“Today is where your book begins. The rest is still unwritten.” -- Natasha Bedingfield Today is the threshold of a new year. We bring with us all the baggage we have at the end of 2020, of course, but today's a new start, an open door, an empty page waiting to be written. Hopeful thoughts about the future filled my mind and my dreams as I headed outside to go hiking. This day began in the mid-thirties, cold, cloudy, and gray -- in other words, a normal late-December day in the Pacific Northwest. Leaves have all fallen and settled for a winter's rest. Still, the woods were alive with wrens, siskins, song sparrows, robins and a solitary raven serenading the closing of the year and the eventual coming of spring. I parked my bike at the ballpark at Volunteer Park, not a soul in sight other than one woman out with her elderly dog Chaco, strolling the paved trails around the playground and ballfields. I stepped off the pavement onto the wide graveled path heading into the woods and wetlands of the park. The trail meanders throughout a forested area, free of puddles throughout its length now, even in the depth of our rainy season. But you know me – I found a side trail less traveled, leading toward a small pond with buffleheads and mallards feeding quietly. I sauntered along, finding hidden delights in the heart of the wetlands, while socially distancing from the birds. Eventually this adventurous route joined back up with the main trail. Then I saw another side pathway diverging to the left, but I could see that it was partially underwater in places. The main trail here used to always be muddy too, but ditch work along the shoulder has dried it out and moved the water back into the wetlands. Thank you park workers. Soon it climbs into a maple and sword fern forest, now airy and open with bare branches above letting in the weak winter light. At the southeast corner of the park I turned around and followed the half-mile trail back to the paved walkways. Throughout my leisurely rambling I passed no one. Yes, it’s winter. But it’s also mid-day in the heart of Anacortes. Where is everyone? I walked the paved trails around the ballfields and heard the distinctive sound of bat striking ball. I found a man throwing fastballs at a young adult in the batter’s box, and the batter crushing the pitches into the outfield, and one over the fence, 330 feet away. The pitcher, who might have been his dad, looked pleased. I clapped. “The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide you’re not going to stay where you are.” — J. P. Morgan New Years is a time when many resolve to make some changes in their lives. Some promise to change their diet, or exercise more, or learn a new skill or make something happen in their life that is worthwhile. We stand on the threshold of newness, of choices to make that can move us forward, to create within us and around us the life we want to see. If walking more is one of your resolutions, here is an easy way to make that happen: find a place close to home, and walk there often, in winter’s cold, in summer’s heat, and everything in-between. Dress for the weather, get your feet outside, and you will find that almost every day is a good day on a trail. Or start exploring all the trails in Hiking Close to Home, checking off those you have visited, discovering new places to explore, and re-visiting familiar favorites. Maribeth and I are grateful to our readers for coming along with us as we have shared our experiences on the trails this past year. Let’s fill 2021 with new hiking memories to treasure. jack This hike is in the new 2021 Edition of Hiking Close to Home, available under the Books tab of this website or at local bookstores. Happy New Year! “Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, whispering 'it will be happier'...”
--Alfred Lord Tennyson Directions: Highway 20 enters Anacortes as Commercial Avenue. Take 12th Street west from Commercial Avenue in Anacortes. Turn left at G Avenue and go two blocks to the parking areas at the playfields. The paved path goes around these fields; the forest trail starts at the southwest corner near the large open grassy field, south of the playground. Transit Access: Island Transit's Route 411W can take you from Oak Harbor to the March's Point Park and Ride. Skagit Transit can take you from there, on the 410 bus, to the bus stop by the little store at H Avenue and 12th Street, two blocks north of Volunteer Park. Island Transit is fare free. Skagit Transit will cost a couple of dollars. Please bring small bills and quarters. Accessibility: The paved path is accessible for nearly everyone, with gentle slopes and curb openings. The gravel trail is mostly accessible being well-compacted and firm, with some elevation gain at the southeast corner.
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Maribeth Crandell has been a hiking guide in the Pacific NW for over 20 years. She's lived on Whidbey and Fidalgo Island for decades. As a frequent bus rider she easily makes connections between trails and transit. Archives by date
April 2024
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