Before we started the schedule for the new semester, we all took a little time to catch up with each other about our family visits and settle into San Juan again. One of these days we spent hiking through the mountains.

After a van ride from the city we were at the feet of the mountains. We started walking along the road and passed by houses and kids playing in the streets. The morning air was still cool and if you caught some shade you would feel the true measure of the morning clinging to the nights coolness. As we passed the last of the houses, the road began to look more like a trail, stones sticking out of mud, leaves, animal waste, branches along the side, shade falling on either shoulder or over the whole path in some places. It was a well-traveled path but remained untamed.

 
The 12 of us walked along in a mob fashion, 3 to this side, 4 on the other, 5 in the middle. This changed after a few farmers going to their fields passed us up in their plastic boots or sandals. Who figured that there would be more traffic than us on this trail in the morning? What I remember most about the walking wasn’t the solitude we had from others, or the incredible views that we had overlooking a river below, but it was the laughter and talking we had among ourselves. I saw the three weeks spent apart being the past in conversations and the next 5 months coming to the front of every ones minds.

One of the purposes of this hike was to strengthen our legs for the climbing of Pico Duarte (over 10,000ft) in May. It also served as a day of fun and relaxation along side a river where we pole vaulted across a narrow part of the river, and played like little kids for awhile. It was good to be back and spend time with each other before the daily schedule started.