When I lived in the Pacific Northwest, hiking was simply a
matter of picking a peak and climbing it. Mount Spokane? Let me grab my pack.
Mount Si? Race you to the top. Cougar Mountain? Rworr!
This type of hiking was gratifying because all of your
huffing and puffing up the side of the mountain was rewarded with a gorgeous vista
at the end (or, technically, the middle).
In the Midwest, this type of hiking is unavailable; there
are simply no significant elevation gains. Hiking, therefore, has to be about
something else. And, as clichéd as it might be, hiking in the Midwest is about
the journey and not the destination.
There are several advantages to this, actually. When you’re
not focused on the end destination and how incredible the view will be, you
learn to experience each individual moment more fully. This last weekend, I
hiked Buford Mountain (yep, part of the Ozark Trail) with some friends and we
saw four turtles, each at a different point along our hike. Had we not been
paying attention, we might have missed them. When each new bend holds the
promise of a new discovery, you’re more apt to keep your eyes moving, rather
than focusing on the next few yards in front of you.
So if you’re lucky enough to hike the mountains in the
Pacific Northwest, it’s fine to stay focused on the destination, but maybe keep
a look out for any turtles underneath your feet.
