April 2016: A Note From Diane

April greetings to you, Dear Hiker!

I just returned from New Mexico, where I dared to dare myself to tackle an entirely different type of hiking. Blooming barrel cacti, turkey vultures circling overhead, endless rocky vistas made me feel like a newbie hiker all over again.

Hey! I mean that in a good way!

Needing to pay close attention to prickly things, to iffy footing on sandy and rocky slopes, and to imminent thunderstorms rolling in gave me a great mental workout along with the fantastic hiking.

I realized on the plane ride home that I've gotten a little too comfortable with my hiking routine. Maybe you have, too?

So in the spirit of Daring To Dare, let's look at a few new hiking ideas for your upcoming trail season.

Women Only Backpacking Trips

I really had to laugh when this link to women only backpacking trips landed in my inbox the morning I got back from New Mexico.

It fit right in with my Daring To Dare theme!

I'm giving you permission to dare to drool over these destinations: Grand Canyon, Rocky Mountains, Yosemite, PCT, Great Smoky Mountains.

I've got my eye on the Superstition Mountains (Arizona) trip because it would take me right back to the Southwest.

Which trip would push your boundaries the most?

Dare to Volunteer

Maybe you'd like to roll a hiking vacation and volunteering into one trip.

You can, if you choose one from the American Hiking Society.

Take time to feast your eyes on your volunteer hiking trips options in North America.

You have lots of choices for dates, difficulty level, accommodations...dare to do something different with your vacation time this year!

A Nice Earth Day Tie-In

As hikers, we all appreciate trees: shade, beauty, protection from wind and rain, abundant free oxygen, fire starting materials.

This fact really hit home for me while I was in the treeless desert. I kept scanning the horizon for something tall and green!

I was recently introduced to an organization called trees.org. They are exploring how trees can change people's lives with their Forest Garden Program.

Take a look and see if you can find it in your hiker's heart to help them in their mission to guarantee trees for the future in a part of the world that has been deforested.

And dare to join me in my belief that trees probably (in a deeply rooted, slow way) appreciate hikers, at least the ones that don't carve initials or break off limbs for firewood.

Dare to Sleep Well on the Trail

I'm fed up with my sleep system on backpacking trips.

And I don't quite know what to replace it with! Do I dare give up my comfy but heavy Therm-A-Rest?

Well, at least I have some great information to begin my quest for a new sleeping pad.

You can, too!

Mother's Day Gift Ideas

Every year my kids ask me what I'd like for my combo Mother's Day/birthday gift.

This year it was an easy answer: I sent them this handy list to choose from.

I especially liked the list's slogan: "Honor her wild spirit with gear that can keep up."

Exactly what a daring woman would wish for, right?

Maybe a new sleeping pad is in my (your?) future...

Double Dog Dare You!

I just got a crazy idea while typing this newsletter.

What if we share our daring hiking ideas and cheer each other on as we prepare for, and conquer them?

The thing I like about this idea is that the idea of daring is different for each of us.

As I've shared, desert hiking was challenging for me. I worried about drinking enough water. I was intimidated by the spines on all of the plants. And I always had one eye peeled for snakes.

What type of hiking would challenge you? And do you dare to tackle it?

Send me an email, and if I get enough interest, I'll create a forum page on Hiking For Her where we can post the trips we dare to dream, or do, or both.

Won't it be fun to share inspiration and encouragement with each other?

You can simply reply to this email, or use the links below.

C'mon, I dare you to dream with me!

Thank You!

...for your enthusiasm for the trail, your willingness to share your insights and questions, and your curiosity about all things hiking.

I have 3 different inboxes (life is complicated, isn't it!), but it's my Hiking For Her mailbox that I open first in the morning because it's such a pleasure to hear from hikers all around the world.

Thank you for being a hiker!

Happy Trails Always,

Diane a.k.a. Happy Hiker

diane@hiking-for-her.com

P.S. Curious about the hiking I did in New Mexico?

Or stop by these HFH pages for a little hiking inspiration:

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