Intentional Hiking – Year One

Posted on December 2, 2024 by sheraaaa

Starting one business last year was exhilarating, starting two businesses last year was daunting. I took a minute to review the progress of Intentional Hiking recently, and was thrilled to see the collective impact of this discussion series in one place.

Each event focuses on a topic about our relationship with the environment, our trails, and each other. I had speakers on subjects from practicing creativity outdoors, collecting data for science, and designing new products to fit a need in the hiking community; each speaker chose a non-profit to raise money for during registration. Participants often donated modest amounts, $5 here, $10 there, and the totals for each event were split between the speaker, the non-profit of choice, and the business. I’ll let this graphic speak for the generosity of the folks who have attended and participated in the Intentional Hiking conversations over the past year:

Amazing!

My whole premise for this event series was that small individual actions can lead to larger collective action on behalf of people and planet. That small individual donations added up to over $1,375 to support organizations doing important work in the community and for the land is quite inspiring.

So what’s on tap for year two? I do have a few changes I’ll be making, like holding one event each month instead of two, forgoing the gear giveaways (which were honestly the most time-consuming part of this whole endeavor…finding and coordinating the giveaways), and I’d like to hold more in-person events. I found that real magic happens when we come together to have discussions in person…if your organization would like to host a conversation about a topic that is important to your community, let’s talk!

I’ve got one more event in 2024, a Trail for the Trees about the Bigfoot Trail, home to the world’s most diverse temperate conifer forest. Find out more and register here:

At the heart of both businesses has been the desire to address a need that I’ve noticed in the trails community….to improve the hiking experience and encourage action on behalf of the people and places we interact with when we hike. On that note I’m working on a new project. Yes, that’s right. I love trying to build new systems and implement new ideas…and this one is aimed at helping trail organizations and developers find and secure the funding they need to do their work. In my conversations with trail organizations over the past year and a half, that seems to be the lynchpin in their abilities to create the type of trails and communities they want, so I want to see if I can help create a system to allow them to do their work with more ease.

If you want to learn more please head here to download my project one-pager and join the mailing list for more details as this initiative develops. I’m in the information gathering/feedback stage, so if you have any thoughts or suggestions I’d love to hear it!

On the hiking front, I’m still reeling from a series of injuries that prevented me from hiking this fall. I’m solidly into month three of limited movement and pain, and that has been quite a challenge to my physical and mental state, but working on my businesses has helped me get through it. Designing a virtual hike of the Oregon Coast Trail has provided some relief, and I’m excited to say I’m starting to take short (really short) walks again. As one hiking friend said “motion is lotion,” and I’m doing my best to move even though movement still brings pain. This period in my life has been challenging. Still, it has also shown me that I have some amazing, supportive people in my life and that injuries, devastating injuries, happen to many of us. It’s a great solace to know many folks have gone through something similar and healed to continue their adventurous lives.

I can do this.

Thanks for reading folks, and thanks for your support and encouragement as I’ve hiked and evolved over the past 10 years of this blog. Here’s to 10 more years!

Celebrating and Respecting Trail Communities

Posted on April 25, 2024 by sheraaaa

What a whirlwind few weeks on the road!

Hiking, hanging, talking, and celebrating…

After the hike through the Gila, I attended the Continental Divide Trail Coalition’s Trail Days festival in Silver City to host the first of my Intentional Hiking fireside chats.

A big thanks to Silver City Daily Press for covering the evening and capturing some of the sentiment shared by hikers and community members:

Discussion looks at building CDT Connections

Community members and hikers gathered around a campfire Saturday night at the old Silver City Waterworks to discuss building on the sense of community that draws people along the Continental Divide Trail to Grant County in particular.

The Waterworks opened to accommodate CDT hikers for Trail Days, with about 40 tents booked each night for camping.

Veteran hiker and original CDT ambassador Renee Patrick led the discussion focusing on the relationships between hikers and the communities and people along the trail. She is the founder of Intentional Hiking, which offers an online discussion series about various hiking-related themes.
One point of discussion was that hikers need to remember to be humble — they are just one of hundreds each year who make the trip from border to border.

Kristy Lopez, owner of Doc Campbell’s Post in Gila Hot Springs, said she tries to give hikers the benefit of the doubt, but sometimes it can be difficult.

“They say, ‘I hiked all the way from Mexico,’” Lopez said. “Two days ago there was a guy that came in, and I said, ‘That’s awesome. So did all the 12 other people on the porch.’”

But hikers have generally been helpful for her family business, she said.

“We wouldn’t be where we are now if it wasn’t for hikers sitting down with us and spending time to tell us what they need and what they don’t need,” Lopez said.

“I think we have to be humble and be thankful for what we have access to in the communities. Sometimes we forget that,” said hiker Mike “Just Mike” McClue. “It’s amazing to talk to the local people and understand the history. It’s not just about us.”

Michael Darrow, tribal historian for the Fort Sill Chiricahua Apache Warm Springs Tribe, agreed that hikers should know about the history of the land.

“For us, the whole thing is considered sacred land,” he said of the Gila region. “Historical events took place all along the way, and they were special to people in our tribe. Keep in mind some of the things that have taken place before, and it can have an influence on the way you think, the way you feel as you go through the area.”

Likewise, people in communities should get more involved with the CDT, Raul Turrieta said. Locals have gone to the Gila River and the Gila Wilderness for recreation for years, he said, but hiking has not been a big activity for people who live.

