Tag Archives: hike

Outdoor Inspiration From Durango

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One of the things I like best about visiting Colorado is seeing how active people tend to be. Everywhere you look in towns and cities there are people out walking their dogs or jogging. They are kayaking, mountain biking, hiking and on horses.

They seem to just accept that the weather will do what it wishes and they will simply dress for comfort.

It helps that there are so many bike paths, state parks and well maintained sidewalks.

Fast food doesn’t appear as readily available as it is in Ohio so people seem more likely to sit and eat real food and their waistlines show it.

Visiting here always makes me want to do better at getting outdoors and eating my vegetables. I have high hopes for better habits based on inspiration gathered on this trip.

We hiked one morning at Horse Gulch Trail System on the outskirts of Durango. The parking lot is paved and then you hike or bike to the top of a hill to access several miles of trails.

The trail we chose had some old telegraph poles, wildflowers and gorgeous mountain views. There’s little shade but it was still a fun experience.

It reminded me that discomfort, like the harsh sun, isn’t a good excuse to skip out on outdoor time. Ohio’s ridiculous humidity is a better excuse but I eagerly hit the trail last night and thoroughly enjoyed that experience too. Even in the humidity.

I hiked about two miles at Cedar Falls- not a long hike but enough to relax my mind and work up my heart rate.

Time in nature is vital to physical health and mental well-being. I felt better after our hike at Horse Gulch and feel even better after my hike last night despite my sore muscles.

Time in nature can calm the soul and can heal old wounds. It can relax the body and quiet the mind. It can make sleep easier. It can make everything better.

Wherever you are, regardless of weather and all the other excuses, I highly recommend a walk outside. You can thank me later.

Lake Katherine In Spring

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Lake Katherine State Nature Preserve has become one of my favorite places on earth. I had hiked there a few times over the years but it was always in the dead of winter or on sweltering Indian Summer days and always with someone else.

Last year I had a chance to explore solo and saw the place with new eyes.

The trails aren’t too long or too difficult for most hikers. But you can piece together a few trails for a longer experience. Each of them offers something outstanding to enjoy.

I stopped by after work one night earlier this month and was struck by how beautiful it is everywhere you turn. I was a little sad that I didn’t pack my camera that day because I saw a ton of birds, butterflies and dragonflies that my iPhone simply couldn’t manage. One dragonfly seemed to stick with me, providing unexpected company for several minutes.

It was a delightful end to a work day and much needed respite from life’s chaos. We all need that sometimes, don’t we? Remember this- there’s not much that can’t be fixed by fresh air in your lungs and dirt beneath your feet.

Here’s something I wrote about Lake Katherine last fall. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed composing it from the trail.

Wellness Wednesday

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I have been unnaturally tired for the last couple of weeks and I endured a headache yesterday. It made for a long day.

As my workday ended, I decided that Wellness Wednesday would be the theme of the evening. So I stopped for a walk on the way home and savored the fresh air, stopping occasionally to touch the bark on a tree or to examine the light hitting a shallow stream.

My house needs a good cleaning, my closet is in shambles, the trash needs to go out and the list goes on and on. Fortunately, these things can wait a while so I fed Scout and went to bed.

Warm pjs, soft pillows and a purring kitty cat are my idea of self care. Here’s hoping today is better.

Sometimes self care is candles and a bubble bath. Sometimes it’s doing the work you have been putting off. Sometimes self care is drinking the water and eating the vegetables. Sometimes it is surrendering to the demands of your body and just going to bed.

Learn to listen to your body and learn to know the difference. Understanding what you need is a true skill and one we all should master.

First 2023 Adventure Day

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Yesterday brought a break in the No Spend Challenge for a little Adventure Day. I intended to stay home and use the time to do a couple of projects, get some rest and read. But the forecast for sunshine and 41 degrees was simply too tempting to ignore.

Instead, I set off early and headed to Dayton to hike at Aullwood Audubon where I visited the trolls or the forest giants, depending on what you call them. It was 21 degrees and the weather app said it felt like fifteen but I was so happy to be in nature I did not care.

Then I hit up the Waco Air Museum in Troy.

And, I needed lunch so I found a fantastic little diner nearby. It was cramped and busy so my pictures are all awful but the food was delish and I really liked it there. I will tell you all about it soon.

And I mostly window shopped at Antiques Village but did score a couple of good deals. This is one of my favorite antique malls so I couldn’t leave town without a stroll through.

It’s funny because I was so happy at home and focusing on my January No Spend Challenge that I never felt deprived. However, this day that was heavy on experiences and light on spending was just what I needed. I felt more like myself than I have in a long time.

It was a long day but I would have stayed out longer. We are probably lucky that I didn’t continue West when I found myself on the National Road. Don’t think I didn’t contemplate running away from home to the great state of Indiana!

Along the way, I chatted with people, looked at some interesting things and even saw a mink in the wild. So check back to hear more and to see more pictures!

Plains Conservation Center

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The Plains Conservation Center is an 1,100 acre nature preserve in Aurora, Colorado. There’s a nature center and hiking trails with views of the Rocky Mountains.

I visited back in August when my pal Johnna and I met for a whirlwind road-tripping adventure around the state. We stopped here for a walk on the way to the airport. It was exactly the right choice.

A red-tailed hawk played above us while prairie dogs scurried to avoid us on the ground.

There’s a homestead village with a handful of buildings and animals.

And a tipi camp that caught my eye.

There’s a collection of old farm equipment too.

Want to visit? Check out their website for more!

Seasons

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Ohioans are fortunate because we have four distinct seasons. Of these, spring is gentle and delicate. Winter is a harsh time of hibernation. Summer’s humidity and heat are brutally oppressive. I hibernate a lot then too.

But fall, oh fall! It’s deliciously beautiful. It’s cinnamon rolls, wood smoke, denim jackets and fresh apples. It’s pumpkin carving, long hikes and picnics under the maple trees.

Fresh air, blue skies and vibrant leaves in unexpected colors are hallmarks of this amazing season.

It’s the best season. It’s also ridiculously short.

Since it will soon be dark at 4:30 p.m. and the cold will soon move in, I have decided to make hay while the sun shines. I have been out for hikes and quick walks as much as possible this month and am grateful for each and every day this was possible.

Soon, I’ll have to work a little harder to be outdoors and keep thinking I need to buy better hiking clothes to make winter adventures more comfortable.

Fall is fleeting but so is life. As in nature, we all experience seasons in life. They aren’t always happy or beautiful times. It often feels like the happy moments pass in the blink of an eye while challenging periods seem to drag on forever.

Enjoy those beautiful, happy days to their fullest. Take the hike, pick the apples, breathe that crisp autumn air. And when the skies turn dark as winter settles in, look for ways to enjoy those days too.

These pictures are from my hike at Buzzard’s Roost after work last night. It was a quick 2.25 miles for exercise rather than for the near spiritual outdoor experience I described earlier this week.

Yet, I found myself occasionally coming around a bend to stop dead in my tracks. It was just that beautiful.

Someday, I’m going to pack a picnic and a book and linger on this bench. doesn’t that sound like a great way to enjoy a season?

Today is supposed to be gorgeous here in southern Ohio and I intend to enjoy every minute. Wherever you are, please go do the same.