#38 Finding A Better Way
Appalachian Trail – Sheet Iron Roof Road to Pine Grove Furnace State Park
11.27 miles | 1,822 ft. ascent | 1,384 ft. descent
Today’s hike was special because it wasn’t just another section of the Appalachian Trail.
A few weeks ago, Katie and I ended our hike at Pine Grove Furnace State Park. Today we started at Sheet Iron Roof Road and walked toward that same spot, connecting another piece of our Appalachian Trail journey. There’s something satisfying about picking up exactly where you left off. Every section builds on the last, just like every season of life.
Before leaving this morning, we were concerned about the trail conditions after the powerful storms that swept through the area. We spent time researching what we might encounter and came across the heartbreaking story of a mother and her 11-year-old son who lost their lives when a tree fell on them as they sought shelter during the storm at the Mountain Creek Campground. (CBS News) right off this section of the trail.
As we drove to the trailhead, the roads told the story before we ever stepped onto the AT. Trees were down everywhere. Utility crews were working. Power lines still lay tangled along country roads.
The trail was no different.
Tree after tree blocked our path.
Some were easy to step over. Others completely covered the trail. A few even blocked water crossings.
Just when we’d carefully work our way around one obstacle and feel like we were moving again, another one appeared.
And then another.
The entire day became an exercise in creativity, patience, and good judgment.
I never thought of them as detours.
Instead, I kept asking, What’s the best way through this?
Not the fastest.
Not the easiest.
The safest. The smartest. The best.
That realization followed me for the rest of the hike because it’s exactly how I approach business and life.
When something isn’t working the way it should, I don’t immediately see it as failure or as being “off course.” I look for another path. I look for a better way.
Sometimes the original plan simply isn’t the right plan anymore.
Sometimes wisdom isn’t pushing harder.
It’s choosing differently.
Every fallen tree forced us to stop, assess the situation, consider our options, and move forward with intention. There was no frustration, just problem-solving. Careful decisions. One obstacle at a time.
As we hiked passed Mountain Creek Campground, the weight of what had happened there settled over us. It was impossible not to think about that family and how quickly an ordinary day outdoors became unimaginable. Our hearts were with them and with everyone who loved them.
The Appalachian Trail reminded us today that nature is both breathtakingly beautiful and deserving of deep respect.
By the time we reached Pine Grove Furnace State Park, we had completed another 11.27 miles of the AT and Katie is now over 100 miles on the trail.
More importantly, we were reminded that progress doesn’t always come from staying on the original line.
Sometimes progress comes from slowing down.
Looking carefully.
And finding a better way forward.
Maybe that’s the lesson I needed today.
Not every obstacle is a detour.
Sometimes it’s simply an invitation to discover a better path.
