One Month In

My brother Joe and I did a short hike on Sunday to Withrow Nature Preserve which is very close to my house. It was a short hike. I would estimate that we hiked a little over a mile as part of the trail is closed due to a landslide.  That was quite a disappointment!  This closed section is my favorite part of the trail because it's the steepest and has nice overlooks.  Hopefully it will be repaired in the spring. The Hamilton County Park Service does a great job taking care of this trail. There is a lot of gravel to help combat the mud which makes it easy to hike in all weather.  It was dry and warm at 45 degrees for the hike.  Although this hike didn't feel as adventurous because I've hiked it so many times, it was great to get outside, get some fresh air and soak up some sunshine!

Hiking with Joe was great.  He is an experienced hiker.  He shared some of his hiking stories from the first time he ever went hiking with our older brother, Mark, to hikes he took last summer to Red River Gorge in Kentucky. It was kind of comforting to know that finding your way on trails can always be a little tricky. Joe also had some stories about going on hikes and not always being in good physical shape for what the hike required.  We both agreed that it's important to work your way up.

Wow! It's hard to believe that the first month of my fitness challenge is over! I'm one twelfth of the way to being an "experienced" hiker. I took a picture of my boots at the start and now at one month in.  I wonder what they will look like in December? I have learned so many things this first month. Here's a short list:

• Study the trail before leaving the house!  Some trails are clearly marked and others are not. Sometimes it's like a maze in the woods. It's best to prepare!
• Check out where you're going on the internet.  Sometimes those maps are better than the ones in the book.  Thanks, Lorrie for starting this!!!!
• Don't accuse your hiking buddies of potentially causing a fall. You don't need anyone else because it's easy enough to fall on your own!
• Hiking alone is not necessarily a good idea unless the trail is very clearly marked or you're familiar with the trail.
• Winter hiking is wonderful! You can see a lot of landscapes that are blocked by leaves in the warmer seasons.
• Winter temperatures are not the devil.  When you're dressed right, it's enjoyable to be outdoors.
• Hiking brings people together. I enjoyed hiking this month with my daughter, brother, nephew, and two great friends.

8 hikes down in January!  Woohoo!!!!  Only 52 hikes to go! Next weekend's hike will be to Whitewater Gorge: Cardinal Greenway Rail Trail in Richmond, Indiana.  It will be some good exercise because it's 6.1 miles long.  I'm looking forward to seeing the Thistlethwaite Falls along the hike.