MATTHEW BURNETTE

Staff Writer

Out of breath and slightly sweaty, I began questioning my decision to join some of my family on a hike up to Kuwohi, formerly known as Clingman’s Dome, in East Tennessee.

I had always heard about the destination, and we always talked about taking a trip up to see it, so Fall Break seemed to be an opportune time to do so.

We waited in a traffic line for over an hour or so before we were able to park, which typically would be a hassle, but we enjoyed our time together in the car.

If you’re not familiar with Kuwohi, it’s the highest point in Tennessee and the Appalachian Trail at a whopping 6,643 feet. You hike up a half-mile trail at a 12% incline in order to reach the concrete observation tower that stands at the top.

It’s one of the most breathtaking views I’ve ever seen in my life but also one of the most grueling hikes I’ve ever been on as well. The incline mixed with the lack of oxygen made for a bit of a tough time.

On the way up, we had to make a few stops to rest, and almost every time we did, someone would pass coming down and joyfully say something along the lines of, “Keep going, guys! It’s soooo worth it!”

I’m always one for a good bit of motivation, but after the third or fourth time, it became a little tedious. I think one time I even retorted in a vaguely threatening manner, “Yeah, well it better be,” as if I would come to blows with this friendly passerby had the view not lived up to his promise.

Luckily for that innocent bystander, it was everything he said and I had hoped it would be.

As I stood at the top overlooking the scenery, I was overcome by this sense of accomplishment that I hadn’t before.

I think a part of me knew that I might not have made it before.

Regular readers may remember a few weeks back when I wrote about getting into the habit of taking a daily walk in the mornings for about 30 minutes or so.

While part of me wanted to find a way to clear my head and get into nature, a much larger part of me wanted to do so as part of a new lifestyle change I’ve been trying to make.

Right after my birthday this year, it occurred to me that it had been quite some time since I had been to a regular doctor’s appointment for a checkup. Doctors aren’t my favorite and I can think of 372 things I’d rather be doing than going to one.

They did all of the typical checkup things and discussed some of the numbers and things they normally discuss. My blood pressure was elevated so they took care of that, but it was otherwise a usual appointment.

Until the doctor mentioned my weight in passing.

It was the highest it had ever been in my life.

I’ve always been a big eater. I was the kid that would finish the rest of dinner, so we didn’t have to mess around with putting it away and taking up room in the fridge. There was rarely a time that I didn’t go back for a second full plate of food as well.

Even into adulthood, there were afternoons where I would stop at my favorite fast-food place to grab a bite to eat knowing good and well that I was headed home to eat dinner within the next couple of hours.

I love food from the process of making it to the flavors and joy that it brings.

But I left that doctor’s office determined to do better.

Flash forward to me standing atop the Kawohi observation tower. I’ve dropped around 35 pounds. I haven’t had a piece of bread or a dessert in a couple of months. Sweet tea has been replaced by good ol’ water as my drink of choice, and I only eat one plate for dinner, one where you see the bottom of the plate at that.

As I stood there taking everything in, I couldn’t help but wonder how I would have fared had I not made those changes.

Much like the hike up, this journey has been tough. There hasn’t been a day that I haven’t thought about eating the biggest, greasiest slice of pizza. The whole time we were in Gatlinburg, I kept conducting mental negotiations to see how I could cheat and eat what I wanted.

Alas, I stuck to my guns and stayed the course.

Journeys of every kind can often be so arduous that you wonder why you’re even wasting your time, but when you can finally take that breath of relief, it’s one of the greatest feelings you can have as everything falls into perspective.

In the months ahead, I’ll continue to trudge along on this journey. Will there be times where I’ll need to take a breath and collect myself? Of course. But when I finally reach my goal and take in the view, I can only hope it’s as breathtaking as the one at Kawohi, knowing that I not only accomplished something but also made life better in the process.

Now onto the next big challenge: Thanksgiving…