It’s just about done once again. April has become my Hike-a-Thon month in which I try to raise awareness and funds for the TennGreen Land Conservancy. This wonderful non-profit organization works to preserve and protect Tennessee’s special places. They work to establish conservation easements or purchases so that properties can continue in their natural state. They have been doing this for more than 20 years.
For the past 5 of those years, I’ve been doing the Hike-a-Thon. It’s a fundraiser in which I get to go out and have a great time doing things I enjoy like hiking, biking, paddling, camping, and exploring. I would probably doing those things anyway, but this event gives me more impetus to do it mindful of what it is that I’m sensing and experiencing. There is something about the intention of doing it with and for others that alters the awareness.
Many are the times that I go alone so I can soak in the stillness, silence, and solitude of the natural world. I have often found myself alone and miles from anyone else—just me and the trees, the creeks, the views, the birds, the flowers. It feeds my soul. I grew up spending lots of hours in the woods, so this event takes me back.
Maybe just as many times I get to go with family and friends so that we can share these special times together. Our daughter and I just returned from 6 days of camping, hiking, paddling, adventuring, and chasing waterfalls on the Cumberland Plateau. It is an incredible blessing to have such places right here in our own backyard! We shared special moments like her seeing her first bald eagle in the wild. We were awakened by a parliment of owls one morning. We had both storms and sunshine. We ate good food. We stayed warm. We breathed in the beauty of spring.
I’ve also had the pleasure of hiking with friends and learning about botany and biology. I’ve gotten to see all kinds of flowers and plants. We’ve laughed and dined and enjoyed a host of trails. The Pathfinders are a hiking group that has been doing this for a while now. We have so many memories and stories about our times together.
Some of the hikes have been historical, as in finding history and learning about those who have come before us. Indigenous people knew how to live in these places in tune with the seasons and conditions. Our ancestors fought over these lands and the principles that we have in common. Some felled the forests for the timber that helped build the nation. Some mined minerals that unleashed powers. Some harnassed the waterways for mills that turned grain into food. There are many layers of human history around us.
Exploring all of this at a pedestrian pace slows me down so that I can begin to appreciate the layers upon layers of what is before me. Standing in front Twin Falls at Rock Island State Park I was struck by how the hydrology, geology, and human history all make this a unique place. It has taken eons to form this waterfall. Winding down the spiral staircase at Greeter Falls makes me thankful for those who build trails that allow us access to such wonders. Chatting with staff about the memories of times together reminds me that others also have a great deal of emotional investment in these places. Slowing down to listen and to share was a meaningful moment for both us and the staff.
A big part of the Hike-a-Thon is experiencing the beauty of nature around me. Then I try to convey some of that to others who may not have the chance to climb a rocky trail, or paddle up a river, or sleep out under the stars. Pictures are worth a lot of words (maybe a thousand or some that are worth far less), but I also have spent a lot of time wordsmithing in my life. Some appreciate the stories that I share. Exploring and expounding are mutually connected in my life. The Hike-a-Thon gives me a great structure to do some of both.
I guess that I’ve averaged at least 60 miles/year doing this, so that’s more than 300 miles. I’ve camped a good bit during all of that, so that’s probably a couple dozen nights of camping out. I cannot begin to count how many pictures I’ve snapped in those years. I’m getting quite the collection of t-shirts for sure. We’ve raised a good bit of money for the cause—that one is always plural because while I may be out trudging along, it is the donations from others that make it all worthwhile! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
It’s been worth every step. Look for me to be out and about again next April for the next Hike-a-Thon.
Character in the Making 