Why I Hike

I ended up asking myself a question, why do I enjoy hiking so much? After all its hard work and accounts for a large piece of your free time. So why exactly would a guy that enjoys his couch and tv time enjoy this so much?

Well I don't think I have answered the question fully but here are a few reasons.

Freedom. The feeling almost overwhelms me on the trail that while trudging along this is as free as I can ever hope to be. With this freedom comes responsibility of course. No one else is to blame if I don't have the equipment I need, and this balance of freedom and responsibility is a lesson everyone should experience on a regular basis.

Beauty. The natural wonders found in our many State and National Parks is beyond description. For me it almost like Christmas as a child every time I round a corner and see a natural wonder that so few will ever have the pleasure of experiencing. My faith in God is always strengthened on the trail by the works of art our Creator has left for us to enjoy.

No quitting allowed. I'm not sure how anyone else feels while hiking but I know personally that constant elevation changes and distance can wear you down. The true gift of that feeling is the realization that there is no quitting unless you intend to lay down and die or even worse call for help and admit defeat. The feeling of accomplishment when completing a difficult hike is an adrenaline rush that washes away any previous doubts about completing the hike.

I'm sure I'll add many more reasons to this list as I progress, but these may always be the core of why I hike.

Meramec State Park Revisited

After spending far to long away from Meramec State Park I decided a winter visit with my trusty hiking companion Buckwheat would be a great idea.

So we set out on the 2nd of January 2011 to do just that. Having seen Meramec State Park many times when the park is full of thick green vegetation a winter hike offered the opportunity to see much more of the terrain.

I decided to take on the longer loop of the trail this time and explore areas I had not seen before. You can visit my archived posts to contrast the photos between the seasons.

Below is a GPS track of the trail which contrary to the sign ended up being 8.6 miles long.

Due to the limited daylight during the winter there was not much time for exploring areas

off the trail, but that only makes me want to visit again. Be prepared for many elevation changes on this hike, especially toward the end. There are several campsites along the trail for those who might want to make this a two or more day adventure. One word of warning, the campsites are in low lying areas which may be subject to flash flooding. In fact many parts of this trail look like they could be very hazardous during heavy rains. You can visit the American Hiker Facebook Page to see many more pictures, several of which show just how much force the water has inflicted upon the earth here.

The greatest visual reward for this hike came as I rounded a bend in the trail and heard the sound of running water. Amidst the dead brown colors of winter was a small pool with the most vibrant green vegetation I have ever seen due to the stark contrast. The pool is fed by a stream coming from a nearby cave which the park signs say is temporarily closed. This photo can never do justice to the beauty Nature offered at this location.

As I expected the terrain was much easier to appreciate in the winter and this hike has given me a new found respect for winter hiking.

Meramec State Park

Sunday July 1st I made a trip to our nearby Meramec State Park. The chiggers and ticks were in full effect, but it was only about 80 degrees some the hiking was pleasant. Below you can see pictures from the two trails I tackled. One important lesson that was learned quickly is do not count on your GPS in these heavily wooded areas. It turned out to be a great opportunity to strengthen map reading skills though.