A New Goal Reached in the Heights

I don't know how I look so fresh in this first photograph I'm sharing, but this story is about a new goal I've achieved while hiking in El Ávila, the great mountain north of Caracas. All I can tell you is that it's one of the highest places I've ever been, although it's not the ultimate summit. It's just a new path I explored thanks to the company of people who kept me highly motivated, although one of them, our guide, was responsible for tiring me out a little more. It turns out there was a more direct route, but he wanted to offer us the most complete adventure and dreamlike landscapes... I thanked him ❤️

At first, everything was going very well. The terrain was fairly firm, allowing us to walk in a group, and the climb was not very steep. But suddenly everything changed, and we found ourselves on a narrow dirt path in the middle of the bushes. This part of Caracas is very quiet, and since it was Sunday, we were able to escape the noise of the city very quickly. All we could hear was birds singing and our enthusiastic shouts encouraging each other to keep going. I know I'm a little overweight, but strangely enough, this time I wasn't the slowest. I think I'm getting better at these mountain routes. In an hour and a half, we reached the viewpoint that is part of the Piedra el Indio destination, and honestly, everything I saw up there was wonderful. Here are some photos:

It was the perfect place to sit down, relax, soak up some sun, and eat some fruit under the shade of the trees. We were very close to a beautiful abyss that made me feel very small and reminded me once again that there is still so much to explore. I did once reach the top of Ávila, but in the city center, I think it's only 2,140 meters high from the trailhead, and I remember getting very tired. It took me several days to recover 🤣 but here in the east is the highest peak. We were very high up, and even so, Pico Naiguatá seemed unreachable. It made me wonder if I will ever be able to reach it, although I am very motivated. In fact, as you can see in the following photos, you couldn't even see the summit; it was covered by thick clouds.

I think Pico Naiguatá is 2,700 meters above sea level, just a little higher than the downtown area, but the trail is rough, and I've been told it can take up to six hours to get there. Well, for me it's just a dream for now, but I'll keep discovering more dreamlike places on this immense mountain as I continue to build up my endurance. I never thought that after 36 years I would develop a passion like this, but I have never been so healthy in my mind and at peace with myself as I am now. It's time to keep exploring and discovering so many wonders. I love being in touch with nature, and I don't know how I ignored it for so long. I am also grateful to be with the right people. I often venture out alone, but when it comes to new places, I prefer to stick with these good friends who motivate me and make me feel good... Today I even got a little higher than this stop, but I'll leave the second part of the story for a future post. In the meantime, here's a sneak peek: my spectacular photo at La Piedra del Indio ❤️ Without a doubt, a new goal achieved that gave me great satisfaction 🙏

I can't believe that boy in the photo is me. When I look at it, I feel motivated to keep going. The photo was taken by my friend Douglas. You'll probably see him posting in this community soon. In the meantime, I invite everyone who reads my posts and spends long hours in natural surroundings to share content in this community run by @galenkp. It's a great idea, so I'll see you at Outdoors and More.