined as a meaningful life.
