Chalk Bluff

Almost every summer for several years, my church group would take a small camping trip to a lovely park known as Chalk Bluff. Whether it was to take a swim in the icy waters of the Frio River or to just view the scenery, I always had a great time. Every time we arrived there, we would set up camp and then have a cookout. I would take a walk down a trail and see the birds fluttering in the air as the squirrels played high up in the branches of the gorgeous trees. I would fill my nostrils with the smell of the luscious green grass and my ears would be saturated with the pervasive sound of the flowing river. Here, I was at peace with nature. All insignificant thought was assuaged and there was nothing between this milieu and I. But over a year and a half ago, in this particular visit, I wanted to experience something else. What I wanted to encounter was above the river, and above the trees and above everything else. Behold, Chalk Bluff, a majestic wall of rock that reaches high into the sky for all to see. When I think of it, I am appalled by its enormity. When I look at it, I am spellbound by its extravagance. The façade of this edifice seems to consist of chalk, hence the name Chalk Bluff, and from the ground I can see it has several caves and sparse brush. From the campsite, I can hear a roaring reverberation that comes forth from the wall. The echo, a transformation from the river's soft murmuring into a boisterous array of sound, mesmerizes all within audible range. On both sides of the bluff, are two hills that gradually rise up to the crest of the formation. I knew I was not leaving until I hiked my way up to the top. The thought had finally crossed my mind. I wanted to hike up there. I wondered how the rest of the park would look from up there. I wondered if you could see for miles. I wanted to see for miles. My heart began to beat faster just thinking about it. I started to plan my course from afar. I was going to have to walk up the hill on the left side since it was closer. I wasn't going to go alone in this excursion; my mother and my brother were to join me. I was doubtful that they would make it all the way up there. I was doubtful that I could make it all the way up there. We departed immediately and in all my excitement I took nothing with me, not even water. I quickly took the lead in the group walking at a fast pace. Ignoring the pleas to slow down I kept walking rapidly. My head was filled with thoughts of Lewis and Clark. I wondered how they felt in their great journey. They saw many things that were new to them. It must have been wonderful to see nature unscathed. I know my walk was nothing compared to their voyage but nonetheless, it was completely new to me. We crossed two shallow streams before we came across a beautiful meadow. It was completely covered in green grass and there were wildflowers scattered across. We then encountered a road that went in two different directions. Immediately, Frost entered my mind. "Two roads diverged in a yellow wood..." The one we took led right up to the base of the hill. The hillside was covered in small trees and brush but there were clearings all the way up to the top. I continued my charge up the hill, again ignoring pleas to slow down. I could feel my heart beat faster and faster as I climbed up this hill. I broke into a sweat as I made my way through the undergrowth. Every single muscle in my body was working at a fierce pace. I wanted to make it to the top of this hill in as little time as possible. I looked back and I saw my companions were far behind walking at a moderate pace. I continued. Just a little bit more and I'm at the top, I kept telling myself. I was almost there and I didn't want to look back anymore. Finally, I made it. I knew that what was behind me was going to take my breath away but I still turned around. What a sight to behold. The trees were not so big anymore. I couldn't see the river because it was hidden among the trees. In the infinite horizon, I saw more rolling hills than I could imagine. The vegetation went as far as the eye could see. I was astonished to see such splendor. But still, I wasn't satisfied with this little hill. I wanted so much more! Suddenly I heard voices nearby, my mother and brother had finally reached the top and were expressing themselves at this beautiful view. We decided to walk across the hill in an attempt to reach the crest of the bluff. As I moved on, thorny bushes and cacti scratched me, as if they didn't want me to go on. I kept on walking though, taking the lead once again. It seemed that the hill was going to end but it kept on going. As I walked on the top of the hill, the elevation seemed to get higher. I knew that I was on my way to reach the top of the precipice. The day was beautiful to begin with, but I noticed it was getting too hot when I looked at my shirt. It was drenched in sweat. I stood for a moment to wait for my group. When they caught up, they suggested that we return because they were really thirsty. I came to a dilemma. Was I about to give up my chance to reach the top of Chalk Bluff, for a drink of water? They were really thirsty. When I thought about it, so was I. But I didn't want to think about it. I knew that if we kept going, we were probably not going to be able to resist the heat. I feared dehydration. I decided to go against my desire to keep going. I knew we had to return to camp. And so we did. On the way back, I thought about nothing else but not being able to finish my hike. I was angry at myself. I was angry for not being responsible enough to take water. Had I not been so excited, I would have remembered. So many deprecating thoughts infused my mind. So many questions left unanswered. Now, it was only left to wonder. How would it look like from up there? I was not content with the hill, I wanted to go to the top of the bluff. I wanted to see the river flow into the horizon. I wanted to see for miles.