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Spring Is Closer Than You Think

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“Hiking is not escapism; it’s realism. The people who choose to spend time outdoors are not running away from anything; we are returning to where we belong.”– Jennifer Pharr Davis

“We live in a fast-paced society. Walking slows us down.”– Robert Sweetgall

It has been a pretty mild winter here in the Hudson Valley of NY. With no major snowstorms and except for one cold snap (if you could call it that), it has been a serious bummer for all of the skiers out there! Now that we are in mid-February, spring is right around the corner. With spring, of course, comes the promise of longer, warmer days and many hikes, both old and new.

Since I am retired and have lots of time, I have armed myself with updated maps of all of the awesome places to hike in the area. The last couple of weeks have been spent planning my spring adventures.

My plan is a simple one. Mix the old in with the new and also the ones that I haven’t done in some time.

 I will readily admit that once I find a hike that I really like, I tend to go back to it time and again. While that isn’t necessarily a totally bad thing, it would be nice to explore some areas near me that I have ignored over the years. Now is as good a time as any to get to some of the places that I have wanted to hike, but for one reason or another, I never did.

In the meantime, I will continue walking at the gym and getting into hiking shape. I know walking on the treadmill isn’t the same as hitting the trail, but it is part of my daily routine, and I enjoy it! I get to manipulate each workout based on how I feel that day or if I just feel like pushing harder than I normally do. Nothing grabs your attention like increasing the incline to try and simulate some of the hills like I might find out in the woods.  

The last three years have been interesting. I was hoping to be further along with my return to hiking than I am, but I’ll continue to take it one day at a time. I figure now is as good a time as any to take the plunge and stop being afraid of what might happen. If I worry about it 24/7, I’ll never get back into the woods.

For me, that is unacceptable.

First Hike Of The Year

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“Hiking is not escapism; it’s realism. The people who choose to spend time outdoors are not running away from anything; we are returning to where we belong” – Jennifer Pharr Davis

“If you think adventure is dangerous, try routine, it’s lethal.” – Paulo Coelho

Today was a beautiful 64 degrees, a perfect day for a hike! With that said, I did get out and I did learn some lessons on the first hike of the year.

  1. Contrary to what I thought, the gnats were out today in force. Of course, since I thought it was to early in the season, I didn’t bring any bug spray. Lesson learned! Bug spray goes with me for every hike now.
  2. The sling pack, even with the minimum amount of gear (read yesterdays post) will still take some getting used to. It is made to sit evenly on your back, but it is just different. I’m not going to lie, I miss my Kelty Day Pack.
  3. Although I have been riding my studio cycle for over a year, it doesn’t use the same muscles as hiking. Every Spring I go through the same breaking in period with my legs. Unfortunately, it takes a little longer these days now that I’m getting older.

All in all, even though my first hike of the year was only 2.7 miles, it felt great to be outside. Walking on the soft earth eased the pain of using all of the different muscles that I usually don’t use, and it felt great.

When I arrived, the parking lot was pretty full for a Friday afternoon. I didn’t see anyone in the lot, and I didn’t see anyone until the final 300 yards. I was able to stop several times, take some photos and soak up the silence. The breeze moving through the trees was pure bliss and the absence of literally any sounds made it just about as perfect a hike as you are going to get.

I think for the next few days I am going to do this loop to get my “trail legs” back. Even though this loop has a couple of very small inclines, it will definitely help me with getting used to hiking and then longer hikes.

It feels great to be on the trail again!

2.7/2.7 Miles

HAPPY HIKING!!!