June 9 Second Day: Dawn
I slipped carefully out of my cozy sleeping bag at approximately 5:44 this morning. The sky was free of clouds, and the wind danced to the soft, delicate lyrics of birdsong. I crept quietly past the other puffy lumps of down and nylon and strode out onto the winding dirt road. As I strolled along the path, a cool breeze washed over me, carrying the sharp scent of pine and earth. My steps eventually slowed to a halt, and I lifted my gaze to the horizon. Magnificent, snowcapped mountains stood tall and formidable in the distance, small rays of dawn tracing the jagged contours of the high peaks.
As time trickled past, dawn ventured closer, leaping from peak to peak, hilltop to hilltop until finally it came the crest of the valley. There, it steadily climbed down the valley walls, leaving in its wake a pure, golden glow. I began to walk back towards the campsite. When I returned, I selected a boulder and waited patiently. A few minutes later, the light reached the barrier of dense trees sheltering the campsite. After a slight struggle, the light finally breached the confines of the shady branches and flooded the camp with a warm haze, signaling the start of another day in the wilds of nature.
