Returning to the woods
Zoë Hart with Hike Life ATL at Sweetwater State Creak Park.
The first 30 minutes of hiking in 32F weather make you question your life choices. But after you start warming up, you remember that a period of discomfort often comes right before happiness, upgrades, and getting the things you want out of life. So once that warmth hits you, you feel like you are all power and can and will achieve anything.
This was the longest hiking gap since I started regularly going over two years ago. The last time I went, I was with my love, and I was so discombobulated that I fell three times, something that has never happened at any other point. While I enjoyed that my equilibrium had shifted around him, I disliked leaving Sweetwater with holes in my favorite purple hiking pants. While I still don’t know why these tights cost so much, I can tell you that they are needed and required to maximize the hiking experience. I remembered how it was when I daydreamed throughout the hike, but I was right; I never fell during our 1.5-hour adventure.
This was my first winter hike of the year, so I woke up extra early to remember everything. I had to pack a change of clothes, the right gloves, the right layers, tissue in case my nose started running, driving, and hiking shoes while ensuring that all of my asthma medication was ready. While I did run out of time, I had everything necessary for my grand outdoor adventure.
I loved this hiking group; everyone in the group was so exciting and funny. We talked and laughed non-stop while getting in those endorphins. No one looks down on anyone else, and everyone is kind. It was the first outdoor fitness group where I felt like I belonged.
I don’t feel like I fit in because I’m competitive like a guy, so I like to race people, and I get frustrated if I’m not getting a good workout. But also, I’m slower than I look because that’s how that is. Plus, I love adventures, so I’ll climb up mountains and terrain that gives others pause in a heartbeat. But I also like it when a man reaches back to hold my hand when stepping over a rock or something dangerous. Last, my only fear is getting left in the woods, so I always need a designated protector. I told off a guy or two who didn’t keep me in their eyesight when hiking. They didn’t know they signed up as my protector, but someone had to do it. All of these facts make me different from other people who hike because I feel all of these things at once.
During our cold weather hike, we reflected on mindfulness, high frequency, and the power of doing what you decide that you can do. We hiked the entire time without stopping. Well, I had to stop as my nose started running uncontrollably, so I couldn’t see at the 2-mile mark. But luckily, I was prepared and was quickly able to get back to it. The group was waiting for me to catch up to them, which made me smile.
Zoë after on the banks of the creek after getting her nose together :)
The rest of the day was mostly easy. I went home, prepped for my Abundance Brunch, took a bubble bath, and watched Netflix. I had planned to go out that night but didn’t even blink an eye when my phone didn’t ring. Today was a day of completion.
Miracles and Wonders
I made it through the hike in the cold weather
I had a beautiful chill day