Summer Trails

Greetings on this 4th of July weekend! I am writing this post from my parent's house in Gates Mills, Ohio and glad to be doing so to spend the holiday with friends and family. The summer has been an exciting one thus far and there is much more to come!

After my graduate education course ended and my Spanish substitute job at Cardinal High School finished, I began packing my bags for another hike in the woods. On May 17th, I picked up where I left off on the Appalachian Trail in Duncannon, PA just north of Harrisburg, PA's capital. This time around I decided to take along the Chapman family's most beloved baby, our family pooch, Sweetie. We hiked for about two weeks through central-northern PA and encountered many rocks, ticks, rocks, friendly hikers, rocks, beautiful wildflowers, and more rocks. PA is one of the most challenging sections on the Appalachian Trail and I was glad to do it in one two week section with a wonderful pooch companion to encourage me with her wagging tail and always excited eyes :) The rocks were incredibly challenging on our feet, ankles, knees and legs but we pushed on and had a wonderful time amidst the difficulties. My sister, Becky, joined me for about 4 days towards the end of the hike where we met up with an old hiker friend, Segue, in Delaware Water Gap at the border of PA and NJ. I got off Trail and came back to Ohio for various family events: my sister's and cousin's high school graduations, a friend's wedding, my cousin's graduation party and a trip to Colombia. And now I'm getting ready for another hike, to pick up where I left off at Delaware Water Gap and hike north for about a month. I'm hoping to reunite with a lot of old hiker friends whom I met last year on the Trail, to get closer to Maine and to enjoy summer in the woods :)

A trail commentary:

Why do I hike?

Body, soul, mind earth are what come to mind.

I hike for my body.

To challenge it, to use it to its potential, to work it and shape it.

I hike for my mind.

To discipline it. To focus it on one is hopeful, positive, encouraging and good.

To empty it of needless worries and unrealistic expectations.

To free it from the stresses of day to day living,

in a society surrounded by greed and materialism.

I hike for my heart and my soul.

To experience the beauty and wonder of life.

To feel the freedom of mother nature's constant evolution,

without control and without manipulation.

To heal from innocence lost, to heal from bitterness and hatred.

And finally, I hike for the earth.

To honor her, to thank her, to appreciate her

To be one with everything she is and everything I am.

Happy Trails to all!