On Hiking

About a year and a half ago, I wrote a blog post that expanded upon why I disliked running so much, to the point that we created a religion where "Thou shalt nor run" was one of its core tenets. In a nutshell, I grew to dislike it after having experienced it in the Army. My friend Wayne made an observation in the comments section, wondering if the reason I hated it was because I was being forced to, and that I might change my tune if I were to try running purely for myself, for enjoyment.

Well, I tried it. And sad to say, but no, running and I are still not on good terms. It's hard on my knees, and being so out of breath makes it really hard to enjoy anything. Plus I'm not naturally a fast runner-- even when I was in top form during my Army days, and could knock out pushups and situps like nobody's business, my fastest time for the 2-mile run was still somewhere between 16-17 minutes.

I felt the same way about hiking, too-- until recently. I thought about what Wayne said, and it occurred to me that, indeed, my idea of "hiking" was largely shaped by my Army experiences-- traipsing through thick brush, wearing my long-sleeved, long-pants camouflage uniform, heavy Kevlar helmet, face smeared in camo paint, wielding an M-16 rifle in my hands, and lugging a rucksack on my back that weighed at least half as much as I did. The concept of hiking in shorts or walking on a beaten trail free of foliage was totally foreign to me. Add to that the fact that my sudden overexposure to the outdoors when I started my military training caused previously-nonexistent allergies to develop, and you can see why I was so averse to anything related to the outdoors after that.

Several years later, however, my allergies finally abated, and I no longer needed to regularly pop Benadryl or Claritin at the first sign of spring. I also began to appreciate what a beautiful place I lived in, with both oceans:

Campus Point and Goleta Beach

and mountains:

View along Tunnel Trail

just a few short miles away!

When my friend Tabitha began actively taking up hiking again, we decided to join in! And I realized-- Wayne was right. It was all about attitude. Now I'm looking forward to what has become a weekly endeavor. For the past 2 months, we've managed to tackle some sort of hike every single week. Most of them are the standard uphill/downhill trail hikes. We did a couple of long beach walks. And a rock-hopping excursion was pretty fun, too!

And you know what I've discovered? I've been thoroughly enjoying myself! I just can't get enough of the beautiful outdoors, especially when you're rewarded with magnificent views of the coastline and the mountains, both during the hike and at the end of it. Even the canyons provide shade and a quiet, sanctuary-like forest feel. And if it's not too dry, running creeks and water cascades! I love feeling like I'm on top of the world when I reach a summit on the mountain. I love the smell of the ocean when I'm walking near it. I love the sound of running water through the trees in the canyons.

I've always said that I find breathtaking beauty in nature's creations, and now that I've rediscovered the outdoors, this concept has extended from animals to the wilderness they inhabit. Nothing makes me feel closer to God than when I'm admiring his handiwork and pondering just how magnificent and huge it all is.

So here's to more hikes, with seals!!

Seal Sanctuary at Carpinteria Bluffs

 Pretty wildflowers in the spring (even if they're shrouded in fog):

Cold Spring Trail, East Fork

Pools, cascades and creeks:

Along Cold Spring Trail, East Fork

Views of our beautiful coastal city:

Goleta, the SB airport, and Santa Cruz Island from Lizard's Mouth

Santa Barbara and the Harbor, from Montecito Overlook

And a magnificent, breathtaking mountain ranges. Maybe it's not as big or as towering as other ranges, but compared to an average-sized human, it's still pretty impressive!

Santa Ynez Mountains (ridgeline is Camino Cielo Rd) from Montecito Peak

Where else in the world can you get both a mountain view AND an ocean view all in one shot/spot?

Part of Santa Ynez mountains plus Carpinteria and the Pacific Ocean, from the USGS marker at Montecito Peak

It's also terrific exercise! My pants and shorts fit me better now, and I feel better all around. I've slowly been getting into better shape-- after nearly 2 months of 3-3.5 mile hikes (and longer walks on level terrain), we managed to tackle an almost-5-mile hike yesterday, and I'm not too sore today!

Looking forward to many more, and to exploring all this beautiful country has to offer!