I did it! I have thought about it countless times but never took action. This weekend, I actually went on a solo hiking trip! Oh sure, I’ve hit the trails on many other occasions with my daughters but I have never gone out all by myself. This weekend was a game changer! I absolutely know that this is the beginning of another beautiful chapter in my life!
Why did I wait so long? Part of me acknowledges that I thought that I wouldn’t really enjoy in it if I didn’t have someone to experience it with…..
Another part of me doubted if I could physically navigate the trail. To be clear, I’m 53, overweight and out of shape.
My knees are weak which makes climbing challenging. When hiking with my daughters, I lean on them often to get up and down from different elevations. How could I do this alone?
For years I have seen other hikers on the trail with trekking poles. To be honest, a part of me thought they looked silly and that they were merely using the poles as props. Boy was I wrong!
I did a little research and decided to purchase some trekking poles to see if they lived up to their hype. It took me a mile or two to figure out how to use them but once I did?! Game changer!
Trekking poles became the shoulders that I once leaned on. Hiking alone, they allowed me to navigate safely up and down different elevations and terrains by putting my full weight on the poles, kind of like a crutch. Not only was I able to successfully navigate the terrain, I find myself virtually pain free today. Correctly using the poles reduced the physical impact on my knees and back.
There are many options when it comes to trekking poles. This was my first experience using them but I am extremely happy with my purchase. In case you are wondering, I purchased Trailbuddy Trekking Poles from Amazon. Disclosure: I get absolutely no endorsements of any kind and the opinions expressed here purely on my own.
All told, I hiked over 6 miles and experienced many breathtaking sites along the way. In the early stages of my hike I did feel all alone in the woods and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little scared. Thankfully the feeling didn’t last long .
I regret waiting so long to take that first step but I’m glad that I finally did. It was a totally exhilarating experience and I can’t wait to do it again!
