Despite what you may see in the average Tinder profile, it's surprisingly hard to find a good hiking buddy sometimes. But then again, maybe it's just hard in general to find friends when you're in your 30s.
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| Thanks to my new friend for the snap. |
Hardly impossible, though. In the past six months I've gone from largely solo hikes to having a few friends who are willing to lace up some good shoes then explore some spectacularly sun-drenched dunes, hoof it up a hundred stairs to the top of a rock, see the New Year's Day world all covered in snow, snowshoe on a favorite in-town path or trek across a snow-blanketed wooded dune (including an off-trail slide to avoid an impossibly snowy staircase).
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| The view from the latter trek at Leelanau State Park. |
Now, I've got nothing against hiking alone. In fact, there's quite a bit to recommend it. You get to set your own destination, route and pace, and never do you have to wait around for others to deal with mid-hike issues.
Plus, hiking has always been very meditative for me. I've thought through some things in my past and present that left me stumped or going in circles before. The time to think has helped me realize that I've let go of past grudges and guilt, or at least made major strides.
But it's a different experience with someone by your side. You have someone to talk to, someone to see the splendor that you usually have to store away in your own head, and just someone to share the experience with in general. It's also harder to remember to stop and take pictures for your blog... but not every picture of you has to be a goddamned selfie.
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| Harder, but not impossible. |
It's tempting to close with some pithy but well-worn truth like, "Life is all about balance," or, "The right company can make anything better." I'll let you draw your own conclusions.
(Then again, hiking can just be fun. No need to over-sentimentalize or ascribe deeper meaning where little to none is to be found.
Like this no-big-freakin-deal, for example.)
