In honor of National Hike Day this past Sunday, I figure I would write about why I love the trails. Have you ever had a time in your life, month, week or even day where you needed to get away and clear your head. I am sure we have all felt like that one time or another. I have found there is no place better to do so then connecting or re-connecting with nature. As a species, we were not meant to be "stuck" in doors and restricted to four walls with only a window to look out of. We are hunters and gatherer's by species and are meant to be outside with nature. We were born with the ability to listen and appreciate the beauty of sounds and sites of the woods, lakes, sky, grass, and all that nature has to offer.
Many years ago I did a 130 mile trek in the Appalachian Trail with my brother and son. It is a trip we will remember for a lifetime. We hiked from Bear Mountain in NY to Great Barrington, MA. We hiked all day and slept in the woods and the trails were our home for ten days. Our Biggest concern in life was not the bills we have to pay, hitting a deadline at work, or keeping the house clean; it was to see and plan where our next water source was. How many more miles until we eat and making sure we sleep in a high zone to stay away from the bugs. After we completed the trek and we were back in the daily grind, my brother sent me a text that said it all. "Life is much simpler on the trail”. My good friend Jon Silvestri just completed trekking all 2160+ miles on the trail from Georgia to Maine and he will tell you better than anyone the same thing, “Life is simpler on the trail”, so if you need to get yourself some mental clarity and clear your head from distraction, head in the woods. You don’t need to spend ten days or go on a six month trek to benefit what nature has to offer. An hour will do…..Enjoy and happy hiking!
