Tag: 52hikechallenge

Solo Hiking

“Of all the paths you take in life, make sure some of them are dirt.” -John Muir

Cathedral Gorge State Park

I decided once again to do the #52hikechallenge for 2022. I thoroughly emjoyed the hikes last year, so it just made sense to do it yet again. My friend and I decided to do it again together, or at least as many hikes as we could together. With work and life, we just can’t always make the weekly hikes together. For the very first time in my life, I did a solo hike. I made sure it was just a short little one miler for my very first one.

Things I realized…

I’m not a huge fan of hiking alone.

I did enjoy the solitude of hiking alone.

I’m going to try some other hikes alone before I compeletly give up.

Hiking alone was way out of my comfort zone.

While I learned all these things, I also had a good time. Was I scared even though it was just a one mile hike? Yes. Was I proud of myself for getting out there and doing a solo hike to keep up on my challenge? You betcha. Will I do it again? Yes. Will I still be scared? More than likely. That’s the point though right? I’m trying to do things to get myself out of my comfort zone. This was definitely one of them.

My Plan is to continue to learn about the art of solo hiking so I have better tips and tricks to not be so nervous and to make sure I keep myself safe. I never would’ve been able to see these views if I hadn’t stepped out of my comfort zone.

52 Hike Challenge 2021…

“Look deep into nature, and you will understand everything better”

-Albert Einstein

Snow Canyon State Park, Ivins, Utah

Well hello!!! I was so gung ho about blogging, then, well you know. Covid happened. So much has changed in my life because of the pandemic (I’m sure I’ll get to that at some point).

Last year was a total bust on getting out and DOING things for myself. This year I have been focusing on INTENTIONS. I decided at the end of 2020 that I was going to start a 52 Hike Challenge. I actually signed up online with my friend Amanda for the #52hikechallenge. I had signed up in 2018, but I never actually finished…or even really started the challenge. By enlisting Amanda, I knew I would actually reach my goal this year. There’s no way she’d let me back out! Everyone needs a friend like Amanda!

We’re a little behind on our weekly hiking. Our work schedules have changed now that it’s summer, and let’s be honest. I live in Southern Utah, and we’re in the middle of a heat wave. In the desert. In the middle of a drought. We knew we would be a little behind.

The picture is actually from our very first hike this year. A hike we’ve lovingly dubbed, the PTSD hike. We were very unprepared, out of shape, and quite frankly…we were terrified we’d get stuck in the canyon with no service, in the dark. We hadn’t brought enough food, or water. It was also pretty chilly at times, because it was January. We’ve learned SO much from this hike, things not to do, things we needed to do better, and so forth. We’ve actually added to our hiking gear, and have become better hikers as the year has progressed. This challenge has been really good for me. I’ve had to get over my fears and out of my comfort zone, while also having the time of my life. I’ve seen some really beautiful places, I never even knew existed, and I grew up in the area.

Now that I am jumping back on the blogging train…expect more posts about my hiking adventures. Hiking is my happy place. I love the rush it gives me and the sence of accomplishment I have when I am able to finish a long hike. It’s been fun to see how I’ve gotten better and more confident in my abilities to hike. Here’s to getting back on track with this challenge. I need more hiking in my life! A hiking mom is a happy mom!

Hey friends! Join me on the #52hikechallenge. Use my referral code to get a special discount! Please note, for every referral code used I get a discount from their store. Also…you can sign up for FREE. I personally signed up for one of the programs. My code is http://52hikechallenge.refr.cc/melissastewart Happy Hiking ya’ll!!!