Extra blog posts

I just realized that some of my posts were cut off. Here is the entire text from the "road not taken" post:

It's Christmas today, and I felt like spending it with Mother Nature. So, after a potluck lunch with all the folks in our hostel, I drove to Glenorchy, which is about an hour from Queenstown. An Air Force guy recommended that I go past Glenorchy toward the Routeburn trail, hike through sheep-filled pastures, up some switchbacks, and sit and admire the panoramic view. 

I reached the step ladder...

And continued on what I thought was the path, which led straight to a large creek. Feeling brave in my hiking boots, I crossed it, got my feet soaked, picked up the trail again, then promptly lost it. I looked around for a few minutes and couldn't find the trail for the life of me. Given that there were sheep all around me (who ran away when I approached, then stared me down while chewing on grass - much like the water buffalo stare down) and therefore I was on someone's property, I decided to head back to Glenorchy to find another trail. I found one, but it was short and not as remote as the first one. 

Should I have tried harder to pick up the first trail? Should I have tried to find another trail near Routeburn? I was quite inspired by the remoteness of that area. Very few people, a handful of sheep, lots of green grass, a valley, mountains, and lots of wind. I would have preferred to have stayed. The area gave me a wonderfully alone feeling that one only gets when there are very few people around. 

A couple years ago I would have beat myself up over not pursuing that trail. But now I'm better equipped to move on. I can be at peace with a missed opportunity. But it doesn't mean I won't think about what could have been. I will never know. I need to be at peace that there will be things in life that I don't or can't do. But it's ok to regret, as well.