November 17 is our official national “Take a Hike!” Day. You missed it, you say? Then let’s call it the Take a Hike Week, or Month, and get out there when the rain gives a break. Or go hiking in the rain, when the trails have fewer visitors and a more intimate perspective. In this season of renewed Covid concerns, as we stay safe and stay home, remember to also stay sane by getting out, hiking close to home whenever and wherever you can. Exploring a trail expands our awareness and oneness with the life of our planet. And it strengthens our social connections, whether we hike alone or in the company of others. “A good friend listens to your adventures. A best friend makes them with you.” Hiking can inspire us, cleanse our minds, encourage our spirits, and strengthen our hearts, literally and figuratively. The physical benefits are many: lower blood pressure, increased bone density, stronger core, better balance, toned muscles, and improved cardiovascular energy. Did you know being outdoors increases your vitamin D, which combats seasonal affective disorder and depression? People who spend time in nature are less anxious. Researchers describe time outdoors as “restorative experiences,” such as coming into a situation with feelings of heightened stress and fear and leaving with fewer of those feelings. It also increases creativity and helps settle our souls. “If you are seeking creative ideas, go out walking. Angels whisper to you when you go for a walk.” – Raymond Inmon On Monday the weather was wet but my need to get outside was apparent. Rain drizzled steadily as I stopped at A Avenue in Anacortes in the late afternoon, heading toward Little Cranberry. I donned my raincoat, rain pants, boots, and for a new experience, I opened an umbrella! Yes I did. My camera and I stayed dry, mostly. As I walked, songs with the word ‘rain’ in the title kept coming, starting with the obvious as I danced with my umbrella to Singing in the Rain, then John Denver’s I’ll Walk in the Rain by your Side, then Laughter in the Rain, Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on my Head, and since it was a Monday, Rainy Days and Mondays. I could only remember the chorus to Here Comes that Rainy Day Feelin’ Again. November Rain completed and depleted my memory banks, but the title seemed appropriate. My voice was a little scratchy by the time I returned to the parking lot, but my head and heart were lighter and happier after the walk, in spite of, or maybe because of, the rain. On Tuesday the 17th, the official Take a Hike day, I waited until the winds subsided and the sun broke through for a few minutes. I wandered the Lighthouse Point Trail south of Bowman Bay, finding the low pressure of the storm was allowing the high tide to be a king tide, inundating the normal boundaries of the shoreline and even some of the trail. The changed environment disrupted and reconfigured my knowledge of the trail as I scrambled through roses and salal. The actual trail was now a running river. A great blue heron focused on finding dinner in the unsettled waters of the bay. A couple of solo hikers passed by in the distance, and I saw them again later, sitting on the bluff in various places, watching the evening darkness settle over the Strait, thinking their own thoughts, getting their own benefits of being outside. We are surrounded by such a treasure of local trails on our islands. No matter the weather, no matter your life situation, or especially because of your life situation, Take a Hike! Take a friend, take your time, take a camera, make it memorable, but make it happen regardless of the weather. It’s November. Take what you get and make the best of it. Send us a picture we can share here, and your smile. jack And be sure to give thanks.
Look at our book for directions to nearby trails for you. Then look at this list of some of the organizations who design, build, and maintain our local trails. Thanksgiving is next week. Consider the people of these organizations as you give thanks. Or join one of them if you can and give them a hand. City of Anacortes Town of Coupeville City of Oak Harbor Fetch! Island County Backcountry Horsemen Island County Parks National Park Service Pacific Rim Institute Port of Coupeville Port of South Whidbey Rotary Club of Anacortes San Juan Preservation Trust Seattle Pacific University Skagit County Parks Skagit Land Trust Skagit Whatcom Island Trail Maintaining Org South Whidbey Parks and Recreation District South Whidbey School District Swinomish Indian Tribal Community Washington Department of Natural Resources Washington State Parks Washington Trails Association Whidbey Camano Land Trust Whidbey Institute Whidbey Island Bicycle Club Whidbey Watershed Stewards Private landowners who allow passage on their lands: - Deer Lagoon, Earth Sanctuary, Meerkerk Gardens And individuals like you and me. "If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough." -Meister Eckhart
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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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