I agree with Lisa here above; your prose is phenomenal. I grasp the atmosphere you paint for us. I have been near places like this in Arizona and California. But never quite like this. This is what I would imagine hiking the Grand Canyon would be like. Beautiful stuff.
Thank you Minna. I really appreciate your reading and commenting. And glad you liked the piece.
As I mentioned to Mike, most of this came from a time I hiked through the wilderness of the Sierra Nevada in California, although I used to hike in a lot of places. I still love to hike, but I don't go as far these days.
"...for even the rationed view of the sky showed the expansive promise of the world. Made more glorious by its boundaries." I'm continuously impressed as you conjure simple words to cast rich phrases which themselves convene into compelling and complete stories. I enjoyed this one a lot, so much of it felt relatable. We have all journeyed up that canyon with its high water, rattlesnakes and licking bears. And here we are. Thanks for another story, Victor.
Mike, thanks so much for reading and your lovely comment. An engaged reader like yourself is a beautiful blessing.
As I mentioned at the end, this is a reality/fiction piece. It's an amalgamation of different treks I took when I was younger (now I only trek to the coffee place for beans), but the principle one was a time I hiked north from the Mojave desert into the wilderness of the Sierra Nevada. I stayed away from trails and people. It was a magical time, snakes and bears and hobo coffee and all. :)
Lisa, thanks much for reading and your beautiful comment. I'm glad you liked the piece. This is probably a bit of a "calmer" one. Sometimes my mood gets a bit nuttier..:) (like next week if my schedule goes as planned)
Thanks Clancy. Glad you liked it. And yes, check out the prompts over at the Storyletter. This was my first one but I'll keep an eye out for what else they're doing there. Welcome!!
"Now enclosed within its transcendent walls and alone with his past he hiked forever upriver. Impelled by a severe and nameless purpose." That is just one of many phrases that made me moan.
Mike stole my diary and with it my notes about your story! I relate to his 'relatableness'. In fact, I find in this particular story of yours, my Victor Goldilocks Story - a harmony of mystery, questions, reflections, curiosity, hope, courage, insights, darkness and aliveness. to name a few ingredients. Your journey story combines fantastical nature, animals and perils, real and metaphorical. The journey is seen and felt vividly and palpably. And, so, again, I make this about me. smiling... Thank you for this magical story you gift us with. And, like in the carnival house of mirrors, each one of your readers chooses a mirror that best flatters them.
ps. I am out of my Chemex filters and my cat broke my French Press (thus the McDonalds coffee confession). I will use a wash cloth. Thanks, Dad!
Thank you Elva for your beautiful comment. I'm glad the story found a place for you. In the carnival house of mirrors :) that's a good one....All the best with the coffee. Rinse the cloth out afterwards in a river; it helps a lot.
Very well done, Victor. I felt as if I were there with him on this journey through the ravine. I haven't hiked The Narrows here in Utah, but I got to stand at its entrance, and it is much like you've described here. Zion National Park is such a beautiful place and this story teleported me right back. Thank you! Also, the elements of self-discovery melded within the traversal of the natural landscape was grand. Great work all around!
Thank you Winston. I really appreciate you reading and your lovely comment!
I love Utah. It is so beautiful. A long time ago I lived in SLC and loved going up into the mountains. In the last few years, I've passed through Southern Utah several times and it's just incredible place.
![Dynamic Creed [Oddified Fiction]](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_36,h_36,c_fill,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep,g_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0e1033d7-484e-4f07-8ca4-9f5e73fde2ba_500x500.png)
Nice Victor. The solitary journey into the wild. They can be physical or metaphorical, as you know. We're never too old to explore the edges.
Thanks Andrew. And you're right about never being too old. Good reminder! Sometimes I need that, appreciate it!
I agree with Lisa here above; your prose is phenomenal. I grasp the atmosphere you paint for us. I have been near places like this in Arizona and California. But never quite like this. This is what I would imagine hiking the Grand Canyon would be like. Beautiful stuff.
