"Purple Mountains Majesty!"

Today, Dad, Kelsey, Jonathan, and I went on an 8 mile hike up the Sandia Mountains, (Pictured above,) and back down. It was the toughest, prettiest, and most exciting trail I have had the privilege to walk on. Here are some pictures Kelsey and I snapped. But pictures can't capture everything....you had to be there to see the scenery. Oh well. Here's the trip through the lens of our camera.....

One of the pictures I snapped when we began the hike.

(Left to Right) Jonathan, Me, and Dad

Left to Right) Me and Jonathan

Jonathan makes his way through a VERY shady part of the hike. (Notice the sun rays?)

(Left to Right) Me and Jonathan again.

The mountain looming ahead.

(Left to Right) Kelsey, Jonathan, and Dad

On our way up, Dad was walking in the lead and was going around a corner when suddenly he yelled and leaped back. His foot had just brushed a VERY big and loud Western Diamondback Rattlesnake! Thankfully, God protected Dad and instead of biting him, the snake slithered quickly into a bush.

The sunlight leaks through a pine tree.

Jonathan

Yay! Only 2.2 miles left till' the top!

More scenery.

Kelsey makes her way through a small meadow. (New Mexico actually HAS some grass!!!)

Several views from the top of the mountain!

(Left to Right) A very happy Jonathan, Kelsey, and Dad.

The path we took was pretty rocky at times.

We zig-zagged our way through three of these rock slides. The look up.....

....and the look down.

"Ahhh! Shade at last!"

Father and son. (Dad and Jonathan)

Kelsey

The way down....

We are nearly at the at the bottom now. everyone is VERY tired.

At last! We are at the bottom of the mountain and ready to head home!

During the hike I gained a new perspective and respect for God's wonderful creation. (I think we all gained a new respect for mountain climbers as well... :D) As Psalm 8:3-9 says:

"When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honor. You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, All sheep and oxen— Even the beasts of the field, The birds of the air, And the fish of the sea That pass through the paths of the seas. O LORD, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth!" (NKJV)

Wow! David sums that up nicely!

Monday, July 6, 2009