The Start of Something Good...

Two and a half years ago, I decided that the only way I was going to get motivated enough to exercise several times a week was to start a hiking club.  I figured, if I was accountable to someone other than myself, I would be committed to planning a hike and showing up!  Little did I know that this simple journey to get outside more would turn into one of the best decisions of my life.  Along the way, I have discovered some of the most beautiful places I never knew was out there and made many friends who share my passion for the outdoors.  Now, what at first felt like a chore has blossomed into something I wish I could do for my day job!  I love hiking, I love being outdoors and I love all of the friends I have made in this journey to explore and share what I find.

A few months ago, someone messaged me through Facebook.  He had recently moved to the Twin Cities and wanted to start taking his daughters out on daddy daughter hiking excursions.  He wanted some advice on the best parks and the best trails for family hiking.  After rattling off idea after idea over the course of several days, he suggested that I write about all of these places and my hikes.  What a brilliant idea that was and it is finally happening. 

Over the past 2 1/2 years, we have been on hundreds of hikes.  There isn't a trail in the St Croix Valley area that hasn't been explored.  The interesting thing about hiking is that the trails change every time we hike them. Whether it be a change in weather, spotting wildlife, having new conversations and new members on the hike, there is always something new and wonderful to experience.  I take a lot of pictures on my hikes and I use a GPS tracking app to keep track of our route and speed.  This along with information on the difficulty and hike worthiness of trails will all be shared. 

In the coming weeks, I will have a lot of hikes to catch up on and write about.  There are so many in my past that really should be shared.  You will see past hikes as well as current hikes as they happen.  Come back often to check it out and feel free to follow me for all the latest updates!