Thank you Minna. I really appreciate your reading and commenting. And glad you liked the piece.
As I mentioned to Mike, most of this came from a time I hiked through the wilderness of the Sierra Nevada in California, although I used to hike in a lot of places. I still love to hike, but I don't go as far these days.
Thanks again!
I got a distinct California feeling from your text. I miss the California wilderness.
"...for even the rationed view of the sky showed the expansive promise of the world. Made more glorious by its boundaries." I'm continuously impressed as you conjure simple words to cast rich phrases which themselves convene into compelling and complete stories. I enjoyed this one a lot, so much of it felt relatable. We have all journeyed up that canyon with its high water, rattlesnakes and licking bears. And here we are. Thanks for another story, Victor.
Mike, thanks so much for reading and your lovely comment. An engaged reader like yourself is a beautiful blessing.
As I mentioned at the end, this is a reality/fiction piece. It's an amalgamation of different treks I took when I was younger (now I only trek to the coffee place for beans), but the principle one was a time I hiked north from the Mojave desert into the wilderness of the Sierra Nevada. I stayed away from trails and people. It was a magical time, snakes and bears and hobo coffee and all. :)
Your prose is phenomenal. Stuff like "An assortment of slowpass days" just really get me.
Lisa, thanks much for reading and your beautiful comment. I'm glad you liked the piece. This is probably a bit of a "calmer" one. Sometimes my mood gets a bit nuttier..:) (like next week if my schedule goes as planned)
Thanks again and welcome!
I look forward to the whole palette of your expressions!
Joycean wordplay, and the canyon is a formidable character unto itself. I’ll have to someday consider one of Mr. Malone’s prompts!
Thanks Clancy. Glad you liked it. And yes, check out the prompts over at the Storyletter. This was my first one but I'll keep an eye out for what else they're doing there. Welcome!!
"Now enclosed within its transcendent walls and alone with his past he hiked forever upriver. Impelled by a severe and nameless purpose." That is just one of many phrases that made me moan.
Mike stole my diary and with it my notes about your story! I relate to his 'relatableness'. In fact, I find in this particular story of yours, my Victor Goldilocks Story - a harmony of mystery, questions, reflections, curiosity, hope, courage, insights, darkness and aliveness. to name a few ingredients. Your journey story combines fantastical nature, animals and perils, real and metaphorical. The journey is seen and felt vividly and palpably. And, so, again, I make this about me. smiling... Thank you for this magical story you gift us with. And, like in the carnival house of mirrors, each one of your readers chooses a mirror that best flatters them.
ps. I am out of my Chemex filters and my cat broke my French Press (thus the McDonalds coffee confession). I will use a wash cloth. Thanks, Dad!
Thank you Elva for your beautiful comment. I'm glad the story found a place for you. In the carnival house of mirrors :) that's a good one....All the best with the coffee. Rinse the cloth out afterwards in a river; it helps a lot.
Hi! The Rio Grande is the nearest river. Not sure how clean the cloth might be. I might need to find me a creek with cleaner water!
Absolutely gorgeous. I want to be in this place. I want to forge ahead in this canyon.
Thank you Shaina. I'm glad you liked it. And yes, the canyon is a lovely place. Something special about them. Magical. And welcome!
Very well done, Victor. I felt as if I were there with him on this journey through the ravine. I haven't hiked The Narrows here in Utah, but I got to stand at its entrance, and it is much like you've described here. Zion National Park is such a beautiful place and this story teleported me right back. Thank you! Also, the elements of self-discovery melded within the traversal of the natural landscape was grand. Great work all around!
Thank you Winston. I really appreciate you reading and your lovely comment!
I love Utah. It is so beautiful. A long time ago I lived in SLC and loved going up into the mountains. In the last few years, I've passed through Southern Utah several times and it's just incredible place.
Thanks again!
Hints of Cormac McCarty here - I like it a lot but I kind of wish it could be sparer or more anfractuous - good word
Thanks for reading and the feedback. I'm glad you liked it.