What do you enjoy doing most in your leisure time?

Of all the activities that bring life to my soul and elevate my mood, hiking is number one. The combination of physical activity, nature in raw form, and time to myself really revitalizes me. For leisure activity, this is the perfect mix of results. Winter is the hardest time in this part of the world, Western Washington, to get hiking on the schedule. First of all, weather is a severe hindrance. Just looking out my window right now, there is a misty rain falling, which can be nice in certain situations, but which can also be really problematic for enjoying a hike. Secondly, it is just more dangerous. Unpredictable weather, cold temperatures, avalanches, snow pack, and slippery conditions, are all factors you have to consider figuring out if this is the right weekend for a hike. For me, pouring down rain, with some wind, makes hiking, especially through the woods, a bit difficult to say the least. I’ll never forget almost being impaled by a tree top broken off by the wind, which landed just next to me, piercing the ground like a thrown spear. 

Today, as I was thinking about writing this post, I was trying to figure out what to do about getting in a January hike. It hadn’t happened yet, and I was running out of time. I must do one hike per month… That was a New Year’s commitment. Dang. Am I that guy?

What is a hike anyway? Google says, “1. A long walk, especially in the country or wilderness.” Since I’m not in the wilderness, and getting to any wilderness would be a major event, maybe I could just take a long walk and add some woods in a natural park which is not too far from my home. The dog would like that. Maybe the rain would stop just long enough to do this… 4 miles would make it feel like a hike. 

So off I went, with the Golden Retriever and I was really surprised by the peace and quiet in the Wilderness Park we encountered. It’s not particularly big, but the trail runs along some old woods and a stream, making its way down a hill. 

It was very wet, but the evergreens were vividly green, and the sounds of water rushing over rock quietly filled in as a soundtrack to my steps. The dog loved smelling everything, and this gave me some time to just breathe in deep and listen, taking in some peace and the silence of this little piece of nature. 

Just looking at the few pictures I took, you cannot tell that we are just a few hundred yards from some houses and a major thoroughfare, with a decent amount of traffic. This is the wonder of the forest. Despite the world around, it creates its own quiet, and its own little world of peace. I was thankful that this space was available, and that I could enjoy it this misty morning. 

We returned home feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day. I love a little hike to get some exercise, and start my day with a meditative activity that brings peace and wellbeing to my soul. I am going to do this with increasing vigor this year at least once per month. Feel free to join me! By the time summer arrives, we’ll be able to hike up a storm and get into the wilderness. 

I’d love to hear any ideas for awesome hikes where you live. Reply in the comments and let’s have a conversation about the adventures that await!