Go Take a Hike

I have to admit that when my friend Jeffrey asked me if I wanted to walk one of the trails around Retzer Nature Center last Saturday morning, I was hesitant.  There was no reason to be.  It was a beautiful, sunny day. It was so nice out that we thought it was the beginning of many warmer days to come.

However, I would probably have rather stayed at the coffee shop to continue talking and surfing the Internet. 

I , sometimes, don’t deal well with uneven terrain.  I also don’t enjoy walking long distances all that much even though I know that exercise is beneficial.  Jeffrey, on the other hand, is a nature enthusiast. It was natural for him that when the weather got nice, the first thing he thought about was trail walking. It helped that I was walking with a good friend and that we walked at a good conversational pace.

One thing we noticed right a way as we started on our journey was the sound of the birds. We were trying to guess the kind of bird by its song. I wished that I remembered the different bird songs that my grandma and I used to study together. We also noticed the sounds of no traffic and not too many voices. There was peace.

We found a bench to sit on.  I was surprised that it was not wet or full of snow.  Jeffrey and I probably sat there for an hour or so before walking back to his car. 

Getting to that bench and walking along the trail was easier than I expected to be.The ground was muddy and their were some sticks and low-hanging tree branches that we needed to watch out for. It is important that I have a good guide when I take a nature walk. Jeffrey and I have been friends for a few years and I trust him with my life – literally.

 Waukesha has many good places to take leisurely walks with friends.  The downtown Frame Park Riverwalk is another one of those.  I love the sound of metal baseball bats hitting base balls and the sound of children playing in the park.  Being the peopleologist that I am, I say "hi" to every single person that walks, runs or bikes past me.  That walk is paved all the way, no twigs. I like it.

I like walking when it is nice outside.  I would walk around my neighborhood more however, see my last article about .  I love walking around busy places.

Retzer was too quiet for me.  It reminded me that I have a hard time just “being still.”  This is something I really desire to work on.  Walking also helps remind me of one of my dreams.  I hear about people running marathons.  Honestly, at first, I think that’s not for me.  Several years ago, I was involved in the Special Olympics and one of my events was track. It’s been a long time since I’ve done that. It does sound exhilarating, though, and something I might like to try.  My first goal should be to become physically fit.

Perhaps, instead of inviting everyone and their brother’s sister out for dinner and coffee this spring and summer, I should say “Hey, do you want to take a hike with me?”

The weather has to warm up eventually.  I thought the groundhog told us that there wasn’t going to be six more weeks of winter.  Sunny weather will be here before we know it.  So, my advice to you, dear readers, is go take a hike.  I mean that in the most loving way possible.  Explore the many trails of Waukesha.