W.Va. Yoga: Turns Out It Wasn't Such a Stretch

Don't try this at home: Paula Baake (on mat) and Mara Fausto demonstrate acro-yoga at Rocky Mountain Ranch. (K.C. Summers)

I found myself nodding enthusiastically. The Vulcan mind meld had begun.

* * *

"You see that mountain over there?" It was Saturday morning and Kent was pointing out the day's hike. "That's North Fork Mountain. We'll hike north-northeast all along that ridge. It'll be rolling terrain -- not a whole lot of vertical, but a lot of ups and downs. Just like life."

And just like our day, it turned out. Nancy ended up puncturing her car's oil pan on the way to the trailhead, so we spent a couple of unscheduled hours in town waiting for a tow truck. But that was just fine, because otherwise Mara and I wouldn't have discovered the joys of downtown Franklin. These included the impressive taxidermy display at Glover Auto Supply on Main Street. Olan Hedrick, 78, saw us gawking through the window and invited us in to see the rest of the collection, pointing out a dozen or so stuffed deer heads in full antler, various splayed squirrels, a rare white coyote, a turkey and a white raccoon (also rare). "Ya gotta go into the back room and see the big heads," he urged. Yup. They were big.

When we finally made it to the trailhead, navigating the icy terrain was fun -- like hiking on ice cubes. I cornered Paula and asked why she'd been so tough on me during yoga the night before. "Didn't you feel my love?" she said. She was dead serious.

Hours went by. Okay, maybe two. One of us whined a lot on the uphill parts. Okay, it was me. I knew I was being obnoxious, but I couldn't stop complaining. But my friends, all far more experienced than I in the outdoors, were patient, offering me water and encouragement. I even got a compliment of sorts from Barb about my yoga performance the night before. "Boy, if I'd had a glass of wine before a power yoga class it would've been a complete disaster."

* * *

Another day, another hike -- this time a loop trail on the ranch grounds. We were a little less perky this time, perhaps because we'd stayed up till all hours the night before playing word games. Now we ambled along happily with the dogs, past an old abandoned house, fields of ferns, stands of mountain laurel. We talked about our husbands, ex-husbands, boyfriends, kids, bosses, colleagues, students. This time I didn't notice the inclines.

Back at the ranch, it was time for body analysis. At one point, Paula grabbed a hunk of my thigh to use as a visual aid for her lecture on "Jell-O issues." But wait! All four "corners" of my feet touched the mat -- apparently a good thing. Never have I beheld my toes with such delight.

Wrapping up, Paula spoke about body awareness and yoga's message of acceptance. "This is time to be you and be happy," she said. "This is it, this is what we have. If we're not comfortable in our own skin, it's a very sad life out there."

We sat in the lotus position one last time. "Invite in kindness, acceptance and compassion, and allow them to take you forward in life," Paula instructed. "Now, bowing to the teacher within, say namaste."

Namaste.

* Adventure yoga retreats are offered year-round at Rocky Mountain Ranch in Franklin, W.Va., about a 3 1/2 -hour drive from Washington. Costs range from $300 to $450 and include lodging, yoga and most meals. Info: 571-436-6158, http://www.dancingmindyoga.com.