About the Challenge
While scanning hiking-related posts on Twitter this afternoon, I noticed a steady stream of Tweets from the last couple days using the hasghtag #whywehike. I clicked on a few of the links referenced and found out that Tom Mangan of Two-Heel Drive issued a challenge yesterday to the hiking blogosphere, encouraging each of us to devote a blog post simply explaining why we hike.
The rules? The post can’t take a lot of thought: 15 minutes max to think about and write, and 5 minutes max to proof it. Tom obviously knows my husband Jeff, who spends days laboring over each perfect hiking dissertation post. This is supposed to be “off-the-cuff”.
So, here we go — our responses in all their raw possible grammatical flaws. Jeff and I jotted down our lists seperately, then I combined them into a single post. And yes, I timed us, giving each of us only 15 minutes max to write.
Why We Hike
Colleen’s Reasons:
- For my sense of curiousity: I love exploring spots — even just in our own community — that most people never know about or take the time to visit. I am fascinated by geology, natural history and local history.
- For my marriage: Setting off together almost every weekend exploring our gorgeous surroundings, when sometimes (hopefully!) we’re one of only a few people on the trail, makes our relationship stronger through a special togetherness, learning to rely on each other more, communicating more, and experiencing incredible memories together.
- For my physical health: I love the physical challenges that come with trying progressively more difficult hikes on a routine basis, and it allows me to lose weight while still eating and drinking things that I would otherwise
- For my mental health: I live and breath computers and tech gadgets at work and in my personal life. Spending a day off the beaten path, on trails that usually don’t get cell reception, forces me to unwind and de-stress.
- For my spiritual health: Getting away from civilization and out into the natural world makes me feel closer to God as I soak in the wonder and majesty of the world He created for us.
Jeff’s Reasons:
- Scenery: trees, mountains, flowers, and even deserts are far superior to concrete, asphalt and lawn grass. I’d rather see a sheer granite face than a granite monument, and I’d rather see a quartz rock formation than wear a quartz watch.
- Education: I love to see habitats and formations and flora and fauna I’ve never seen before and learn why they are there and what makes them important.
- Exercise: I’m a terrible jogger, I hate push-ups and sit-ups and I’m miserable in a weight room. Walking around the block sucks and I’m bored within 30 minutes. But on a beautiful hike, I can go 4-6 hours without tiring and enjoy the outdoors and get some great exercise along the way.
- Solitude: My favorite hikes get us out of the city (see #1) and away from people. I’m a very social guy in a very social job Monday through Friday, but by Saturday, I’m pretty happy being away from a crowd. I love the peace and quiet of a wilderness hike, especially along a creek, where the sound of the rushing water just washes away everything else. Unfortunately, in Southern California many of the most scenic or interesting hikes (especially near waterfalls) are very crowded, so I have to trade my desire for solitude in order to see something I wouldn’t otherwise get to see. This is especially prevalent on hikes where we bring the kids (again, usually near waterfalls), but we’ve learned that if it is very scenic and very easy to get to, it is going to be crowded. That takes away from the enjoyment and serenity of the outdoors, but it is usually still worth it.
- Dog: Our dog loves being in the outdoors and appears to love the hikes even more than we do. She’s a beagle, so she is bred to be on the trail, and loves the sights, smells, and sounds of the outdoors. She especially likes trails that involve crossing creeks, boulder hopping, or balancing on fallen trees, but anytime she’s out on the trail, she’s happy. And seeing the excited look on her face every time we get out the hiking boots makes us feel guilty every time we decide to just stay home and chill on the couch instead.
- Cheap: There are few things you can do all day in Southern California as cheap as a hike. You might need to pay a small parking fee (but annual forest and state or county park passes are a very cost-effective way to go if you hike a lot), but compared to skiing, or Disneyland, or even seeing a movie, it is remarkably inexpensive fun. Even the gear is pretty cheap, outside of a decent pair of hiking boots.
Article by Colleen Greene
I am a librarian, web developer, and technologist, who is into cooking, hiking, quilting and stitching, genealogy and local history.
Colleen has written 52 articles for Greene Adventures.
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