The other day a friend was asking me what kinda shoes do I use when hiking and this got me to thinking, how lucky I am to have something that helps me move down the trail. All of us often take for granted those things at the bottom of our legs that let us walk, jog, climb and even let us use those toes to pinch people.
Besides our feet many trail users use other contraptions to propel themselves down the trail. An early trail propellant was what many people still use today, which has hoofs and is called an equine. Another trail propellant that still takes a lot of effort to pedal is a mountain bike. Still in some areas where it is allowed the trail propellant takes the form of a gas or electric engine. What all these propellants have in common is they give us the opportunity to get out into a world of experience. These experiences include; testing our meddle in a long distance hike, taking a leisurely ride along a mountain trail with beautiful views, feeling the wind in our ears as we mountain bike a technically challenging trail, OHV with friends on a desert trail that includes dinner at sunset.
Many of us that love getting out and experiencing trails and open space, are grateful we have this opportunity. It’s why we love sharing stories about our trail adventures and why today when I went hiking with some 4-H members and their families I just had to take pictures of what was propelling people down the trails.
We did a 6 ½ mile hike on the Pacific Crest Trail near Warner Spring California. This hike was to show the youth Eagle Rock. Eagle Rock is a rock formation a little ways off the PCT that really looks like an eagle. But this hike in general is a great hike for children, it’s not too steep and it has great footing. Being the day was a Saturday the trail was busy. We even met a group of Boy Scouts from Rancho Community Church in Temecula. So I figured I might as well take some pictures of what is propelling these like-minded hikers sharing the Pacific Crest Trail.
Here are some samples of propellant attire.
After seeing the variety, it made me realize how much I love hiking. You see trails are a shared experience, those of us that get out on them may each feel something different but the core is being able to do something that is really not tangible, it’s not a thing you can hold or touch it is an experience that can’t be replicated again, it’s just an experience that will become a memory of a moment we shared as we moved down a trail.
See ya on the trail
Allison