Why I’m doing the #52HikeChallenge

Because I want to do the thing that makes me so happy as often as I can.

Because I have a hiking blog, and more hikes means more writing, another thing that makes me really happy.

Because I want one more reason to overcome excuses.

Because it’s possible, but not easy. I didn’t do 52 hikes in 2017.

Because it could spark creativity. I’ve talked about how easy it would be to hike Carlito Springs after work for months, but I’ve never done it. If I miss a weekend hike on this challenge, I might just do it.

Because I made a list of a bunch of special places I wanted to go in 2017 and only made it to one of them. I wasn’t going to set any hiking goals for 2018 at all. But with this one, the possibilities are wide open as long as you’re doing the thing.

Because, as this article by Gabriella Marks aptly puts it, hiking isn’t all summits and sweeping views. It’s tedium and blisters and repetition and turning around a half mile short because that’s the safest choice for you that day. The more of those dues you pay, the more summits and sweeping views you might reap.

Because it brings me closer to the only goal I did set for myself in 2018 – to spend more time with humans in real life, especially my life partner, who is also my hiking partner.

For the record: Nobody’s paying me to do this challenge or write about it, I’m doing it because I want to.