It was about five years ago when a few friends and I had planned on doing a moonlight bike ride through Cades Cove on a cold November night. That day was particularly cold and I was really thinking about backing out when a friend of mine gave me some great advise. Her exact words were, "there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad gear". Over the years I have gone to live by these words and on days like today, when it cold, rainy, and just an overall dreary day, I still decide I am going to go for a nice hike and see if I can add to my photography collection. As I am riding through Damascus, VA, a small town that has made its economy around tourism and people visiting the Virgina Creeper Bike Trail and the Appalachian Trail, I notice that all the shuttle buses are parked in front of the bike stores, I don't see the normal groups of people biking down the creeper, instead it seems as though I am the only one out today. I felt as though all the people who should be out enjoying this day are stuck inside feeling they should just stay home today and wait for a better day to go out. As I continue to drive I think about the real estate market and how the down market has left many realtors probably feeling the same way. They have probably operated in a "bullet proof" market for so long that now when things have changed they are not changing their "gear", instead they advertise in the same magazines and market in the same circles they always have. They have not tried new things, they find it easier to complain about the market instead of adapting, being creative, and generating sales in non traditional ways.
As this day comes to an end I am thankful for the advise my friend gave me years ago. I ended up spending most of the day hiking along the Virginia Creeper and at Elk Gardens, one of my favorite places on earth. It truly was a refreshing day and I was able to get some spectacular photos. Don't let the weather keep you down. Be creative, try new things, adapt, focus on selling, not on commission, focus on trying new things and don't be upset when something doesn't work as well as you had hoped. Tomorrow is supposed to be another nasty, cold, wet, rainy day so I am having a hard time making a decision, should I go mountain biking or fly fishing?
