"a pack of heavy books on my back tends to keep me ready for my next wilderness trip'

As I wait for the bus at 6:30am on this November 13, an unbelievable sunrise is taking place, of deep blue clouds spread over the east, streaked lines of bright red-purple.

Being outside for moments like this, rather than in the confines of my personal box on wheels, is a major benefit of taking public transportation, along with having to use my feet more to get from place to place between connections.

I have to be more aware of the weather and the cold when taking the bus, and be prepared for it or risk being uncomfortable. It is all worth it to get to be standing outside at the edge of a new day, with nothing to do but wait and watch the color change in the morning clouds.

Part of the reason I am out here is because I have come to enjoy backpacking so much, as odd as that sounds.

I take the bus so that I have to walk more, often with a pack of heavy books on my back, which tends to keep me ready for my next wilderness trip.

My love of wilderness backpacking may also be the reason that I have found I can no longer sleep on my mattress at home, which may in part be due to how comfortable I am camping in high mountains. I prefer to sleep on my thin camper mat, laid on a hardwood floor beneath a wide open window, even in winter.

I dress warm when going to bed and when I am lying beneath my window I can feel the night breezes, breath in the cold fresh air, look up and see some stars in the night sky.

I am sure there are plenty of people who would consider this very eccentric, and I won't deny that it probably is.

Eccentric or not, there is no doubt my life has been changed by spending so much time in wilderness. I have realized that the greatest blessing is to be happy with a simple life, to know it is enough to have the health to walk on soft earth paths, amidst tall trees holding on to the last few brown leaves of fall, to have restful nights beneath cold winter stars, to wake early and be outside to witness the beauty and mystery and glory of a new day beginning.