When despair grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting for their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.
— Wendell Berry, The Peace of Wild Things
On our third day on the Big Island, we decided to do what we do best and visit a national park. Volcanoes National Park includes some of the most unique topography we’ve ever hiked, as well as two of the most active volcanoes in the world, Kilauea and Mauna Loa. Kilauea had been erupting from December to May of 2021, but there was no active lava flowing in the park when we visited in July.
Read MoreShenandoah National Park is in Virginia, encompassing some of the iconic Blue Ridge Mountain range, and this was our first time visiting. The park is long and skinny, Skyline Drive skirting the ridges of the mountains as it winds upwards, providing beautiful vistas along the drive. The park’s history is marked by struggle between the government of Virginia and those who had built their lives on this land, with forced evictions devastating families. Once the park was established in 1935, the Civilian Conservation Corps not only helped restore the land and build the park’s infrastructure, but they also burned cabins of former residents to prevent their return.
Read MoreBy the time my brother, Alan, and I finally arrived at the trailhead parking for Auxier Ridge Trail, my car was covered in dust. And as soon as we stepped out of the car, we too were covered in dust. It was a dry, hot day—which was strange because storm clouds rolled overhead intermittently, and we were graced with a few episodes of sprinkling rain. Nonetheless, it was a beautiful day to hike, as what seemed like an innumerable number of others thought, judging by the overflowing parking lot.
Read MoreWilmore, Kentucky, isn't exactly known for its water features. The Kentucky River cuts through Jessamine County with its muddy water and swollen banks, but if you're waterfall hunting, Wilmore often makes you come up bone-dry. You have to time your hike perfectly and know routes with likely falls along them. A few weekends ago, a couple of friends, my boyfriend, and I decided to head out to the Asbury Trails a few days after heavy rain with the idea of chasing some waterfalls in Wilmore.
Read MoreLast weekend, two of my best friends from Asbury, Kari and Kayla, joined me on a road trip to Red River Gorge, entrusting me with the job of navigation since they'd never been there (I'll let you decide whether that was a good idea). Our church, lunch, hiking schedule promised to play out for the perfect Sunday afternoon of adventuring.
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