Today I went hiking at the pinnacles in Berea. I went by myself to kind of clear my head or whatever. I didn't go until later on in the day, which resulted in me having to hike back down in the dark from the summit of the east pinnacle. I didn't mind it or anything since I carry a very bright flashlight in my pack for times such as tonight. However, I found out rather quickly that I didn't need the flashlight.
As the moon began rising higher and higher, it kept getting brighter....ahh, the beauty of a full moon. I found that even though it was night and the sun had completely set, I had no trouble negotiating my way back down to the trailhead. I could even see my shadow from time to time.
It was amazing how the woods took on a funky glow in the bright moonlight. As I got to the bottom of Indian Fort Mountain, the moon was just beginning to come overhead. The further I went, the shadows of the trees and I became more defined. It wasn't a dull yellow light either, it was an eerie milky white kind of light. It's kind of like the difference between a normal halogen flashlight and a LED flashlight. The LED is whiter, brighter, and sharper. Anyhow, it created an almost surreal hike back to the car.
It's funny how things suddenly happen like that. Now I just wish it would happen more often and in other parts of my life.
On a funny little sidenote, anyone that knows me or my Dad, also knows that we have this strange infatuation (one could out on a limb and call it an obsession) with flashlights. We kind of bought into the new LED light technology because they're brighter and they use only a fraction of the battery power that a halogen light uses.
I take the whole flashlight thing pretty serious especially when it comes to having one for hiking and backpacking. Anyone who might laugh at that comment obviously hasn't had the need for a good flashlight at night in the middle of the woods, otherwise they would have known that they are priceless when you need them. The LED's skimpy battery consumption really helps lessen the strain on having to worry about batteries running out all the time, especially in the woods. Whereas a typical 2AA Mag Lite might last 4-6 hours, a 2AA LED will (depending on the LED bulb configuration, whether it is a single or a triple bulb setup) carry well over 20-30 hours.
The only real caveat is that LED's are more expensive. It might seem ridiculous to spend $20 on a little LED flashlight, but that same light is waterproof and will last a very long time on one set of batteries. Did I mention it makes an excellent tool to tap on the foreheads of people asking for a light?
That's all for now, a new "old" story will be coming soon!
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