Cassaundra Carroll

Burn

The cabin in the woods had been abandoned for years, but one night, a candle burned in the window. I had been camping in the same spot in Olympic National Park for years, I knew every sound, every rock, every tree; or so I thought. My favorite part about this site in particular is that it is far enough from the beaten path to get away from everything, yet close enough to be my quick weekend getaway. The best part is that my campsite is about a mile away from a ridge with enough elevation to overlook the green expanse of the old growth forest below and to see the stars. I liked to hike up there before dawn and sit and watch the colors of the sky change from a deep oceanic blue to the pink and fiery orange swirl of the awaking sun. The birds would sing their morning song, leaving me feeling free and refreshed and ready to face the week ahead. This was a great, calming, rejuvenating experience for me and I tried to go at least monthly, and I had regularly for about 3 years. So, like I said, I thought I knew everything what this place had to offer.