Hiking

The rain ended an hour before daylight, but the ground and brightly-colored leaf litter covering the forest floor remained wet. Rain water dripping off of the tree limbs was beginning to slow its rhythm. A few vehicles already lined up in the trailhead parking lot, as others pulled in carrying autumn hikers. The family and I worked our way up the trail consisting of rock outcroppings; some of the trail was on exposed rock making for some slippery steps.

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Day hiking for most folks is a much needed, quick getaway from life's demands. An easy walk along a paved trail at a metro park or a 3- or 4-mile trek up a mountain and back can attract different types of hikers.

Just like your mother told you before you left the house for an evening of fun with your buddies: "Be back on time or else!" She was adamant about being on time for several reasons, primarily for your safety and for her sanity.

Regarding life in general, most of us struggle to find time to do the things we truly enjoy. Hikers of all ranges commonly wish for more trail time.

Several years ago, me, the wife and our two kids attended an organized night hike at a nearby arboretum. The kids were only in their single digit years but were no stranger to hiking. Most of their trekking miles were gained via state park trails and exploring the woods and meadows near our home.

Missouri isn't called the "Trail State" for nothing. Trails abound all across the Show Me State, but especially in the Ozarks of southern Missouri.

If you’re a hiker, you've already set yourself apart from the hoards of people that never leave the parking lot. But even among those who love to cover miles of trail there is a lot of diversity of style. Do you fit into one of these hiker sub-groups, or maybe you are a "species" we have yet to meet?

Maneuvering along a hiking trail and "in the zone" with the natural surroundings can be quickly interrupted by a small piece of trash left by humans.