I hiked long and hard in this place where so many have come before. For most of the trek I was engrossed in moving forward safely, breathing efficiently, and seeing whatever I could take in. Intermittently I’d find myself singing Counting Crows’ “It’s one more day up in the canyon..” Then humming all the parts I don’t know, which turned out to be the rest of the song except the very last line. I caught myself doing this a few times before it clicked: I finally understand why you have to go up to get into the canyon. And why you’d be so long before seeing the ocean again. To my recollection that song is a fairly mournful, beautiful tune. I remember wondering about that specifically confusing line when it played every day on the radio for like a year. Gladly, I still don’t know most of the words, so I’ll make up new lyrics sometimes. Mainly I like to sing the “lah dah dai dai” parts. Up in the canyons.