When life hands you a bunch of lemons, make lemonade!”
So goes the old adage.
In the last several installments of the Pastor’s Page (if you missed them, begin here), I shared the experience of our (my sister and I) foiled attempt to hike Vermont’s Long Trail—that 273-mile journey up the spine of the Green Mountains from Massachusetts to the Canadian border.
The “bunch of lemons” that soured the adventure was the torrential rains and flooding that wreaked havoc on the trail—not to mention some of the towns in Vermont!
The latest issue of The Long Trail News arrived the other day, confirming the wisdom of aborting our attempt after covering a mere 50 of the 273 miles.
Many have expressed sympathy for our disappointment. And disappointing it was. Like a bunch of lemons, it was.
So what do you do?
Sulking
Well, for one thing, you sulk! There’s the feeling of failure to contend with…of having to return home and concede, “We didn’t do it.” Then comes the second-guessing. Did we really need to “give up” so soon? Should we have just waited a day or two and returned to the trail?
And how about “comparisonitis”—thinking about fellow hikers who most likely did return to the trail. Doesn’t help that I’m in a Facebook group, “Long Trail Hikers—Class of 2023.” Been more than a dozen posts like this one since we left Vermont:
Then there’s the unanswered question, “Could I actually do this, even if weather wasn’t an issue?” One of the purposes of this hike was to challenge myself with something more physically difficult than I’ve ever done…to see if I had what it takes. That remains to be seen.
So, yes…sulking.
But then I needed to take myself to the Psalms, particularly 42 and 43. Three times in those short psalms David confronts himself:
Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me?
He follows up with a healthy self-exhortation:
Hope in God!
In other words, remember that circumstances aren’t capricious. God works in your life purposefully. There’s something other than what you had hoped and planned that God intends. There are some things to do or learn or experience you would miss out on had you stayed on that narrow strip of land for the remaining 225 miles.
The sulking doesn’t disappear immediately or finally. Tends to reoccur with the right triggers—like seeing the post of another successful thru-hiker! Perhaps that’s why David had to confront himself repeatedly! Nevertheless, the confrontation and exhortation is a bit of sugar to sweeten the lemonade.
Sulking doesn’t really help get you anywhere, either. So what else?
Reflecting with Gratitude
In the previous installments, I shared several experiences of kindness received. The pastor from a church in Shelburne, VT, drove a couple of hours to pick up our car in Williamstown, MA, and take it back to his church’s parking lot in Shelburne.
When my sister’s hiking pole broke, Stops-a-Lot gave us a ride into Bennington, set us up in a motel, and offered to lend us his poles.
The proprietor of the outfitter store in Manchester fixed the broken pole gratis!
The morning we left the trail, a couple of “trail angels” gave us some snacks and a ride several miles away so we could catch a bus to Burlington.
A friend picked us up at the bus depot and gave us a ride to our car in Shelburne.
Given that my sister had never been to Vermont, there was so much she would miss out on if we just returned home right away, so we decided to stay several days and try to take in some highlights. But where to stay? We really didn’t want to spend the money to stay in motels at $150 or more per night! Providentially, the Bonnings—members of the church I pastored in Shelburne 20+ years ago!—offered to let us stay at their place for as long as we wanted. And they weren’t even going to be there!
So we got off trail by noon, picked up the car by 5:30, and had a comfortable place to stay for several days, allowing us to dry out our wet gear, do laundry, and have a hub for day-trip exploration.
The apostle challenged me, “In everything give thanks” (1 Thessalonians 5:18) and “Rejoice always.” (v. 16). Giving thanks for all of these expressions of help and kindness added further sweetness!
Redirection
An interesting observation of the apostle Paul’s missionary endeavors is that every time he met with some potentially goal-destroying obstacle, he redirected his efforts.
For example, when he faced intense opposition and even threats on his life in Iconium, he went to Lystra and Derbe. In Derbe, opponents actually stoned him and left him for dead! But he survived and redirected his efforts elsewhere. You can read all about it Acts 14.
Later, when he wanted to go to the region of Asia and was somehow prevented, he redirected his attention to Mysia. Thwarted once again, he went to Macedonia and had a fruitful ministry.
So, we couldn’t continue hiking the Long Trail, but there were plenty of other places we could hike!
Our first stop was Mt. Philo State Park, an easily accessible summit by car or by trail. We opted for the trail, of course. From the summit, we took in wonderful westerly views across farmland with Lake Champlain in the distance.
We ended the day with dinner and a walk along the lakeshore in Burlington. A good way to brighten up a sour disposition!
On another day, we visited Shelburne Farms. Located on the shore of Lake Champlain, the property was once the Webb estate, built by Vanderbilt money. Following the various trails throughout the estate, we passed the main farm building, coach barn, and mansion-turned-resort hotel.
On yet another day, we directed our efforts to hiking near Mt. Mansfield, Vermont’s highest mountain. The Long Trail actually climbs up and over the mountain—but, of course, we missed that section. Nevertheless, we started at a trailhead in Smuggler’s Notch—an iconic drive, if you ever visit—and made our way up, ALL uphill, to Sterling Pond…
…and then on to Spruce Peak via a short section of the Long Trail! From this vantage point, we sat on a granite clearing facing west with Mt. Mansfield just across a narrow valley. From here, too, we could take in Stowe far below.
Sweet views, indeed.
To add to the sweetness, after the hike, we ventured into Stowe for coffee and pastry, then stopped at Cold Hollow Cider Mill late in the afternoon to sample some fresh, cold cider and enjoy a cider donut.
One final Vermont must-do adventure was climbing Camel’s Hump—another peak we would have bagged along the Long Trail.
On the side of the mountain we hiked are two main trails—the Burrows and the Forest City trails. Interestingly, the Forest City trail was closed because the previous floods had washed out a bridge. So we opted for the Burrows Trail.
Once again, we climbed.
The trail itself isn’t that long—a 6-mile loop—but it involves almost 2,600’ of elevation gain! And since the elevation gain is all in the first 3 miles to the summit, it ends up being a rigorous hike (my AllTrails app rates it “Hard.”)
On both of these mountain hikes, the effects of all the rain were everywhere. For the most part, the trail itself was either muddy, covered in standing water, or had become a small stream. In a few places, erosion made placing the next step a bit challenging. But in the end, it was well worth it all.
For much of the ascent, you’re in the forest, trees and the trail at your feet the only views. A couple of places, though, the forest opens up and grand vistas bring some satisfaction to the weary hiker.
And when you finally reach the summit, with its 360° views? Well, pictures can’t do it justice—especially on the day we reached the top. Smoke from the Canadian wildfires filled the air, almost completely shrouding the distant mountains in a yellowish haze. I’ve been on the summit before, on a much clearer day, when Lake Champlain to the west and Mt. Washington (in New Hampshire) to the east were visible.
The haze didn’t snuff out our sense of satisfaction and accomplishment, though.
My sister and I would return to our respective homes, a little soured by the disappointment of not completing the goal, but thankful for and savoring the refreshing “lemonade” we were able to squeeze out through grateful reflection and gracious redirection.
