Hello, and welcome to my new blog Modern Hiker Woman. As the title of this entry says, I'm not a hiking expert (yet). Just a researcher, writer, adventurer & achiever who was reborn through hiking. More so than anything I suppose you could say I'm a modern and independent woman.
In time, this blog will become a website I'm sure as most of my other hobbies, ventures and endeavors do.
I didn't get into hiking until this year a few weeks ago. I wasn't introduced to the "concept" of hiking and hike trails until May of 2008 when I started traveling to Los Angeles for work and met a man who was into pretty much everything having to do with the outdoors.
This man took me on a few hikes while dating, but then for whatever reason didn't continue. He might have figured that since I was a "pretty glamour girl" I wasn't really that into the outdoors and was only agreeable to hiking to be with him.
He wasn't quite on point with that assessment, but eventually he figured that out.
I've always loved the outdoors and just about any athletic activity. Growing up I was encouraged to participate in a lot of outdoor sports and activities. In fact, the hikes this particular man took me on, were what drew me closer to him initially. California has an awesome landscape, with lots of varied terrain, and scenic views of which were virtually alien to me being that I'd lived Fort Lauderdale, FL (flat land central) for most of my teen and adult life. Finally having a chance to be in the outdoors in such a new capacity awakened a part of me that I hadn't accessed since being a kid in girl scouts in the Houston, Texas (area which was where I spent my early childhood years).
After moving to Los Angeles in July of 2008 I began working in the adult entertainment industry for about a year and a half that I initially thought I'd always wanted to do and was right for, but soon realized was nearly killing me in every capacity (body, mind, and soul). The sect of the world adult entertainment that I'd entered was working in was causing me so much stress and so many life issues that I was having heart palpitations on a regular basis. I was around people who drank to much and who were constantly using drugs and I found myself falling into their negative patterns and way of life.
I found myself smoking cigarettes too much (a nasty habit I'm still working on quitting). Thanks to good genetics I "appeared" to be physically fit, but I knew and felt that I was not in actuality. I was depressed, in a rut and unhappy.
Finally, I realized that I needed to make a serious life change. So I did. I started to hike.
I know this will sound cliche` and corny, but I started to hike after I had a dream about hiking. It was a very vivid dream about hiking in a beautiful park somewhere which was also a nature preserve and outdoor museum. I've never been to such a place and am not sure that such a place even exists, but when I woke up from that dream at around 8 in the morning, I felt compelled to find the closest hike trail to where I live, and hike it.
I went online and found Runyon Canyon park through www.ModernHiker.com (the website which inspired this one - thank you Casey). I'd heard of it before here and there from some people who live in my area of Los Angeles, but I'd never thought of going. After checking out it's location online, I found that the park was about 5 minutes from where I live.
I threw on some sneakers, jumped in the car, hiked the trail, and had one of the best days I'd had since the day that man I'd initially met and began dating out here in Los Angeles took me on a hike with him.
After that day, I went a couple days later, and then every other day after that. I started to feel better and more confident about life. My body started feeling "right" again - actually better than "right" - I started getting back in shape, back to being healthy, back to wanting to eat right and not do things that were damaging to my body (I cut my alcohol intake my 90% - if not more).
My adventurous spirit started to awaken within me. My confidence and courage began to rebuild - much stronger than it ever had been before. I found the strength and drive to cut everyone and everything that was unhealthy, draining and stressful for me out of my life. I returned to my core being and became a better version of myself.
Hiking solo on the trails helped me in feeling comfortable in being solo in life as well. I have always been independent but rarely COMFORTABLY independent. Now I am.
Hikes really are truly a life path metaphor. I've worked through a lot of pain, anger, and other psychological issues on my Runyon Canyon hikes. I've learned and grown a lot. Now, however I feel like it's time for me to explore more trails - both hiking trails, and life trails.
I invite all of you young women out there who may be a lot (or even a little) like me, to join me on my hike explorations through this blog. Maybe this blog will even encourage you to give hiking a try. Hiking is for everyone. Whether you're in the best of shape or worst of shape - whether you're young or old - and no matter what your background (social, ethnic, economical).
There are so many great things about hiking. Hiking is a chance to get to know the earth and to allow the earth to get to know you. Hiking is a chance to get to know yourself. And lets not forget one of the best things about hiking - hiking is a FREE activity to do! Typically all you have to pay for is parking (only sometimes), maybe a permit or pass (which is usually very inexpensive) and whatever you wear on your body or carry. In this economic age, I personally feel that anything free (or close to free) is fabulous!
I'll add a new entry with photos and videos each week as I seek out new trails, first in the Los Angeles area, and later through out the country - maybe through out the world.