“We need to spend more time on hiking, because they don’t really understand how important the CDT is,” he said. “Next year, I would really like to get involved in stimulating the community and bringing in the Mining District also for them to come out and do a lot of hiking.”

Turrieta said it’s also important for hikers to share their experiences with youth to help them get interested.

Overall, the CDT is about connections, Patrick said, including the physical connection across the continent, connection to nature and connection to each other.

“That’s something that long-distance hiking has really helped me realize, is I’m connected to everything, I’m a part of everything,” she said. “Finding that connection is what’s so unique about what we do. It helps us understand that in a way that’s hard to do when we’re in our walls, roofs and Wi-Fi all the time.”

—JUNO OGLE

Stay tuned…I plan to hold another discussion at PCT Days this August!

Intentional Hiking Launch Event October 23

Posted on October 12, 2023 by sheraaaa

Please join me and American Trails on October 23 for the first of many Intentional Hiking events.

Topic: How Can We Improve the Hiking Experience?

Join host Renee “She-ra” Patrick to discuss improving the hiking experience in the first of this twice-a-month event series.

Learn how Intentional Hiking events will work.
Hear about how the event’s non-profit partner, American Trails, is making a difference in this important work.
Have a chance to win giveaways from Triple Crown Coffee
Have a conversation with other intentional hikers about the topic

Non-profit Partner: Help raise money for American Trails by leaving a donation when you register.

My Lever for Change

Posted on October 3, 2023 by sheraaaa

Where does drive come from? Why do we have the motivations we do?

Ever since I can remember I have wanted to spend my time adding to the net positive impact on people and the world around me. That desire can border on hubris…that I actually have the power to change anything…but my default alternative usually trends towards despair. Not appealing. So I choose to believe that individual actions can make a difference, and we can influence the world around us. (I love adrienne maree brown’s description of the fractal nature of influence and change…check out her book Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds.)

Hiking has put us on the front lines to witness the compounding effects of climate change, encroaching development, loss of biodiversity, water and public lands issues and more. Sure, we can put our heads down and walk through wildfire smoke and droughts concerned with our personal experience and the miles we want to make that day, but anymore I get the sense we are Nero fiddling while Rome burns. Yes, now is probably as good as it will ever be as we stare down the future of untold impacts to our world and the ability of the human race to adapt and exist in a rapidly changing ecosystem, so let’s go hike and enjoy what we have. Yes. We have to find the beauty and bliss in the natural world, but can we use that beauty and bliss as motivators to make some kind of difference? Even the littlest bit?

“Action is the antidote to despair.” ~ Joan Baez

I will be the first to admit that some days despair wins out over action, but on the days where I see promise, watch out!

Today is that day. Tomorrow is that day.

My lever for change in the world is tied to action, and now my action is to start a new project that seeks to inspire and challenge hikers to think harder socially and environmentally about what mark they leave on the trail, and the world.

Learn – Hike – Act

Introducing Intentional Hiking: a conversation.

Intentional Hiking: a conversation is an online discussion series focused on our relationship with the environment, our trails, and each other.

This event will happen twice a month, and cover topics around how we as hikers can be more intentional about how we spend our time on trails. Themes for these conversations will be broken down into five categories:

Be = philosophical oriented topics (purpose, awe, connection, etc.)
Do = action oriented topics (data collection, monitoring, etc.)
Create = creative oriented topics (poetry, painting, photography, etc.)
Learn = educational oriented topics (history, culture, geology, etc.)
Regional = regional oriented topics (trail town spotlight, regional environmental issues, etc.)

Each event will host a guest speaker on one of the above themes, then, it will be time for the conversation. During the second half attendees will be sorted into small groups of three to discuss the event topic. Conversation prompts will be provided, and participants will be encouraged to focus the discussion on tangible actions they can take following the event. These opportunities to connect with fellow hikers will be centered with respect, curiosity, and kindness.

The events will end with an opportunity for attendees to share their takeaways and one action they will commit to take as a result. Accountability will be encouraged through sharing the results of their actions.

You may be wondering: How did I get here and what happened to my consulting business? It’s all related (as everything tends to be!)

As part of my new business launch this year, you may remember that I developed a hiker survey to help me understand the needs and opportunities out there in the long-distance hiking community. I received many great ideas and connected with a wide range of people who want to be a part of the change to make the long-distance trail experience more accessible, educational, and want to take action on behalf of the landscapes that make hiking possible. It became clear we as a hiking community could be talking about this more and sharing these ideas with each other.

So I saw the opportunity to work within the hiking community to help encourage intention, respect, and action while also working with trail organizations to create materials, resources, and develop the information that hikers need to be successful (and inspire action on behalf of the environment, of course)!

I’m coming at the issue from multiple angles now. That’s how much of an opportunity I see in the work, and the potential for us all to take collective action in a way that speaks to us…and action starts with intention.

“What we decide to focus on not only informs our view of the world, but will also guide our path through it.” ~ unknown (someone wise obviously!)

My lever for change is helping others to see that change isn’t hopeless, in fact, sure, one action alone can feel hopeless, but hundreds of actions taken together can make a difference.

It all starts with intention.

AND, you don’t have to be a long-distance hiker to find value in these conversations. Most of the topics covered in the events can apply to walks on your neighborhood path or your favorite day-hike near you.

Please come be part of the conversation! More info coming soon about the fall event series and launch.